This is a freshman class in the state that’s been talked about a whole lot before even playing a game. If the first week of the season was any indication, the early hype was well deserved.
The impact was to be expected from an exciting and talented group, including Warren’s Jaxson Davis, Bolingbrook’s Davion Thompson, Young’s Howard Williams and Kenwood’s Devin Cleveland.
But how soon? That was answered quickly and emphatically: immediately.
Davis helped lead Warren to a 3-1 start by not only scoring but filling the stat sheet. The 6-0 point guard put up 18.3 points, 5.8 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 4.5 steals in the Blue Devils’ first four games.
Bolingbrook came home from Decatur with a tournament title, thanks in part to the all-tournament performance of Thompson. The Raiders swept all three games as the 6-2 guard averaged 14.5 points a game.
Williams was spectacular for Young in the opening week of the season. The 6-5 wing’s production was eye-opening. He averaged 15.6 points, 3.6 assists and 2.3 blocks in three games.
Meanwhile, Cleveland played in Kenwood’s lone varsity game last week — a blowout win over Hansberry — but led the Broncos to a junior varsity title over the weekend. Kenwood won the Turkey Challenge Hoopfest at Quest as Cleveland led the younger Broncos to five wins and dazzled with 23 points a game. Cleveland will make his impact soon enough at the varsity level.
All four of these fantastic freshmen will be on display at this weekend’s Chicago Elite Classic at UIC, where Warren and Davis will square off with Bolingbrook and Thompson Saturday at 10:30 a.m.
Turning the page in Rolling Meadows
In a tournament that included perennial winners Evanston, Wheaton South and Fremd, along with a sneaky, veteran Fenton team fresh off winning a school record 24 games last season, it was Rolling Meadows that rolled through the field with a 4-0 record.
Life after the Christie brothers — Max Christie is with the Lakers and Cameron is averaging 10 points a game at Minnesota — will be a work in progress. But coach Kevin Katovich’s young, inexperienced Mustangs passed their first test with flying colors.
There is a veteran junior in Ian Miletic to lean on. He’s been a key role player the past two seasons, and the multi-faceted 6-7 wing is ready to take a big step forward. In the four wins last week, Miletic averaged 21 points and 10 rebounds a game.
Rolling Meadows, which hasn’t lost a Mid-Suburban League East game since 2020, is riding a winning streak of 30 straight league games. Now this junior-dominated team, which also includes returner Jack Duffer (11 ppg), looks to have another two-year window where it can contend.
The Mustangs will be battling favored Prospect for a MSL East title this year.
Catholic League living up to the hype
The much-talked about Catholic League Blue certainly did its part in fanning the flames of being the best basketball conference in the state.
DePaul, De La Salle, Mount Carmel and Brother Rice all went 4-0 in winning their respective Thanksgiving tournaments. Loyola and St. Ignatius went 3-1, losing only to ranked teams, and surprising Fenwick beat West Aurora at the buzzer to win the Hoops for Healing Tournament at Oswego.
There will be weekly battles in this league no other conference can match throughout the winter. The first significant one will be Friday night when Loyola travels to Brother Rice.
