The Indian Creek boys basketball team played solid defense in the second half against Marquette on Monday night in a 41-39 victory at Bader Gymnasium in Ottawa.

Yorkville saw a seven-point lead slip away in the final 15 seconds of regulation, but the Foxes bounced back to beat Sycamore 63-61 in overtime to win the Strombom Holiday Tournament title.

From a collection of strong inside players to some 3-and-D guards, we take a look at five boys basketball players that you don't want to miss this season.

How far can DeKalb go? Can an improved Sycamore finish with a winning record? How much of a difference does a new transfer make to an already loaded Kaneland squad? We preview all seven area teams.

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Caleb Krueger, 13, and his brother Cole, 15, practice their three point shots Wednesday at their house in Genoa as they prepare for an attempt to break the world record for three pointers in a minute by a duo. The brothers already own a Guinness Book World Record for the most basketball passes in a minute for a pair under 16.

The amount of multisport standouts in local boys athletics runs very deep. So many athletes with NCAA Division I offers in one sport are still playing another. It makes for a lot of strong candidates for the Daily Chronicle 2024-2025 Boys Athlete of the Year.

The focus on DeKalb's summer was finding consistency, said head coach Mike Reynolds. It’s especially important for players like Justin O’Neal and Marquise Bolden, both rising seniors who started last year.

Sycamore brings back a lot of talent from last year's squad as well as a couple of transfer students, including former DeKalb guard Unique Shaw. After a strong summer, the Spartans have high hopes for the regular season.

Davon Grant already has two high-level basketball seasons under his belt, a breakout football campaign and seven NCAA Division I football offers. The DeKalb rising junior is the Daily Chronicle Boys Athlete of the Year.