April 18, 2024
Shaw Local
NewsSubscribePrep SportsObituariesFriday Night DriveeNewspaperLocal EventsShaw Local RadioStarved Rock Country

Boys basketball preview: A look at the season ahead

By Kevin Hieronymus, Kevin Chlum and Charlie Ellerbrock

Princeton's Jamie Reinhardt splits the Fieldcrest defense during a game last season. Reinhardt returns after earning NewsTribune Second-Team All-Area last year. (BCR photo)

Princeton

Coach: Jason Smith (second season).

Last season’s record: 16-15, 8-4 TRAC East.

Top returning players: Jamie Reinhardt, Sr., PG; Cael Davis, Sr., G; Caleb Haring, Sr., F; Isaac Legner, Sr., F.

Top newcomers: Teegan Davis, So., G; Jackson Dressler, Jr., G; Kaden Monroe, Jr., F; Kolton Monroe, So., G/F; Bennet Sierens, Jr., G/F; Brayden Skaggs, Jr., G; Grady Thompson, So., G; Mack Williams, Jr., F.

Worth noting: Reinhardt, a senior point guard, should go over 1,000 career points. The unanimous First Team All-TRAC East pick averaged 14.7 points along with 3.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.8 steals. .... Legner returns from a knee injury that cost him most of his junior year. ... Junior Kaden and sophomore Kolton Monroe, both who stand about 6-7, transferred back into the district. ... Smith has pulled up two other sophomores (Teegan Davis, Grady Thompson).

- Kevin Hieronymus

Bureau Valley

Coach: Jason Marquis (ninth season)

Last season’s record: 6-25 (1-11 TRAC East).

Top returning players: Evan Eckberg, Sr., F; Adam Johnson, Jr., G; Jonah Johnson, Sr., F; Carter Salisbury, Jr., G.

Key newcomers: Brock Foster, Jr. G; Nevin Bolin, Jr. F; Layton Britt, Jr. G.

Worth noting: Adam Johnson and Salisbury both started on varsity as sophomores. Salisbury led the Storm in assists (2.9) and averaged 9.3 points. ... Eckberg was a part-time starter last year and classmate Jonah Johnson also saw significant minutes. ... “I think a lot of teams see that we were down last year and assume it will be another down year for us,” Marquis said. “I think our kids are just starting to get a little bit of fire in their blood. If we put more effort than our competition and execute well, I don’t see any games in our 10-game schedule we can’t win.” Marquis expects the Storm to be a team that defends well and “honestly for our lack of size, rebounds well.” ... Junior foreign exchange student Allessandro Bertolani joins the program from Italy.

- Kevin Hieronymus

La Moille-Ohio

Coach: Kenny Shrimplin (fifth season).

Last season’s record: 18-13, 4-4 Little Ten.

Top returning players: Sean Fitzpatrick (Sr., F), Dylan Lovgren (Sr., F), Jason Martin (Sr., G), Aiden Sondgeroth (Sr., F).

Top newcomers: Austin Fischer, Jr., G; Wyatt Lundquist, Jr., F: Dylan Tornow, Jr., G; Joe Quest, Jr., F.

Worth noting: The Lions had a breakout season last year, winning 18 games, the second most in school history. ... All four returning seniors saw varsity time last year. ... Due to low numbers, L-O will play only a varsity schedule. ... “I want the most out of my kids, but knowing we have had no time to do much this school year, I’m trying to be realistic and take it all one step at a time,” Shrimplin said. “We have a good amount of true varsity players that will do a lot of great things for us this season.”

- Kevin Hieronymus

DePue

Coach: Charlie Klinefelter (seventh season).

Last season’s record: 8-17, 1-8 Tri-County.

Top returning players: Jorge Escobar, Sr., G; Koby Hayes, Jr., F; Andres Moreno, Jr., F; Hunter Tyson, Sr., G.

Top newcomers: Francisco Moreno, Fr., G.

Worth noting: The DePue School Board approved the Little Giants to be able to play this season Monday and practice started Tuesday. ... Klinefelter is high on junior forward Andres Moreno, who he said he might be a better shooter than his older brother, Eddie, who now plays at Aurora University, and freshman Francisco Moreno. ... The Little Giants have joined the Little Ten Conference. “It will be real competitive conference. We were outmatched for awhile there in the Tri-County, then we had some good teams come along and we were real competitive. I think it will help us in the long run,” Klinefelter said.

- Kevin Hieronymus

Henry

Coach: Randy Westerdahl (first season)

Last season’s record: 13-15, 4-5 Tri-County

Top returners: P.J. Ehrat, Jr.; Eric Garrison, Jr.; Holdyn Carr, Jr.; Amsul Jakupi, So.

Key newcomers: Jon Downey, Sr.; Brady Newhalfen, Sr.; Drew Bushnell, So.; Colton Williams, So.; Ayden Malvolti, So.; Troy Westerdahl, Jr.

Worth noting: The Mallards were hit hard by graduation with the loss of Jake Miller (19 points per game), Ethan Condit (11 ppg, 9 rpg) and Griffin Self (11 ppg), who were all-area. … Ehrat, Garrison, Carr and Jakupi saw limited varsity action last season, while Downey returns to the program after not playing last winter. “We were progressing well and gelling fast during contact days, then the shutdown happened,” Randy Westerdahl said. “We are now relearning our system, plays and verbiage. I am going to cut back on the amount of plays we would normally run. I am excited for the future and love our athletes’ dedication, hard work and eagerness to learn.”

- Kevin Chlum

Fieldcrest

Coach: Matt Winkler (29th season)

Last season’s record: 27-7, 11-1 Heart of Illinois

Top returners: Jaxon Cusac-McKay, Sr., G; Cory Land, Sr., G; Henry Lorton, Sr., G; Andrew May, Sr., G; Bryce Nordstrom, Sr., F; Noah Nordstrom, Sr., F; Travis Sunken, , Sr., C; Gage Vancoppenolle, Sr., C.

Key newcomers: Kade Buchanan, Jr., F.

Worth noting: The Knights won their 14th regional and their second sectional under Winkler last season. Cusac-McKay, the reigning NewsTribune Player of the Year and IBCA all-stater, returns. Also back are Land (9.7 ppg) and Henry Lorton (7 ppg) on a roster with just one non-senior. “The guys we lost to graduation were integral to that Elite Eight team,” Winkler said. “But we have plenty of guys chomping at the bit to fill those roles.”

- Charlie Ellerbrock

Earlville

Coach: Gerald Fruit (third season)

Last season’s record: 18-14, 5-3 Little Ten

Top returners: Connor Cook, Sr., G; Bryar Keller, Jr., G; Noah Lemke, Sr., C; Michael Steurke, Jr., F; Davis Sweeney, Sr., F; Jeremy Weymouth, Jr., F.

Key newcomers: Garrett Cook, So., G; Matt Kuter, So., F; Diego Vazquez, So., G; Ryan Browder, Fr., F; Griffin Cook, Fr., F; Trenton Fruit, Fr., C; Carlos Gonzales, Fr., G; Rocco Morsovillo, Fr., G.

Worth noting: The Red Raiders will have to replace nearly half of their scoring and rebounding provided by graduated All-LTC Landon Larkin (20.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg) and Michael Sansone (11.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg). But they do have a good perimeter scorer in Sweeney, a capable big man in Lemke and a solid guard in Cook to build around. A big group of underclassmen brings speed and athleticism.

- Charlie Ellerbrock