Jan. 29--Forty percent of last year's Tribune All-State first team came from the North Suburban Lake, as did a second-teamer.
Stevenson's Jalen Brunson, Lake Forest's Evan Boudreaux and Zion-Benton's Admiral Schofield were therefore arguably three of the 10 best players in Illinois last year, and now they're all college freshman.
Lorenzo Edwards and his Lake Forest teammates considered the changing landscape and strapped themselves in for a long, hotly contested battle that figured to go down to the wire.
"We've been saying that since the beginning of the season," Edwards said. "We knew the loss of players would hurt each team."
"Everybody was like, 'Oh, the league is going to be down this year,' " Lake Forest coach Phil LaScala said. "Our league is good. Our league is good every year. There are players in this league."
There are also six teams -- out of seven -- with a chance at winning at least a share of the conference title.
The Scouts didn't have a great start to conference play, but they have rallied with three wins over the two teams that have occupied first place most of the season -- a sweep of Zion-Benton and Tuesday night's 44-38 grinder over No. 17 Lake Zurich.
Zion-Benton, Lake Zurich and Stevenson are now in a three-way tie at 4-2 in league play, and the Scouts (11-7, 4-3) have dug themselves out of a 1-3 start. Warren (3-3) and Libertyville (3-4) remain factors as well.
"We have some quality wins," LaScala said. "I'm proud of our guys. We're 11-7 right now and our schedule has been loaded. We've been battle-tested."
The last three seasons, the league came down to which uniform the best player wore, with Brunson and Stevenson using all three the league titles as a springboards to trips downstate.
Stevenson has another potential stud in 6-6 junior Justin Smith, while Zion-Benton guard DeShawn Wilson and Lake Zurich's Nicks, Penny and Meyer, are having great seasons.
"Potential stud" and "great season" both apply to Edwards.
The 6-foot-7 senior was certainly more than the "role player" he described himself as on last year's 28-3 team, but he wasn't counted on to put up big numbers during Boudreaux's monstrous season.
These Scouts are riding Edwards, who was a defensive force last season while showing hints of versatility, but looked more like a future power forward than a dynamic one who can play inside and outside and create matchup headaches.
Virtually all 6-7 post prospects want to develop perimeter skills so they're not labeled as an undersized four, and Edwards appears to have succeeded.
The son of former NBA guard and current DePaul staff member Kevin Edwards has been scoring from the perimeter, off the dribble and in the post to the tune of 19.3 points a game while also averaging 12.5 rebounds and 4 blocked shots.
"I would come in mornings with my dad all the time to work on my jumper," Edwards said. "I know I need to expand my game to take it to the next level."
As a bit of a late bloomer who's obviously receiving informed advice, Edwards let the early signing period go by so he could display his improvement.
Furman offered Edwards a scholarship on Tuesday, joining Loyola and Middle Tennessee State.
Numerous schools are keeping close tabs, particularly one member of DePaul's staff.
"I talk to the coaches," Edwards said. "Obviously it's easy exposure. I know there was a rumor going around that because he's a coach I'm automatically going there.
"That kind of bothered me. I want to do my own thing and make my own decision. And he's not the type of day that is going to make me go somewhere. He wants me to make the best decision for me."
Mike Helfgot is a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune.
