Boys Basketball: Joe Henricksen’s City/Suburban Hoops Report

Updated: February 2, 2012 6:34PM

City

Taft’s trip into the city playoffs next week as the Public League’s Red-North champs will provide a barometer of where it stands heading into the Glenbrook South Sectional in March. Since starting the season 0-4, coach Brett Nishibayashi has led the Eagles to a 16-3 record, with wins against Marist, Maine South and Foreman. A pair of seniors, 6-4 Tim Reamer and 6-6 Kevin Siudut, have been rock solid. But John Joyce, a 6-5 skilled sophomore shooter, is averaging 15 points a game and is arguably Taft’s best prospect since former all-stater Kenny Pratt in 1992.

South

Since taking over for Tom Cappel, the coaching job Hillcrest’s Don Houston has turned in has been highly undervalued. While Hillcrest was already a historically strong program when Houston was hired in 2007, it was a pressure-packed situation with high expectations. Houston had to deal with the uncomfortable departure of the highly-successful Cappel. He has thrived with discipline and a first-class demeanor, winning the school’s first state title in 2010. This season he’s been a rock for a team that has quietly won 17 games and dealt with the tragic summer death of senior-to-be Ryan Royall.

West

If there is a surprise team hanging around a conference race, it’s St. Charles North. With junior standout Quinten Payne and 6-8 senior Kyle Nelson, it’s not as if St. Charles North didn’t have high expectations, but the North Stars were written off quickly after a 5-10 start. But the schedule included ranked teams in Plainfield East, Downers South, Crane, Metea Valley and a trip to the Pontiac Holiday Tournament. With an upset win against Elgin last week, the North Stars are now tied for the top spot in the Upstate Eight Conference’s River Division.

NORTH

He may not be as celebrated as many of the other top prospects in the impressive Class of 2014, but Loyola Academy’s Jack Morrissey is quickly striking a degree of fear in opponents. The 6-1 sophomore is already among the state’s elite shooters with a quick release and in-the-gym range. But after missing the first six games of the season with an injury, Morrissey has averaged 16.4 points a game while shooting an impressive 47 percent from beyond the arc (62 of 132). In December, he set the Wheeling Holiday Tournament record with 21 made three-pointers.

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