As the prep boys basketball season tips off Monday, here are five of the top names from the Daily Journal area to keep an eye on.

Lincoln Williams, Kankakee, sr., G

Few local hoopers have ever entered their senior season with as much anticipation as Williams, the reigning Daily Journal Co-Player of the Year and Rivals and 247 Sports’ No. 1 recruit in the state. He’s one of four returning starters for Kankakee, whose fifth starter will be Indiana State commit EJ Hazelett, who moved back to his junior high home after four years in Indiana. Williams averaged 19 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two blocks per game last year for a Kankakee team that went 25-6 and won an IHSA Class 3A Regional. Second-team KDJ All-Area point guard Myair Thompson, third-team wing Kenaz Jackson and athletic two-way guard Cedric Terrell III are also back for the Kays.

Callaghan O’Connor, Bishop McNamara, sr., C

O’Connor may be a Notre Dame baseball commit, but the four-year starting center for Bishop McNamara is a force on the hardwood too. After a Daily Journal All-Area sophomore campaign, O’Connor followed that up with a third-team junior season in which he averaged 11 points, six rebounds, 1.2 assists, a block and a steal per game for a Fightin’ Irish squad that played for a Class 2A Sectional title. He’s one of seven skillful seniors that helped the eighth grade program to an IESA State runner-up finish, joined by fellow All-Chicagoland Christian Conference returner Karter Krutsinger, Teddy Fogel, Richie Darr, Coen Demack, Gavin Antons and Cale Hamilton.

Kobe Lawrence, Bradley-Bourbonnais, jr. G

Lawrence had a more complimentary role with program legend Nick Allen in the middle and a plethora of experienced guards, but he’ll be one of the faces at the forefront of a new era of Bradley-Bourbonnais boys basketball. Eric Long may be in his first year leading the Boilermakers, but he’s got state pedigree in 20 prior years of head coaching experience and said Lawrence has the potential to be one of Chicagoland’s top shooters. He averaged four points per game last year, a number that could easily triple this winter, with an impressive 1.5 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Seth Walder, Cissna Park, sr., G

Cissna Park boasts one of the most lethal scoring backcourts in all of Class 1A. Walder, who averaged 17.2 points, 4.3 assists, four rebounds and 1.7 steals per game last year, earned Class 1A IBCA All-State special mention last year and was joined by Dierks Neukomm (21.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.2 apg, 1.7 spg) on the All-Vermilion Valley Conference and All-Iroquois County teams, as well as honorable mention KDJ All-Area recognition. A proud program with 25 regional titles to its name, Walder and Neukomm will look to lead Cissna Park to its first winning season since 2019-20.

Grant Pomaranski, St. Anne, sr., G

St. Anne coach Rick Schoon began preaching about the talent he had in the Class of 2026 almost immediately after their trip as eighth graders to the IESA State Finals. They’re now seniors who are looking to defend their undefeated River Valley Conference run and tournament championship and looking for IHSA hardware to match what they earned four years ago. Pomaranski averaged 10 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.6 steals per game last year to earn a KDJ honorable mention spot alongside classmate Matthew Langellier and first-team All-RVC honors. Pomaranski, Langellier, Brandon Schoth and Jason Bleyle are all back in the fold for the Cardinals.