March 23--Charlie Moore and Kathleen Doyle took their spots in Illinois basketball history Tuesday.
Moore, a Morgan Park senior, and Doyle, a Benet senior, were named Mr. and Ms. Basketball of Illinois for 2016, awards presented by the Chicago Tribune in conjunction with the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association.
Moore, a 5-foot-10 guard, averaged 28 points, 7 assists, 5 steals and 4 rebounds per game this season. His Mustangs, which finished 26-4, bounced between Nos. 1, 2 and 3 in the Tribune rankings all season long, yet were shockingly ousted from the playoffs by Lincoln-Way West in the Class 3A supersectionals. West eventually advanced to the final, losing to Belleville Althoff.
The Memphis-bound Moore finished with 221 points in statewide voting by coaches and media, and was named first on 36 of 85 ballots.
"It's a great feeling, just winning Mr. Basketball in the great state of Illinois, it's a bigtime honor," Moore said. "I'm blessed and happy.
"Just knowing the other players that came before me, previous winners, what they've accomplished in their basketball careers and their education. I know I have to stay working."
Fenwick's Mike Smith (70 points) finished second and Simeon's Zack Norvell (63) took third. Belleville Althoff's Jordan Goodwin (60) and Hinsdale South's Barret Benson (52) rounded out the top five.
First-place votes are worth five points, second-place votes three and third-place votes one.
Doyle, a 5-foot-10 guard, averaged 18 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists per game. She hit 47 3-pointers and led the 4A state-champion Redwings in scoring 19 times this season.
The exclamation point came in two Downstate games. In the state semifinal victory against Trinity, Doyle scored 30 points on 15 field-goal attempts, went 4-for-6 from 3-point range and added 10 free throws on 11 attempts. The next night, in a 42-39 victory against Fremd, she scored 24 points.
The Nebraska-bound Doyle finished with 261 points in statewide voting by coaches and media, and was named first on 43 of 92 ballots.
"There are so many great players in Illinois, and so many great players that have been named Ms. Basketball, I'm honestly just honored to be a part of that group," Doyle said. "Winning this award is definitely just another cherry on top of what already was a pretty big cherry on my career. Winning state was the goal all along, and this award is such a great bonus, but I don't think anything can top winning state with my team."
New Trier's Jeannie Boehm (103 points) finished second, as Huntley's Ali Andrews and Young's Kiara Lewis (90 each) tied for third. Champaign St. Thomas More's Tori McCoy (73) finished fifth.
More on Kathleen Doyle will appear in Friday's Chicago Tribune. Charlie Moore will be featured Sunday.
rmayor@tribpub.com
@CityHall03
Complete Mr. Basketball of Illinois 2016 voting
Charlie Moore, Morgan Park, 221 points; Mike Smith, Fenwick, 70; Zack Norvell, Simeon, 63; Jordan Goodwin, Belleville Althoff, 60; Barret Benson, Hinsdale South, 52; Justin Pierce, Glenbard West, 33; Nick Rakocevic, St. Joseph, 32; Isaiah Roby, Dixon, 28; Xavier Bishop, Springfield Lanphier, 27; Matt Chastain, LeRoy, 26; DaMonte Williams, Peoria Manual, 19; Devin Gage, Curie, 17; Nojel Eastern, Evanston, 12; Micah Bradford, Bradley-Bourbonnais, 11; Tommy Lucca, Genoa-Kingston, 11; Adam Pischke, Marian Central, 11; Javon Pickett, Belleville East, 8; Brandon Suggs, Winnebago, 8; Lorenzo Edwards, Lake Forest, 7; Evan Gilyard, Simeon, 7; Christian Negron, Larkin, 7; D'Aaron Owens, Centralia, 6; Ross Owens, Woodlawn (Ill.), 5; Braden Fitzjerrells, Mount Vernon, 4; George Willborn, De La Salle, 4; Noah Frederking, Okawville, 3; Zach Knobloch, Marengo, 3; Antonio Williams, Proviso East, 3; Jordan Baum, Deerfield, 2; Justin Smith, Stevenson, 2; Brett Czerak, Aurora Central, 1; Nate Kennel, Metamora, 1; Royce Newman, Nashville, 1
Complete Ms. Basketball of Illinois 2016 voting
Kathleen Doyle, Benet, 261; Jeannie Boehm, New Trier, 103; Ali Andrews, Huntley, 90; Kiara Lewis, Young, 90; Tori McCoy, St. Thomas More, 73; Hannah Frazier, Batavia, 37; Nicole Ekhomu, Joliet Catholic, 28; Bryana Hopkins, Fremd, 27; Jill Berg, Midwest Central Delavan, 15; Kendra Wilken, Breese Central, 11; Brandi Bisping, Morton (Ill.), 9; Lea Kerstein, Montini, 8; Anaya Peoples, Schlarman, 8; Deja Cage, Morgan Park, 7; Paulina Castro, Harvest Christian, 7; Maryam Wilcher, Morton, 7; Grace Baalman, Hardin Calhoun, 6; Cinia McCray, Proviso East, 6; Jaida Green, Downers Grove North, 5; Caitlin Morrison, Glenbrook South, 5; Kaitlin Aylward, Trinity, 4; Ladellia Maggett, Zion-Benton, 4; Grace Loberg, Geneva, 3; Brea Beal, Rock Island, 2; Tineesha Coleman, Marshall, 1; Ashley Richardson, Stevenson, 1; Chandler Ryan, Morton (Ill.), 1; Sydni Tears, Richards, 1
