Joe Henricksen’s City/Suburban Hoops Report

Updated: January 19, 2012 6:06PM

City

The biggest winner in the IHSA’s sectional assignment shifts in 4A is clearly Proviso East. After battling city teams from the ­Public League and Catholic League for years in sectional play, the unbeaten and No. 2 ranked Pirates will head to the ­northwest suburbs in March. There isn’t another team in the Schaumburg Sectional ranked among the top 25 teams in the area. In addition, Proviso East’s speed and quickness will be a matchup nightmare for teams in this particular sectional. Host Schaumburg, Oak Park and Morton appear to be the biggest threats.

South

Tyrone Terrell is more than just a product of the Eisenhower system. The 6-1 junior guard might flourish in coach Mike Curta’s shoot quick, score fast system, but he also is a prospect on the rise. Terrell, who scored a school-record 50 points earlier this season, is averaging 22 points. He has knocked down 67 three-pointers in 16 games. “Tyrone has the ability to score from all areas on the floor,” Curta said. “As he continues to improve in all areas of the game, he has a chance to be a very special player.”

West

Glenbard East was the preseason pick, West Aurora jumped into the rankings last week and Naperville Central grabbed headlines recently by winning the Wheeling Hardwood Classic, but it’s Naperville North sitting all alone atop the DuPage Valley Conference. The Huskies, an afterthought when the season began, are 5-0 in league play after knocking off Glenbard East and West Aurora in big road tests last week. And coach Jeff Powers doesn’t have a player anyone outside the DVC could name. The Huskies, who have lost twice to De La Salle, host rival Naperville Central on Friday.

North

How tough, competitive and balanced is the often overlooked and underappreciated North Suburban Conference’s Lake Division? Five teams, headed by state power Warren, already have 10-plus victories. Stevenson, which handed Warren its lone league loss, dropped a pair last week to Lake Forest and Lake Zurich, teams in the bottom half of the conference. The top five teams in the standings have a combined non-conference mark of 43-12. Plus, there is terrific young talent, led by Zion-Benton sophomore Milik Yarbrough, Stevenson freshman Jalen Brunson and Mundelein junior Robert Knar.

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