Crystal Lake Central hopes to enhance the fan experience at boys basketball games this season, and one way of doing so is by moving mobile bleachers behind a basket for student fans. Plus more in this week's Northwest Herald boys basketball notes.

AJ Demirov had 19 points and 10 assists to lead Crystal Lake South to a 78-48 win over the host Skyhawks in the third-place game of the Johnsburg Thanksgiving Tournament.

Atticus Richmond scored a game-high 15 points, all in the second half, leading Stevenson to a 46-28 win over Huntley at the Ed Molitor Thanksgiving boys basketball classic at Palatine.

Adam Anwar scored 22 points, Dylan Hurckes made 6-of-8 free throws in overtime, and McHenry beat Cary-Grove 55-52 to win the Hoops for Healing tournament at Woodstock North.

Cary-Grove faces McHenry in the Woodstock Hoops for Healing Tournament Championship game on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Woodstock North High School.

The boys basketball season is already underway. Check out our team-by-team preview with top returners, newcomers and info on each team in the Northwest Herald area for the 2024-25 season.

Here are five boys basketball players to watch in the Northwest Herald area for the 2024-25 season.

Tony Santarell had a game-high 20 points and eight rebounds to lead Crystal Lake South to a season-opening, 63-44 win over Buffalo Grove at Johnsburg.

Crystal Lake South faces Buffalo Grove in a Johnsburg Thanksgiving Tournament boys basketball game on Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, at Johnsburg High School.

Brian Frericks, a 2013 Crystal Lake South graduate, welcomed his first child (daughter Makenzie) with wife Katina last week and was officially announced as Prairie Ridge's newest boys basketball coach.

Burlington Central senior point guard LJ Kerr, also a standout on the football field, has enjoyed a busy and productive summer on the basketball court. Kerr and Patrick Shell are among those players hoping to take a big leap for a Rockets' team coming off a 21-11 season.

Jacobs graduate Cameron Krutwig was dropped from one Spanish team, but thrived with Forca Lleida, which he helped earn a promotion for the 2025 season.

Marian Central's Christian Bentancur is the only athlete in IHSA history to get 200 receptions in football and 2,000 points in basketball in a career. Bentancur is the 2024 Northwest Herald Male Athlete of the Year.

A 35-second shot clock is coming to both boys and girls high school basketball in Illinois starting in 2026. The IHSA Board of Directors approved the move at its Monday meeting.

Jim Meyers, who was athletic director for the first 25 years Johnsburg High School existed, was inducted into the Illinois Athletic Directors Association Hall of Fame in early May. Meyers was one of the forces in pushing for the IHSA to switch from the two-class system to four.