IHSA Sectional Preview: One under-the-radar player for each Daily Chronicle area school still alive

Four of the seven schools in the Daily Chronicle coverage area reached the sectional round of the postseason, with semifinals starting Tuesday.

Here’s a look at one player from each team who isn’t the most high-profile, but still can have a big impact on the game.

DeKalb: Jackson Kees

The Barbs can get scoring from a lot of places, starting with junior post Davon Grant and senior guard Sean Reynolds. In the Class 4A Harlem Regional championship, Hononegah keyed on Reynolds, holding him to six points. Then Marquise Bolden stepped up with 20.

The Barbs face Warren at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Waukegan Sectional semifinals, the winner will play Waukegan or Guilford. Last year Warren eliminated DeKalb in the sectional semis.

There are a lot of ways Kees can contribute, padding the stat sheet against the Indians with eight points, three rebounds and a steal. He also had five assists and four turnovers while shooting 3 for 3 on 2-pointers and 0 for 4 on 3s.

If he gets hot or gets a handle on the ball, it makes an explosive DeKalb starting lineup even more threatening.

Sycamore: Michael Chami

He may not be under the radar anymore after his 13 points and 11 rebounds in a win over Belvidere North to win the Class 3A Woodstock North Regional championship.

Since Isaiah Feuerbach went down with a knee injury about a month ago, Sycamore’s scoring has come from multiple sources, and the Spartans have still been racking up wins. His status is unknown for the Class 3A Rochelle Sectional, which starts for Sycamore on Tuesday against Crystal Lake South.

Chami brings surprisingly good court vision for a 6-foot-5 post. He only had two assists in the win over the Blue Thunder, but he’s had as many as seven in a game this season. When getting the ball under the basket, he’s gotten good at kicking the ball back out to an open shooter.

While Feuerbach still leads the Spartans in most offensive categories, players such as Unique Shaw, Josiah Mitchell and Xander Lewis have picked up the scoring slack since his injury. All are good 3-point shooters, and Chami’s ability to kick the ball out to them as the defense collapses inside has proved valuable.

Kaneland: Evan Frieders

Frieders can do a little bit of everything for the Knights. He’s a strong shooter. He can handle the ball. And at 6-foot-5 he’s able to crash the boards as well.

He was a point guard last year but shifted to shooting guard this season with the addition of Marshawn Cocroft. And the Knights don’t lack height with the 6-7 Freddy Hassan and 6-9 Jeffrey Hassan.

But whatever additional role the Knights need from Frieders, chances are he can provide it.

The Knights face Boylan in the Rochelle Sectional semifinals, with the winner facing Sycamore or Crystal Lake South. They held off Wheaton Academy to win the IMSA Regional.

Hinckley-Big Rock: Luke Badal

Martin Ledbetter’s good for a double-double pretty much every game. Max Hintzsche can drain 3s and score as well.

All season, coach Seth Sanderson has said the Royals are at their best when they have a third scoring option. And a lot of times that is Badal.

Hintzsche had an off night against Serena on Friday, scoring just seven points in the Royals' overtime win to claim the Class 1A Marquette Regional championship.

But Badal was there, scoring 18 to help the Royals secure a spot in the Class 1A Somonauk Sectional semifinal Wednesday against Skokie Ida Crown.