North Lawndale gets early view from the top

With players such as Jonathan Mills (left) and Jermaine Winfield (right), North Lawndale and coach Lewis Thorpe are the Sun-Times' preseason No. 1 team.
(Sun-Times News Group)

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North Lawndale coach Lewis Thorpe has done the near impossible: He has built a basketball program good enough to earn the Sun-Times' preseason No. 1 ranking at a school without a gym.

"This isn't a regular situation here,'' Thorpe said. "But we don't dwell on that.''

The Phoenix practice and play their games at Collins' newly renovated gym. North Lawndale will move into the Collins building next year.

Thorpe and his squad didn't enter the area's basketball scene slowly -- they blew up a wall and sprinted right in.

The explosion happened at Young's gymnasium in January, when North Lawndale shocked the city by knocking off the Dolphins, last season's preseason No. 1 team.

Young paid back the Phoenix by beating them a few weeks later, but Thorpe's team went on to win the Class 2A state title. The core of that team returns this year.

The Dolphins are loaded again this season as well, and they are perceived nationally as the more talented, polished force. Young is ranked 17th in the nation by USA Today.

"Our kids see that,'' Thorpe said. "It makes them really eager to prove themselves. They know [Young] gets a lot of benefits, and that drives us. They are a very successful program, but we're starting to get a chip on our shoulder. We know we can beat them.''

The season is off to a challenging start for the Phoenix. Paul Bunch, a 6-10 center, is ineligible because of grades and will be out until early January.

Senior guard John Taylor, who Thorpe calls "the best player I've ever had,'' pulled a ligament in his left arm and will miss six weeks.

Jermaine Winfield, a 6-5 forward, will step in for Bunch.

"He gives us more offensively,'' Thorpe said. "But we will miss Bunch's defense.''

The key for the Phoenix is Jonathan Mills. The 6-5 senior may be the only dominant post player in the state.

"He's definitely the best rebounder,'' North Lawndale guard Terry Johnson said. "He's a beast.''

Johnson transferred to North Lawndale from St. Rita. He's a terrific scorer and should be a steadying influence in the backcourt.

Donte Dangerfield, Zilijan Jones, Stephen Thorpe, Miles Mayfield and Deontae Banks all return from last season's squad.

Mayfield, who the team refers to as "the X-factor,'' is a smooth 6-4 forward with an excellent outside shot.

Thorpe said Dangerfield is the best defensive player in the city.

"Everyone would tell you that,'' Thorpe said. "It's either him or [Marshall senior] Darius Smith.''

The Phoenix will play in Class 3A this season, but they don't seem worried about the challenge a larger class will present.

"We'll just keep playing the way we have been,'' Mills said. "We all feed off each other's energy. If we play like that, it doesn't matter who we face.''