Boys Basketball: City/Suburban Hoops Report notebook

Updated: December 8, 2011 8:25PM

City: Super soph Locke

Brooks returned a grand total of 136 points from last season’s Class 3A third-place finisher, but coach Bobby Locke’s rebuilding will come a lot easier if his son, Erick Locke, continues to produce as he did in the opening week. Locke averaged 26 points, 7.5 assists, four rebounds and three steals in the first four games. There is always the danger of heaping too much responsibility on a young player, but Locke, a strong, powerful and mature 6-foot guard, already is a first-option-type scorer as a sophomore. Brooks faces Thornwood and Loyola recruit Darrell Combs Saturday at Crete-Monee.

South: Moore emerges

Crete-Monee guard and Illinois recruit Michael Orris might receive the most pub of any south suburban point guard, but don’t underestimate the impact Bloom’s Donald Moore will have this season. Moore led Bloom to the Chicago Heights Tournament title, and his clutch plays and presence give the Blazing Trojans a big advantage. Moore scored 23 points and converted a pivotal three-point play in a victory over Hillcrest. In a double-overtime win over Homewood-Flossmoor, Moore made a game-tying three-pointer at the end of regulation to send the game to overtime.

West: Valley talk

There’s a changing of the guard atop the Upstate Eight Valley Division. With East Aurora as down as it has been in years and Neuqua Valley coming back to the pack, Waubonsie Valley and Metea Valley look even more promising. Waubonsie Valley, led by junior star Jared Brownridge, and Metea Valley, which features the first senior class in its young history, claimed Thanksgiving tournament titles. With a lot of good players but no great ones, Metea Valley excels in intangibles such as experience, leadership, toughness and chemistry, and is the favorite.

North: Wildkit hopes

There are no stars. There aren’t even any big names. In fact, this might be the least talented Evanston team in years, yet the Wildkits are off to a 6-0 start, with wins over Zion-Benton and Notre Dame. The early success is an indication of just why the program hit it big with the hiring of former Peoria Richwoods coach Mike Ellis last fall. Evanston will need to maximize all it has to reach 15-plus wins, but unlike last season, Ellis had the luxury of an offseason to work with his players and implement his system. Evanston hosts Maine South Saturday at 7 p.m.

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