Neuqua vets star in fall league

High school basketball season doesnt officially begin until Thanksgiving but the groundwork for a successful season often begins in fall leagues. Fall leagues are now commonplace for high school basketball, with many leagues offering high school teams the chance to play with each other before practice officially begins Nov. 9.

The South Suburban Fall League is only in its first year of play, but features plenty of talent and a team consisting of five key players from state heavyweight Neuqua Valley. After a 31-2 season and a disappointing loss to Dundee-Crown in the Class 4A DeKalb Supersectional, the Wildcats are looking for a trip downstate.

Neuqua Valley is using the South Suburban Fall League as extra practice as the Wildcats are 3-0 and have double-figure scoring averages from Dwayne Evans (19.7 points per game), Kareem Amedu (17 ppg) and Rahjan Muhammed (14 ppg).

Fresh off his official visit to Saint Louis – where he verbally committed last month – Evans had 24 points in his team's win on Sunday. His teammates Amedu and Muhammad had 10 and 14, respectively, as they continue to build towards the high school season.

Unsigned and unheralded: After a strong spring and summer AAU season, Oswego East senior point guard Jay Harris is winding down the recruiting process and is looking to commit before the November signing period.

Harris, who played his AAU ball with Illinois Old School, currently has scholarship offers from Southern Illinois-Edwardsville and Duquesne. He's also receiving interest from Baylor and Marquette is supposed to stop by an open gym during the week.

Recently, Harris completed an official visit to Duquesne, his only one so far.

"It was fun to get away and go there for a visit," Harris said. "I got to meet everyone and I got to know the coaches and the athletic director."

In Sunday's game, Harris finished with 15 points as his team lost.

New faces: The South Suburban Fall League also showcased a couple players making a comeback to the high school basketball scene.

Remember the names: Adonis Bailey and Marshall Bennett.

Bailey will suit up for Richards this season after missing last season with academic issues. The bouncy 6-5 wing was tremendous on Sunday as he went for 21 points and four assists. Bailey has never played a minute of varsity basketball, but is expected to start at Richards this season. He is looking forward to the experience.

"Being a part of Richards and being a part of the team is important to me," Bailey said. "I just want to be able to play the game I love."

Bennett will return to Rich Central this season after missing all of last season with a dislocated knee. The 6-5 forward showed very little sign of rust on Sunday on his way to 11 points and the most electric dunk of the day.

Home-cooking: With the South Suburban Fall League being played at Richards, sophomore Dean Danos and senior Brandon Snowden felt right at home. Danos was the league's most impressive sophomore Sunday on his way to 22 points while Snowden had 22 points on a wide-array of drives and jumpers.