20 questions (and answers)

Waukegan's Jereme Richmond shoots a jump shot over Waukegan's Seth Taylor (left) during a scrimmage game earlier this season.
(Michael Schmidt/News-Sun)

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The Public League has dominated the basketball scene for the last five years. But how much longer will that be the case? A lot of high-profile young players now are choosing Catholic League schools, and elite talents now are appearing in the long-dormant north suburbs. Will the Public League maintain its recent dominance, or will the balance of power start to shift this season? That’s just one of the questions to consider as another season gets under way.

1. Who is the area’s best player?

Waukegan junior Jereme Richmond. He was kicked off the Bulldogs squad in the final week of last season, so questions remain about his attitude, but no one questions his talent. Richmond can play any position on the court and might be the best shot-blocker in the state. Warren senior Brandon Paul, Young senior Chris Colvin, Marshall senior Darius Smith, Zion-Benton junior Lenzelle Smith, Crane junior Crandall Head and North Lawndale senior Jonathan Mills all could challenge Richmond for player of the year honors.

2. Who is the best player not in the Chicago area?

Rockton Hononegah’s David Brown and Sterling’s Joseph Bertrand are the most heralded recruits, but Champaign Centennial’s James Kinney is the best high school player. But keep an eye on the Peoria area. There are a number of promising young talents heading to Peoria Manual and Peoria Central this season, headlined by Central freshman guard Bobo Drummond.

3. Which players are on the preseason All-State team?

Richmond, Paul, Lenzelle Smith, Darius Smith and Mills.

4. Which teams are the favorites to win Class 4A?

Young, Zion-Benton, Thornton, Simeon and Waukegan. The second tier of contenders includes Curie, De La Salle and Bolingbrook.

5. Who are the favorites in 3A?

North Lawndale, Marshall, North Chicago, Leo and Hillcrest. Out-of-area contenders include Sterling, Richwoods, Limestone and Centennial.

6. Who is the favorite in 2A?

It’s difficult to see anyone beating Seton. The Sting is loaded with Division I talent, including point guard DJ Cooper, 6-5 Tony Nixon, 6-7 Jordan Walker and 6-6 Corbin Thomas. In addition, Seton also has a stable of talented role players led by Kenny Stevenson and Khameron Harper.

7. Which players improved the most during the summer?

Curie’s Dennis Hodges and Lincoln Park’s Mike Gabriel. Hodges, a well-traveled 6-5 forward, finally settled at Curie last season and started to look comfortable on the court this summer with the Condors. Gabriel, a 6-7 junior, also came into his own as a Division I prospect. The key to both players is their heart and work rate. Both left it all on the floor this summer. If they continue to play with that effort and intensity all season, the rest of the city almost certainly will take notice.

8. Who will replace Derrick Rose as the area’s superstar?

We asked the same question last year, but it still applies because no one emerged last season to claim Rose’s crown as king of Illinois basketball. There are plenty of candidates, but don’t expect that star to come out of the senior class. Two of the top contenders are junior Illinois recruits Richmond and Head, but keep an eye on the sophomore class, with Mount Carmel’s Tracy Abrams, De La Salle’s Mike Shaw and Curie’s Wayne Blackshear. It’s probably foolish to expect anyone to reach Rose-like heights, but any of those players could achieve Jon Scheyer- or Julian Wright-type stardom.

9. What are the top Downstate teams?

There’s no great team outside the area. Peoria Manual might win Class 2A, and a number of central Illinois teams are in the 3A picture, including Sterling, Richwoods and Centennial.

10. Where does top-ranked North Lawndale play its home games?

At Collins, 1313 S. Sacramento. The new gym is gorgeous — without a doubt the best in the Public League.

11. What are the weaknesses of the top five teams?

North Lawndale needs to fall into a steady rotation; injuries and ineligible players seem to have the Phoenix lineup in a constant state of flux. Young has to play as a high school basketball team, not as a collection of club basketball all-stars. Zion-Benton must get consistent contributions from its big man, 6-7 Markus Yarbrough. Simeon has to grow up in a hurry; the Wolverines are ultra-talented but inexperienced. Thornton’s weakness also is its strength; the Wildcats’ fantastic backcourt (5-8 Jay Parker and 5-11 Reggie Smith) might be overpowered by bigger guards on the defensive end.

12. Who are the most under-appreciated players in the area?

Glenbrook South big man Jack Cooley is an absolutely dominant force, and the 6-8 Notre Dame recruit doesn’t get the headlines he deserves. Mundelein guard Ben Brust is another player who doesn’t get the proper respect. He’s a much better athlete than he first appears to be and does all the little things to help a team win. He routinely outperformed more highly regarded prospects during the summer. Finally, keep an eye on Lake Forest sharpshooter Matt Vogrich. The Michigan-bound guard is likely to post a number of high-scoring games.

13. Which teams were overlooked in the preseason Super 25?

Brooks, which returns every significant player from last season, should be much improved. Also expect to see Schaumburg, St. Patrick, St. Ignatius and Fenwick pop into the rankings at some point during the season.

14. What is the must-see game of the year?

North Lawndale at Young at 4 p.m. Jan. 15. That likely will be No. 1 against No. 2, and it could decide the Red-West title. ‘‘We’ve developed quite a rivalry with them,’’ North Lawndale coach Lewis Thorpe said. ‘‘That game should be special.’’

15. Which team is a dark-horse candidate to reach the Elite Eight?

In Class 4A, keep an eye on Neuqua Valley. The Wildcats have a trio of talented players in Dwayne Evans, Derek Raridon and Rahjan Muhammad. And if the brackets are similar to last season, they might not meet much resistance on the way to Peoria.

16. What is the area’s strongest conference?

The new Red-West rates a slight edge over the Catholic League South. The Red-West, with North Lawndale, Young and Marshall, is brilliantly talented at the top, but that’s not the case for the bottom half, with Clemente and ACT Charter. The addition of Crandall Head at Crane gives the Red-West just enough firepower to beat out the terrific Catholic South trio of Seton, Mount Carmel and De La Salle. Hales and Brother Rice are no pushovers, either.

17. Who are the area’s top five freshmen?

Mount Carmel’s Malcolm Hill-Bey, North Chicago’s Aaron Simpson, Homewood-Flossmoor’s Delvon Rencher, Waukegan’s Ahkeem Springs and Young’s Derrick Randolph.

18. Who are the area’s best point guards?

There aren’t many pass-first guards around these days. Zion-Benton’s Ronald Steward, Evanston’s Ryan Frazier-Chambers, Seton’s DJ Cooper, North Lawndale’s Zilijan Jones and Colvin are all high-quality floor generals.

19. Who are the area’s best big men?

As usual, there aren’t an abundance of dominant post players; the Chicago area often is described as the land of 5-10 guards. But Mills, Cooley, Gabriel, Richards’ Shaun Pratl and Providence-St. Mel’s Phillip Jackson are the best of the bunch.

20. Who are coaches to watch?

Put all the pressure on Young’s Tyrone Slaughter. He’s got all the talent in the world and is expected to bring home some state hardware. Also keep an eye on  Waukegan’s Ron Ashlaw, who seems to have worked things out with Richmond. Foreman coach Terry Head is carrying some expectations; it’s time for the Hornets to take the next step.