ESPN

One of Chicago’s most powerful club high school coaches said Friday he doesn’t believe Shaka Smart turned down Illinois’ offer because of his reluctance to deal with Chicago recruiting and believes the perception of the city’s recruiting is wrong.

Mike Irvin runs one of Chicago’s most recruited club programs, the Mac Irvin Fire. Its recent players include McDonald’s All-Americans Wayne Blackshear and Jereme Richmond, Illinois sophomore Meyers Leonard and Ohio State freshman Sam Thompson. The Fire’s current roster includes the nation’s No.1 junior Jabari Parker and No. 2 sophomore Jahlil Okafor.

According to sourced reports, Smart was turned off by the politics of Chicago recruiting, and that played a factor in his decision to reject Illinois’ offer. Irvin said Smart has recruited Chicago before and doesn’t believe that soured Smart on the Illinois job.

“Shaka knows he can come in and recruit kids from here,” said Irvin, who took over the program for his recently deceased father Mac Irvin. “When Shaka was (an assistant) at Florida, all of our guys had Florida on their list. I didn’t even know who Shaka was before, and he called me 90 times before he got a hold of me. He knows he can come in here.”

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CHICAGO – No high school basketball player has ever likely slammed what Anthony Davis did into one year.

On March 30, 2010, no one knew who Davis was. He was a 6-foot-10 junior at Perspectives High School in Chicago, putting up big numbers, but virtually unknown to anyone outside of his conference.

A year later, Davis, now a Kentucky signee and the No. 2 player in the Class of 2011, was blocking shots, grabbing rebounds and throwing down dunks before a hometown crowd of 20,019 fans at the United Center in the McDonald’s All-American game on Wednesday.

Davis finished with 14 points, six rebounds, one assist, four blocks and two steals in the West team’s 111-96 losing effort to the East before the biggest crowd in the game’s history.

“It was excellent,” Davis said. “I played in front of my home crowd, my hometown Chicago, Illinois. I especially put a lot of pressure on myself because Wayne [Blackshear] wasn’t playing, so it kind of made me step up and represent for Chicago. He was only able to play eight minutes. I think I did an excellent job representing Chicago.”

Blackshear concurred.

“He really put on a show for everybody,” Blackshear said. “That’s what I said before, he’s going to go out there and just play basketball, and that’s what he did.”

ESPN senior recruit analyst Dave Telep has been touting Davis’ game ever since he first saw him last spring, and Davis continued to impress him from the first practice of the week to the final buzzer of Wednesday’s game.

“His week met and exceeded expectations,” Telep said. “On the biggest stage of his career, he looked remarkably comfortable. Add up the physical attributes, project where he can go and mix in the fact he has the ability to maximize the potential, and I think he stated a powerful case to be considered as the top prospect in the class."

Davis never doubted it was impossible.

“I did a lot of work,” Davis said. “I knew one day I wanted to be a McDonald’s All-American. When I got that call, I was just shocked. What Alonzo Mourning told us earlier today, you put in what you get out of the game. If you don’t put in the work, you’re not going to anything out of the game.”

Blackshear didn’t have the numbers or the night Davis had, but just getting on the floor was a blessing for him. After dislocating his left shoulder in practice on Tuesday morning, Blackshear was told he would be unable to play in the game.

On Wednesday, Blackshear’s shoulder began feeling better, and he decided to give it a try. He started the game, played eight minutes and had two points, two rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block.

“It was a big stage for me,” Blackshear said. “Even though I was hurt, I wanted to play so bad because this was a big thing for me and it was in my hometown. I was excited I got at least got a couple of minutes.”

In the girls game, Bolingbrook’s Ariel Massengale had 13 points, four rebounds and four assists in the East team’s 78-66 win.

“It was amazing,” said Massengale, who was the ESPNChicago.com Player of the Year. “I’m honored to have the game played in my state and to be chosen to participate this year. It was just great. A lot of people were here, teammates, friends, church members. It was just great to have them come out and see me play.”

CHICAGO -- Morgan Park senior Wayne Blackshear will attempt to play in the McDonald's All-American game in front of his hometown fans on Wednesday after dislocating his left shoulder earlier in the week.

"I'm going to be a game-time decision," Blackshear said on Wednesday afternoon. "My shoulder feels better. It would be exciting. I'm hoping to feel it out."

Blackshear dislocated his shoulder when he collided with a teammate during a practice on Monday morning. He said that night he would not be able play in the game due to his injury.

Blackshear, Perspectives forward Anthony Davis and Bolingbrook point guard Ariel Massengale were the three Chicago-area players selected for the McDonald's All-American boys and girls teams.

CHICAGO -- Morgan Park guard Wayne Blackshear and Perspectives forward Anthony Davis had the same goal entering this season: To be named McDonald’s All-Americans.

That goal became a reality on Thursday when both were announced on ESPNU as 2011 selections.

But when they found out the game would be at the United Center in their hometown Chicago, their initial goal was altered. It wasn’t about just making an appearance and playing in the McDonald’s game anymore; it was about dominating and putting on a show.

“A lot of legends came out Chicago, and I just wanted to be remembered as one of them,” said Blackshear, who played with Davis on the same AAU team as kids. “It means a lot to me for the game being in Chicago. Not a lot of players get to play in their hometown.

“Me and Anthony grew up together, and it’s good for us to be McDonald’s All-Americans. It shows all the hard work paid off. It’s going to be fun playing with him.”

Blackshear, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard, is the 17th-ranked player in the Class of 2011 and is a Louisville recruit. He averages 32.5 points, 14.7 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 5.4 blocks, and 4.2 steals this season for Morgan Park.

“Blackshear is a strong and athletic wing that has been a marquee name in Chicago since he hit the high school scene,” ESPN recruiting coordinator Reggie Rankin said. “He has a college-ready body and will be a terrific Big East wing at the ‘Ville.”

Davis, a 6-foot-10 forward, is the No. 2-ranked player in the class and is a Kentucky recruit. He averages 32 points, 19 rebounds and 6.5 blocks for Perspectives.

"This means a lot to me," Davis said. "This was one of my high school goals. It's a great accomplishment. I have a chance to play in front of my family and friends."


Unlike Blackshear, Davis wasn’t a household name in the country or even Chicago up until last spring when he played club basketball for the first time of his high school career. Within a few months of people seeing his versatile game, he was one of the most coveted recruits in the nation.

“Davis came on the scene last spring and has never looked back,” Rankin said. “From an unknown to being considered for the top spot in the class and signing with Kentucky, Davis has off-the-charts’ upside and is the toughest matchup in high school basketball because of his size, length and guard skills.”

Davis’ national attention has helped Perspectives’ profile as well.

“It’s a huge thing for the school especially,” Perspectives coach Cortez Hale said. “He’s getting good notoriety out there for the school that we’re not just an academic school. We also have athletics.”

Morgan Park doesn’t need the exposure, but Blackshear’s McDonald’s All-American selection has fulfilled a dream for Mustangs coach Nick Irvin. A star player himself in high school, Irvin wasn’t selected to play in the game.

“I was disappointed I never made it, but I had to move on from it,” Irvin said. “It’s great to see someone I coach and be a part of his life and see him make it. He can tell me how it feels.”

Irvin also had no doubt Blackshear and Davis would put on a show for their hometown crowd.

“He better,” Irvin said of Blackshear. “This is what he wanted. He better have a big game because he’s going to get hit in the mouth if he doesn’t. He’s not just going out there and playing around like it’s an all-star game. It’s a game to showcase yourself and show you belong. It’s in his home city where he’s the best player in the state of Illinois.”

In addition to Blackshear and Davis, Bolingbrook's Ariel Massengale was selected to the roster for the girls game.

CHICAGO -- Simeon is going to let Morgan Park keep on doing the talking, and it’ll keep on doing the winning.

Despite Morgan Park coach Nick Irvin’s comments carrying much of the pregame headlines, No. 1 Simeon took care of business on the court Saturday, defeating the No. 5 Mustangs, 60-51, in a Red South matchup before a packed crowd at Chicago State.

“You’ll never be able to quiet Nick Irvin,” Simeon coach Robert Smith joked after the game. “You’ll never be able to quiet him. He still thinks he’s going to be able to get there. He’s got a good team. He’s got a great shot at winning city, great shot at winning 3A state.”

While Simeon may have a good team, Simeon still is the great one. The undefeated Wolverines wore down Morgan Park and its star Wayne Blackshear throughout the course of Saturday’s game and showed why they’re ranked the No. 8 team in the country by ESPN RISE.

Simeon’s great asset is its depth. Smith has gone with a rotation of 10 players for almost the entire season. Aside from slowing opponents down, the depth allows the Wolverines to have someone step up on any given night.

On Saturday, the dice fell in sophomore Kendrick Nunn’s hands. Coming off the bench, Nunn, a highly-ranked sophomore guard, went scoreless in the opening quarter, but he made up for it the remainder of the game. He finished with a game-high 19 points and grabbed five rebounds.

“The thing is his playing time,” Smith said of Nunn. “He’s only playing 15 minutes, 16 minutes. You don’t get see it when other kids are playing 28, 30 minutes. Today when he got the minutes, he showed it.”

Nunn earned his minutes Saturday with his play during the second quarter. Morgan Park held a 19-11 advantage after the first quarter thanks to five 3-pointers. Simeon needed someone to emerge, and Nunn stepped up. In the second quarter he was 3-of-3 from the field, scored seven points, grabbed three rebounds and dished out one assist to cut Simeon’s deficit to three points at halftime.

In the third quarter, junior Steve Taylor joined Nunn in his party, and the Wolverines began to overtake Morgan Park. Taylor hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the early minutes of the third quarter during an 11-4 run, and the Wolverines went ahead 41-37. They wouldn’t relinquish the lead the rest of the night.

Taylor finished with four 3-pointers and 14 points. He also had six rebounds.

“Steve Taylor, honestly, is probably the best player in his class,” Irvin said. “He just killed us.”

Free-throw shooting had the same effect on the Mustangs. Morgan Park shot 9 of 18 from the free-throw line.

It’s where Irvin thought the game was decided.

“I think we lost the game ourselves,” Irvin said. “It wasn’t what they did or nothing. We missed a lot of free throws. We had our chance. We had them down. We just didn’t finish the game. They didn’t do anything special. If we play them again, I think it’s going to be a better outcome.”

Blackshear, a Louisville recruit, came out on a tear with 14 points in the first half, but slowed down as the game progressed. He picked up his third foul in the final seconds of the first half, was called for his fourth in the third quarter and wasn’t the same player the rest of the way. He scored just two points in the second half and finished the game shooting 6 of 19 from the field.

Markee Williams (nine points, five assists) and Billy Garrett Jr. (13 points) contributed for Morgan Park. Jabari Parker had 10 points and six rebounds for Simeon.

Chicago mayoral candidates Rahm Emanuel and Gery Chico, Antoine Walker and Bobby Simmons were among those in attendance at Saturday’s game.

Morgan Park coach Nick Irvin has spent more time disliking Simeon than doing almost anything else in his 32 years.

He was first taught by his older brothers to hate Simeon long before he even understood why. He went on to develop his own distaste for the school when he began playing against the Wolverines at Carver. One of his greatest basketball prep memories was scoring 25 points in three quarters of play during a 35-point win over Simeon.

"I wanted to ice up early," Irvin said, laughing loudly.

Years later, as an older, mature head coach, Irvin still has that same deep desire to put Simeon in its place. Irvin has even come to calling the game "The Battle for Vincennes" as the two South Side schools are less than five miles apart on Vincennes Avenue.

On Saturday, Irvin and Morgan Park will resume their rivalry with Simeon at Chicago State at 7:30 p.m. The game will be shown on ESPN3.com and ESPNChicago.com.

"My brothers battled with Simeon," said Irvin, whose team is 13-1 overall and 5-0 in the Red South. "It just carried down to me. That's how it was. You got to beat Simeon."

There's no doubt Irvin has played up the game. He's been talking about it for months. On the other hand, Simeon coach Robert Smith hasn't gotten involved in the war of words and downplayed it.

"It's another conference game," said Smith, whose team is 14-0 and 6-0 in the Red South. "It's another game. It's not that big to me. It's a rivalry. Of course, it is. We want to win. It's not life or death or another make-or-break game for us. We want to win it just to be in a good position for the city and state playoffs."

Irvin and Smith may have their different positions because of where their teams stand.

Simeon is the team to beat in the state. The Wolverines are the defending Class 4A state champions, began this season the area's No. 1-ranked team, have won their first 14 games and now have moved up to No. 8 in the country by ESPN RISE.

Morgan Park is the hunter. The Mustangs have put together a solid resume over the last two seasons. They avenged a regular-season loss to Simeon last year with a win over the Wolverines in the Public League playoffs and went on to become city champions. But overall, Morgan Park hasn't achieved what Simeon has with numerous city and state titles.



"When you hear Simeon, you hear the big names," Irvin said. "Simeon's name has been out there for a while."

Those big names of Simeon's past include Derrick Rose, Ben Wilson, Nick Anderson and Bobby Simmons. And today, sophomore Jabari Parker carries on the tradition.

Parker, a 6-7 forward, is ESPN's No. 6-ranked player in the Class of 2013. Parker has the size of a forward, the vision of a point guard, the outside touch of a shooting guard and the interior game of a post player. He's more or less the complete package and has drawn offers from Duke and nearly every other top school in the country. He's Illinois' top target.

"I'm just impressed by his growth," Smith said. "How much more mature he's got as a basketball player and individual. Of course, his willingness to win now is what makes him stand out. He gives up points, rebounds and minutes for us to win. He's averaging 15-16 points while only playing 17-18 minutes a game. Imagine if he had 25 minutes a game.

"By far, he's the best player in the state. He can do just so much. Anthony Davis is close to that. He can do many things. Wayne [Blackshear] is a great athlete and great player. But with the IQ and things people don't see, there can't be a better player in the state than him in any class."

Of course, Irvin disagrees. Irvin touts his own star 6-foot-5 guard Wayne Blackshear, a Louisville recruit and ESPN's No. 18 player in the Class of 2011, as the state's premier player.

"I love Jabari," Irvin said. "Jabari Parker is probably one of the best ballplayers in the state of Illinois. But until Wayne leaves, the torch hasn't been passed. Wayne is the best player in the state of Illinois regardless of class.

"He's a leader. He gets his team involved. It's not about Wayne getting 40 points. It's not about Wayne getting 20 rebounds. He's about winning. He wants to win a state championship, so he can be mentioned with the best names out of the city of Chicago. That's his focus and goal. He's been doing that."

Blackshear and Parker will be the marquee players on the court Saturday, but they won't be the only Div. I-caliber players. Simeon has a roster full of them, and it's why Smith goes with a 10-player rotation. Morgan Park possesses sophomore sensation guards Markee Williams and Billy Garrett Jr. and UIC recruit sharpshooter Jerome Brown.

The game was originally scheduled to be played at Morgan Park earlier this month, but was moved to Chicago State to allow for more fans to attend. Last year's game at Simeon packed a crowd Smith hadn't even seen the size of during Rose's playing days.

Saturday promises to be another wild one, and while Irvin has talked a lot about wanting to badly beat Simeon, he has no bad blood against his rival. It's all in good fun.

"I definitely enjoy it," Irvin said. "It's just a fun rivalry. It's nothing you want to argue and go fight about. It's going to be a game that everyone wants to see. It's just fun for the kids. The kids have been battling since they were in grammar school. It's good for the community, the fans, the reporters, everyone."

Here are the top 10 storylines of the year in area high school boys basketball.

1. The final page: Since committing to Illinois as a freshman, Jereme Richmond became one of the most touted and scrutinized players in the state’s history. His every move on and off the court was dissected. In 2010, he put the final touches on his storied high school career, and he didn’t disappoint, leading Waukegan downstate again while averaging 21 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, three blocks and one steal. His season earned him the ESPNChicago.com Player of the Year award and Mr. Basketball.

2. Unknown to well-known: A year ago, 6-foot-10 forward Anthony Davis was known as a basketball star among the few hundred students at Perspectives High School. Today, he’s a star to the whole country. Davis' stock rose dramatically from the end of his junior high school season to the start of his senior year. In between, he played his first club basketball since grammar school, dominated from coast to coast, was offered by nearly every high-major school, signed with Kentucky and was ranked No. 2 in the Class of 2011 by ESPN.

3. Simeon is still Simeon: Three years after winning its last state championship with Derrick Rose, Simeon again was on top of the Illinois high school basketball world in 2010. The Wolverines won the Class 4A state championship in March, have been dominant so far this season as the No. 1 team in the state and earlier this week won another Pontiac Holiday Tournament title. Sophomore Jabari Parker could be the program’s next pro.

4. The rise of Benet: In the past year, Benet won its first regional since 2005, its first sectional since 1983, pushed state champion Simeon to the brink in the super-sectionals, had two players sign with Big Ten programs (David Sobolewski to Northwestern and Frank Kaminsky to Wisconsin) and just recently won the historic Proviso West Holiday Tournament. Entering 2011, the Redwings are 14-0 and appear again to be Simeon’s greatest challenger.

5. Wayne’s world: Morgan Park star Wayne Blackshear had plenty of moments throughout 2010, but none was bigger than in the Public League championship. With his team down by one, he hit a game-winning runner over a Marshall defender in the final seconds to lift the Mustangs to the title. Afterward Morgan Park coach Nick Irvin said, “Wayne Blackshear is a bad man.”

6. Chi-town is Weber’s town: Illinois coach Bruce Weber snatched four highly-ranked Class of 2011 Chicago commitments, which may just be his greatest recruiting feat. Weber will bring in ESPNU Top 100 players Mount Carmel point guard Tracy Abrams, Orr small forward Mycheal Henry and De La Salle power forward Mike Shaw along with St. Ignatius center Nnanna Egwu, who is the 10th-ranked center in the country.

7. Boatright is all right: East Aurora’s Ryan Boatright may not be the most highly-ranked player in the area, but he is the most entertaining. He not only scores a massive amount of points, but he does it while putting on a show with crossovers, dunks, acrobatic jumpers and more. He was sensational against Hales in November with a stat line of 55 points, 10 rebounds, 10 steals, three assists and two blocks. He scored 63 points against Proviso West earlier this month. He even ended 2010 by scoring 43 points on Dec. 30. He also added some drama to year by committing to West Virginia, de-committing shortly after and then committing to Connecticut.

8. Sign here: The Class of 2011 is considered one of the state’s best ever, and it made last month’s signing period one of the most memorable. Anthony Davis signed to Kentucky, Wayne Blackshear went to Louisville, Ryan Boatright to Connecticut, Sam Thompson to Ohio State, Illinois inked four top players and DePaul and Northwestern each grabbed two area star players.

9. No. 1 to us: Not everyone agreed with ESPNChicago.com, but we placed Hillcrest atop of our final 2009-2010 season rankings ahead of Simeon. Hillcrest won the Class 3A state championship and finished the season 31-3. The Hawks didn’t face as tough of a playoff road to their state championship, but we argued they had a better season than Simeon.

10. The battle of Vincennes: One of the most entertaining and hyped games of the year occurred just eight days in. On Jan. 8, a capacity crowd packed Simeon for its Public League Red South matchup with Morgan Park, a fellow Vincennes Avenue school. The home team pulled out a 54-48 victory, but Morgan Park got its revenge in the city playoffs. Their 2011 matchup has already been moved to a larger venue.

The Chicago area is stacked with nationally-ranked players, and it should make for a very interesting race to ESPNChicago.com’s Player of the Year award.

Here’s a look at the early front-runners:

1. Morgan Park senior guard Wayne Blackshear
Blackshear may no longer be the highest ranked prospect in the state, with the arrival of Kentucky recruit Anthony Davis to the scene, but he still is the front-runner for the player of the year award. Unlike Davis’ Perspectives team, Morgan Park is a state contender, and that makes Blackshear more relevant. Blackshear can score, and there may not be a more clutch player in Illinois. He’s signed with Louisville.

2. Orr senior forward Mycheal Henry
Of all the candidates, Henry is the most gifted shooter. He’s drawn comparisons to former Public League star Bobby Simmons with his ability. Henry is going to put up numbers, and that will keep him among the race leaders. He had 30 points, 14 rebounds, four steals and two blocks in his season opener last week. Even with foul trouble on Sunday, he dropped 21 points on T.F. North. He’s signed with Illinois.

3. East Aurora senior guard Ryan Boatright
Boatright is the most exciting player to watch. He not only scores, but he scores in dramatic fashion. He not only passes, but he makes those passes look pretty. He not only drives to the lane, but he gets there after crossing over his opponent, spinning past another and acrobatically laying the ball into the net. He’s already dropped 55 points in a game this season, which some other basketball minds have raved about. He’s signed with Connecticut.

4. Perspectives senior forward Anthony Davis
While Davis is considered the No. 2 prospect in the country by ESPN, he is No. 4 on this list simply because of the school he plays for. Perspectives is a tiny school and has an even smaller basketball program. Davis is like a whale in fish bowl there. His team can’t compete with the rest of the area’s powers, and it’ll likely affect Davis’ player of the year stock. Of course, if he averages 30-plus points and 20-plus rebounds, which he is almost doing now, he’ll be hard to ignore. He’s signed with Kentucky.

5. Benet senior guard David Sobolewski
Sobolewski isn’t as highly regarded nationally as some of the players on this list, but locally there’s few better at doing whatever his team needs to win. He can score in bunches when asked to, but he can also dish it. Benet is the No. 3 team in the area because of him. He’s signed with Northwestern.

6. Simeon sophomore forward Jabari Parker
Parker is considered one of the top sophomores in the country. The son of former NBA player Sonny Parker, he’s the perfect mixture of size, skill and intelligence. Simeon is the area’s top team, and Parker is its star player. What may hold him back are his numbers. The Wolverines are more balanced than any team around, and Parker’s numbers aren’t flashy due to that. He’s uncommitted and is being recruited by nearly every top program.

7. Whitney Young senior guard Sam Thompson
Thompson is the jack of all trades. He isn’t going to put up gaudy scoring numbers, like Boatright, or rebounding ones, like Davis, but he’s going to fill up the whole stat sheet with points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. He’s long and one of the area’s best defenders. Like Jabari Parker, Thompson plays for a very balanced team. He is signed with Ohio State.

8. Mount Carmel senior guard Tracy Abrams
Abrams was once considered the top player in Illinois’ loaded Class of 2011, but an early commitment and injuries knocked him off the map for a bit. Now with one last season, he’ll be looking to place himself back up there. He has the skill set to do so. He’s an all-around point guard and is considered to be the successor to Demetri McCamey at Illinois. He is signed with the Illini.

9. Glenbard East senior guard Jon Hill
Hill is the one mid-major player on this list. Hill is a versatile guard for one of the top teams in the state. He can fill it up, especially from deep. In an early win over Glenbard North, he scored 28 points on 9-of-10 shooting and added five assists and four steals. He had a game-high 25 points in a recent win over Wheaton Warrenville South. He’s signed with Illinois State.

10. De La Salle senior forward Mike Shaw
Shaw has been one of the area’s top big men throughout his career. He can score, rebound and alter shots, and he’s done it pretty consistently. What people expect out of him this year, though, is for him to begin dominating. He’ll be looked to take over games with his versatile ability. If he can do that, he’ll move up these rankings. He is signed with Illinois.

Others to watch: Hales senior guard Aaron Armstead (Wisconsin-Green Bay), Hillcrest senior guard Julius Brown (Toledo), Rich South senior guard Macari Brooks (DePaul), Proviso East junior guard Keith Carter (uncommitted), Notre Dame senior forward Quinton Chievious (uncommitted), St. Ignatius senior center Nnana Egwu (Illinois), Brooks senior guard George Marshall (Wisconsin), Niles North senior forward Abdel Nader (New Mexico), Homewood-Flossmoor junior forward Delvon Rencher (uncommitted), York senior guard Will Sullivan (uncommitted).

The 2010 boys basketball season is young, but we’ve already discovered some truths about it

The race for ESPNChicago.com’s Player of the Year is going to be going exciting: Perspectives’ Anthony Davis is putting up 30-plus points and 20-plus rebounds like it’s an ordinary feat. It’s hard to imagine anyone topping East Aurora’s Ryan Boatright’s 55-point Thanksgiving tournament performance. Morgan Park’s Wayne Blackshear dominates in every category and does it in the clutch. Benet’s David Sobolewski scores, passes and just wins. The list goes on and on.

Simeon is pretty darn good: Being the No. 1 team in the state and nationally ranked by ESPN’s RISE, Simeon has obviously been thought of highly. But what the Wolverines did in Sunday’s 57-29 win over defending Class 3A state champion and a top-10 area team, Hillcrest, showed just how special this year’s team can be. What makes Simeon even more unique is how balanced it is. There are about eight players capable of hurting you.

St. Joe’s will be missed in the ESCC, but …: For many years, St. Joe’s carried the East Suburban Catholic Conference. While the Chargers and legendary coach Gene Pingatore have departed for the Catholic League, it hasn’t affected its old conference all that much. Benet, which is ranked No. 3 in the area, has picked up that torch. With talent in all their classes, the Redwings appear they’ll be around for a while. No. 14 Notre Dame has also been impressive in the season’s opening weeks. St. Patrick could also be among the area’s best later in the season if its offense can figure it out. The Shamrocks have talented pieces.

Proviso West is stacked again: In its 50th year, the Proviso West Holiday Tournament unveiled its pairing on Monday. No two ranked teams meet in the first round, but they will soon after. The field includes No. 2 Morgan Park, No. 3 Benet, No. 7 Homewood-Flossmoor, No. 11 Proviso East, No. 12 Hillcrest, No. 18 Proviso West, No. 19 T.F. North and undefeated Glenbrook North.

These programs reload: Glenbrook North and Thornton lost their star players from a year ago with Alex Dragicevich going to Notre Dame and Reggie Smith to Marquette. Yet, the two programs continue to flourish. Glenbrook North is off to a 5-0 start and is on the verge of being ranked. The Spartans have size and a rising sophomore star in Andrew McAuliffe. As for No. 15 Thornton, senior guard Brian Green leads the way, but there’s plenty of talent on the undefeated Wildcats.

The Illini are set for the future: Illinois coach Bruce Weber has challenged his incoming 2011 recruits to record a triple-double every time out. So far, they’re not far off. St. Ignatius center Nnanna Egwu has already achieved the feat twice. Orr forward Mycheal Henry had 24 points, 11 rebounds, 10 steals and four blocks in his season debut last week. Last week, Mount Carmel guard Tracy Abrams had 17 points and seven steals against St. Francis de Sales. And as always, De La Salle forward Mike Shaw is compiling numbers in all categories.

RIVERSIDE, Ill. -- The 15th Annual Nike Mac Irvin Back to School Shootout featured high-level talent in a variety of graduating classes from the surrounding Chicago area. The event was highlighted by the presence of ESPNU 100 SF Wayne Blackshear (Chicago, Ill./Morgan Park), Terrific 25 PF Thomas Hamilton Jr. (Chicago, Ill./Whitney Young) and 2014 C Jahlil Okafor (Chicago, Ill./Whitney Young) who has size, talent and off-the-charts upside.


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