Hoopraker

Confirming its nonpareil regard among the basketball cognoscenti, the bleachers at Proviso West (Hillside, Illinois) high school were filled Thursday not only with the usual compliment of encyclopedically knowledgeable fans but lieutenants from some of the nation’s best programs. In what was typically robust Big Ten representation, Iowa’s Joel Cornette, Bill Carmody and Mitch Henderson from Northwestern, and one of Bo Ryan’s red and white clad operatives were among the clipboard wielders. (more…)

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Thanksgiving in Illinois is the time of both slow-cooked fowl and the first official games of the high school basketball season. With the usual full platter of holiday tournaments, fans, bellies distended, put the first groans into many a bleacher. There were some lopsided games, but also enough solid matchups to fight through the tryptophan. It is also an appropriate juncture to highlight a few other Illinois basketball stories of the past months. (more…)

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With its Saturday night outclassing of O’Fallon, the Simeon Wolverines entered the rarified company of the nine programs in the ninety-eight year history of the IHSA that have won at least two straight state championships. When your company includes teams and players of the caliber of East St. Louis Lincoln (’87-’89) with LaPhonso Ellis, Cuonzo Martin, and Chris Rodgers, Proviso East (’91-’92) with Donny Boyce Sherrell Ford, and Michael Finley, the Wayne McClain coached Peoria Manual (’94-’97) with Marcus Griffin, Frank Williams, and son Sergio, and a Peoria (’03-’04) squad that featured Shaun Livingston the achievement becomes clearer. Even more striking, they became the first Chicago public league team to accomplish the feat. (more…)

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December 28, Hillside, Ill.

Thornton Fractional North (Calumet City) 55 Von Steuben 50
T.F. coach Tim Bankston (Simeon, Bradley) has the basketball CV (IHSA state title 1984) and imposing grizzly bear frame that are well suited to getting high school kids to listen. During his timeouts there is not a stray eye in the huddle. And judging from the way his team competes he’s a coach with something to say. The best judge of his methods is that when there is a loose ball or rebound at large his players pursue it like it matters. This kind of commitment will win the Meteors some games this year. Dirty work and defense got them by an equally well coached, determined Von Steuben team.

The best players on the floor today were a pair of juniors: T.F.’s 6′6″ Marcus Deloney and Von Steuben’s 5′11″ point Mike DiNunno. Deloney is a dream made in Bankstonland. A strong, tough kid who muscles in baskets over multiple defenders and crashes the board hard. His frontcourt mate, 6′7″ senior Demond Watt, is getting more recruiting hype (Illinois, Northwestern are reportedly taking good looks), but it would be a mistake to forget his unsung teammates. Though a pixie, DiNunno is a ballplayer. He is a lightning fast dribble penetrator whose clever, zippy passes always find a teammate in the right place to score. Add to that a rangy, soft, quick release jumper and you’ve got a D1 ballplayer. DiNunno’s size may scare off some recruiters but it will be their loss. The kid is a winner.

Proviso East (Maywood) 68 Evanston 59
The high quality of the preceding game quickly eroded with the tip of this one. This game had the unmistakable hallmarks of bad coaching: no discernible offensive structure, poor shot selection, lack of team play, intermittent defense. Poor coaching is always disturbing to the fan who cares about how the game is played, and doubly so when it squanders top flight talent. The talent pools of these two high schools are unfailingly regenerative. Sadly, neither school has made good hiring decisions. The last serviceable coach in Evanston was Paul Pryma who left in 2004. The last state title in Evanston was 1968’s Jack Burmaster led team that went 32-1. The brain drought in Maywood has been even longer. One has to go back to the final season of Bill Hitt in 1993 to locate a coach. The men on the sidelines today, David Chatman at East and Bobby Locke, Jr. on the Evanston side, are producing decent win totals in spite of themselves.

Of course there was plenty of talent on the floor. Though not the most hyped, East’s standout is 6′3″ senior guard/forward Nathan Fuqua. Fuqua gets a lot accomplished on both ends with his superb athleticism, hard work and knack for the ball. A mid-major coach would be wise to snap him up. The Bob Huggins recruit, senior Jacob Pullen, a 6′1″ guard, showed occasional flashes, but had an inconsistent, shaky shooting night. Down low there is more senior talent with 6′3″ Jamal Jones and 6′7″ Tydus Townsend. Because of the absence of good high school tutelage, all of these players will need a lot of skill development in order to become factors in college. Other than Fuqua who seems to have bottomless hunger, one wonders if the others will be able to develop a work ethic that matches their potential. Evanston, too, displayed plenty of raw, unpolished talent. Both teams are typical of the kind of ridiculous depth of talent in Chicagoland.

St. Joseph’s (Westchester) 74 Proviso West (Hillside) 66
One look at a map and you’d know why this game was played with the intensity of a street fight. Westchester and Hillside are border towns. Many of the kids on these squads have been battling since their Nerf hoop days. Add a capacity crowd that included many alumni from both schools and the stage is set.

Once again, rumors abound that this will be Gene Pingatore’s last season coaching the Chargers. He’s been at the wheel of this program since 1969, and after his state title in 1999, has nothing left to prove. At this point, he’s hanging around out of pure love for the game. Judging by his bounce on the sidelines he may well be here another decade.

The most public portrait of Pingatore was his unflattering depiction in 1994’s Hoop Dreams. The lawsuit he and St. Joseph’s brought against its filmmakers suggests the portrayal stung. Of course, there are two sides to every story, and looking at the legion of former players who filled the bleachers around us, it’s clear the man and his program inspire loyalty. And from the perspective of the fan who values good fundamental basketball, he has a flawless track record. His teams never fail to evidence intelligence, patience, and team principles.

The current St. Joe’s team is led by three seniors heading off to D1 basketball futures. 6′7″ Evan Turner is yet another example of Thad Matta’s salesmanship to the nation’s elite players. Turner’s game was always fueled by talent, but he’s also benefited from good teaching and a yeoman work ethic. His game has made striking leaps each year. As of today, he does everything well–nice shooter, groovy around the basket, great off the dribble, keen passer, formidable defender. I wouldn’t be surprised if he tacked two or three more inches onto his thin frame. Matta got another good one, but given Turner’s style of play, I have to think he’d do better in a place like Champaign. Though not yet as tall, Turner reminds me of Weber’s versatile frontcourters in the James Augustine, Brian Randle, Warren Carter mold. It will be a crime if Matta fails to make the most of him.

Illinois bound teammate Demetri McCamey has a Big Ten ready, 6′3″ frame, deceptive quickness and the strength to finish around the rim. He is a point guard who can score or pass with equal potency. He will be a fine player for Weber, Deron Williams good.

6′4″ Garrett Leffelman is the third notable senior. He has the best looking jumpshot I’ve seen in years. Pure textbook form and it goes in a lot. Craig Robinson signed him for Brown. Maybe Robinson, Carmody’s lead recruiter while at Northwestern, got Leffelman to follow him out of personal loyalty. But, still, Leffelman would look great in a Wildcat outfit. He’s a straight A student and has the body and game for the Big Ten. Another example of a player tailor made for Northwestern who got away.

Proviso West got a virtuoso game from a senior of their own, guard Justin Hightower. Without it, this game isn’t competitive. Until he ran out of gas in the final stanza he was an dervish on both sides of the ball. St. Joe’s team game ultimately was too much for him to overcome.

Whitney Young 55 Hillcrest (Country Club Hills) 43
These are two programs with deservedly elite profiles. Whitney Young is one of the city’s academic powerhouses, a magnet school that draws big brains. The basketball team has also achieved at a high level. Quentin Richardson’s (DePaul, Knicks) alma mater is currently loaded and boding well for the next couple seasons, has some great underclassmen. Coach Tyrone Slaughter has his kids committing to an equitable offensive approach and hustling, help defense. It was a pleasure to watch Slaughter prowl the sidelines. He never failed to capitalize on teaching moments both during game play and in timeouts. Keep your eyes peeled on 5′9″ junior guard A.J. Rompza, 6′4″ junior forward Franklin Thompson, and 6′7″ sophomore forward Stanford Brown.

Hillcrest has been a tough out since Tom Cappel became head coach in 1984. The Hawk team I saw over Thanksgiving, however, is struggling to find a rhythm on the offensive end. Give credit to the Whitney Young defense, but the Hawk guard play is also a significant issue. 6′7″ post forward Kellen Thornton is a nice weapon, but isn’t seeing enough of the ball. Cappel will likely right the ship and have his team peaking come playoff time.

Postscript

Semifinals
Proviso East 70 T.F. North 67 OT
St. Joseph’s 69 Whitney Young 62

Championship
St. Joseph’s 59 Proviso East 58

Buzzer beater by Garrett Leffelman (from Evan Turner) to win.

St. Joe’s becomes the first team to win three straight PW tournaments.

ALL TOURNAMENT
First Team:
Evan Turner, St. Joseph’s
Demetri McCamey, St. Joseph’s
Sam Maniscalco, St. Patrick’s
Demond Watt, T.F. North
Jacob Pullen, Proviso East

Second Team:
Mike DiNunno, Von Steuben
Justin Hightower, Proviso West
Tydus Townsend, Proviso East
Lawrence Redmond, T.F. North
Dwight McCombs, Whitney Young

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I had the rather sobering realization that this year will mark a quarter century of my attendance at the Proviso West Holiday Tournament. What this means, among other things, is that I no longer have a Carol Alt poster above my bed, the 6′2″, 135 lbs. I quoted for my first Illinois Driver’s License are distant bygones, and I’ve been party to some fantastic high school basketball over the years. For the Illinois high school basketball fan the tournament is nothing short of hallowed ground. On the occasion of my twenty-fifth visit, here are some recollections of the players, coaches, and epic tilts that have been burned into my basketball memory.

The 1980 Tournament Final
Gene Pingatore’s St. Joseph’s Chargers beat Ron Nikcevich’s Lyons Township squad in a 3 OT roof raiser. St. Joe’s was led by Daryl Thomas (Indiana, Sacramento Kings) while the Lyons’ team had Jeff Hornacek (Iowa State, Utah Jazz) at point and Elmer Robinson (Iowa State) underneath. This was my first Proviso West tournament and watching this contest with a crowd of nearly 4000 cheering every basket, I was hooked for life.

The King Jaguars and head coach Landon “Sonny” Cox
Coach Cox benefitted from a Chicago Public League climate that was ostensibly lawless. His teams until the early 1990’s were All-Star teams by virtue of his outright recruitment of the city’s best players. Efrem Winters (Illinois), Marcus Liberty (Illinois, Denver Nuggets/Detroit Pistons), Levertis “Levertical” Robinson (Cincinnati), Jamie Brandon (LSU), Rashard Griffith (Wisconsin), Thomas Hamilton, Michael Hermon (Indiana) and Leon Smith (Atlanta Hawks/Seattle Supersonics) all played for the Pimp of the Public League. It was this kind of stratospheric talent that enabled Cox to steal three state titles (1986, 1990, 1993) despite having a coaching IQ in the single digits. Cox’s coaching philosophy consisted of dressing in double-breasted, wide lapeled suits, spending most of the game muttering on the bench, and occasionally rising to yell “Red!” “Red!” was the only play I ever heard Cox call out to his charges. “Red!” involved one of his players jacking a low percentage perimeter shot or driving and forcing a shot in heavy traffic. The fact that Cox has a trio of state titles is a crime. Fortunately, when the Public League began to enforce even a modicum of rules, Cox’s fortunes plummeted and he disappeared. Despite it all I miss watching him on the sidelines. He and his teams were entertaining spectacles. I will never forget the sight of his 1993 squad that started 7′0 Griffith and 7′2″ Hamilton.

Townsend Orr, Thornridge
Orr (Minnesota, Harlem Globetrotters) took Proviso West hostage as a junior and senior in 1988 and 1989, leading the Falcons to two straight tournament titles. At 6′1″ he was a potent scorer both inside and out. He was one of four players to make the PW All-Tourny team three times. Longtime coach Mike Flaherty was another of the great coaches to grace the sidelines at Proviso West, always fielding well drilled, talented teams.

Proviso East, The Three Amigos, and coach Bill Hitt
The Three Amigos, who played together from 1988-1991, were Sherrell Ford (UIC, Seattle Supersonics, Harlem Globetrotters), Donny Boyce (Colorado, Atlanta Hawks) and Michael Finley (Wisconsin, Dallas Mavericks/San Antonio Spurs). State champions in 1991. Demonstrating why he was another of the tourny’s great coaches, Bill Hitt took his 1992 team to another state title despite losing all three to graduation. The Three Amigos team with its combination of talent and coaching was the best high school team I’ve ever seen and was one of the finest in IHSA history. Finley was a late bloomer and was the third option on the team. Boyce was a smooth 6′5″ scorer, Ford a deadly operator on the post.

The Westinghouse Warriors
Beginning with the 1992 tournament which the Warriors won in record breaking fashion, Westinghouse cut a wide swath into the late ’90’s. The 1992-93 team featured Kiwane Garris (Illinois, Denver Nuggets/Orlando Magic). They also won the 1998 and 1999 tournaments behind Cedric Banks (UIC), brothers David Bailey (Loyola, Chicago) and Martell Bailey (UIC), and head coach Chris Head. The Head teams played a frenetic brand of full-court pressing basketball that depended on ten man constant rotations. Head had the athletes to execute this style to marvelous effect.

The Garnett/Fields Show
The 1994 transfer of Kevin Garnett (Minnesota Timberwolves) from a South Carolina high school to the Farragut Admirals of the Public League was a gift from the basketball deities. Garnett and Ronnie Fields (CBA) were an electrifying duo that produced highlights on nearly every play. Garnett was the most gifted high school player I’ve ever seen. He played every position on the floor including point guard, ran the floor like Edwin Moses, had freakish passing skills, and had a feathery soft jumpshot of unlimited range. Equal to his skill level was his infectious exuberance on the floor and his interest in making his teammates better. He was a consummate team player. Fields may have been the better athlete. Only 6′2″ and change, he played like a 6′8″ power forward. His 48 inch vertical was no exaggeration. His no-step dunks and rebounds over players half a foot taller were commonplace. His wunderkind leaping ability postponed his development of polished guard skills and a jump shot and he was a disinterested student. Add a rape charge to the mix and colleges and the NBA never came calling. He is seeking redemption in the CBA where he has continued to be a potent scorer. A freshman on the 1994 team, Michael Wright (Arizona) became the all-time leading scorer and rebounder in PW history by the end of his string. Wright was a strapping manchild who was impossible to stop on the low block.

The Shooters
Guess what? The jumpshot remains a deadly weapon in basketball. Given its teachability I wonder why it sometimes seems like a neglected art. Maybe it requires too much dull repetition and gym time to perfect. The dunk gets more ballyhoo from live crowds. But the PW careers of Ryan Hogan (Kentucky), Matt Lottich (Stanford), and Jon Scheyer (Duke) are reminders of its efficacy. All three of these practitioners took their talent poor teams great distances with lights out shooting. Hogan was the most one dimensional of the bunch, but he put together some huge games, especially the 1996 tournament when he scored 136 points in four games. Lottich was a fierce competitor who took his New Trier team to the Elite Eight in 2001. Lottich was also a star quarterback, ace pitcher, and 3.79 student. Scheyer’s 21 points in 75 minutes at last year’s tournament was a ridiculous display of shooting and will to compete. More impressive was his leading his Glenbrook North team to the state title the same year. He took a thin collection of role players on his back to get it done.

Other PW Notables, Thoughts
Proviso West’s Michael Ingram (Missouri, Iowa). Knee injuries blew up his college career but he was a dominant force in high school. One of the best defenders in PW history.

Chicago Vocational’s Juwan Howard (Michigan, various NBA) had the most mature, polished game I’ve seen from a high schooler. Smooth post moves as both a back-to-the basket and face up player. Silken, rangy jump shot. Good passer. Hit his free throws. He turned in double doubles without breaking a sweat. His effortless game may have also been a curse. Poker faced on the court, maybe for lack of heart, love of the game. NBA journeyman career may be proof of the pudding.

Fenwick’s Corey Maggette (Duke, Los Angeles Clippers). Falls into the too smooth for his own good category. Wasted a lot of talent. Able to score 20 points without trying. Another example of Coach K’s greedy recruitment of McDonald’s All-Americans, regardless of their internal makeup and approach to the game.

Proviso East’s Browns. Dee Brown (Illinois, Utah Jazz) played every second at PW like it was his last. Pure love of the game. Shannon Brown (Michigan State, Cleveland Cavaliers) was the kind of player who would coast through three quarters then score 25 points in the last frame. Unstoppable when he put his mind to it. Tom Izzo maximized his potential. Both obviously made great decisions about where to play college ball.

Hillcrest’s Shelby Jordan. Could be my favorite PW player. 6′1″ kid with a smart, crafty game and the heart of a lion. Found a way to score, rebound, make plays at every turn. Lack of a jump shot and poor academics sent him to JUCO land and I never heard from him again. But he was everything a high school coach and fan could wish for. Under the radar gem.

Just a few reasons for my twenty-five years of loyalty to Proviso West. The tournament is a gift that keeps on giving. I’m sure this year’s tournament won’t disappoint. It hasn’t yet.

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December 23, 2006
Loyola University Gentile Center
Chicago, Illinois
Loyola Academy (Wilmette) 60 New Trier (Winnetka) 55
Simeon 62 Carver 38

Judging by the company in the bleachers, I’ve been picking the right gyms to visit. Last month it was Barack Obama at Welsh-Ryan, Saturday at Loyola’s petite gem of a gym it was Michael Jordan and Bill Wennington. The latter two were there in support of their basketball heirs.

The Loyola Academy squad’s current incarnation seems to be as a Jesuit club team for the sons of former Chicago pro athletes. Joining senior Jeff Jordan, sophomore Marcus Jordan, and freshman Robert Wennington is Joey Suhey, son of Matt. The Ramblers entered the tangle with their North Shore rivals undefeated against a string of patsies and ranked third in Chicagoland.

New Trier is helmed by one of the area’s finest basketball minds, Rick Malnati (Bradley ‘81). Malnati assumed the mantle of the proud Trevian program in 1999 after several years as the top assistant to IHSA coaching lion Mel Sheets. Sheets’ eighteen year reign was distinguished by everything short of a state title. And despite fielding rosters with only two notable Division 1 level players, Matt Lottich (Stanford ‘04) and Todd Townsend (Marquette ‘04), Malnati has racked up a winning percentage over .700 in his seven year span. One need only cite the 2002 Supersectional game when Malnati’s team of slow-footed, sharp shooting overachievers took out a hugely favored Proviso East team that featured a backcourt of Dee Brown and Shannon Brown. That game was the kind of basketball clinic that says everything you need to know about Malnati as a coach.

There are many capable coaches in Chicagoland who might be able to match wits with Malnati, but three year Loyola head man Bryan Tucker isn’t one of them. Were it not for an uncharacteristically gaffe prone performance by New Trier and the substantial athletic advantage of his team, Tucker would’ve found himself on the losing side of things. Switch rosters and Malnati would win a state title. Tucker will be lucky to take them downstate.

The contrast in coaching was obvious from the layup line. While the Trevians ran through a tight choreography of shooting and defensive drills, Loyola took aimless jumpers and giggled and high fived as the Jordan brothers put on a dunking display for an appreciative crowd. The differences didn’t end there. Loyola plays a brand of basketball that resembles a summer playground run. A typical offensive series: Jeff Jordan dribbles for ten seconds while his teammates watch then passes to brother Marcus who takes defender one on one and throws up off balance jumper. Or vice versa. Or substitute any Loyola starter for the Jordans and repeat. New Trier on the other hand emphasizes motion and cutting on offense, crisp ball reversals, and patient pursuit of high percentage looks. If the Trevians have an even modest imitation of a point guard, something they appear to lack this year, this system is both a joy to watch and deadly effective.

Predictably, the brothers Jordan are above average athletes. Jeff, a 6′1″ point, and Marcus, a 6′3″ guard/forward, have gym crafted, strong frames and do make their share of plays. Occasionally, they make an acrobatic layup or dunk as dad chuckles amidst his phalanx of bodyguards. Some of their fundamental basketball skills–jumpshooting range, defense, movement without the ball, passing, ability to make their teammates better–are not yet fully developed. Much of this is attributable to incompetent coaching. A good mid-major coach will be able to maximize their talent.

Hoopraker was sad to learn the nightcap would be played without Memphis recruit and top ranked Illinois senior, Derrick Rose of Simeon. A turned ankle had him ensconsced on the bench, recuperating for the following week’s holiday tournament in Pontiac. The defending state champs did not use this as an excuse. Simeon is a well coached team with depth and cohesion. The UW-Milwaukee recruits, 6′5″ Tim Flowers and 6′6″ Kevin Johnson anchor the frontcourt and consistently find a way to make plays. Surrounding them are jump out of the gym athletes at every position. They outclassed a strong Carver team from the outset. It is scary to think how good this team is with Rose on the floor. They appear to more than deserve their number one state ranking. Until proven otherwise, they are the team to beat in March.

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November 22, Chicago Heights, Ill.

Hillcrest (Country Club Hills) 62 Homewood-Flossmoor 39
No visit to Chicago is complete without some high school basketball. I’m biased (if you haven’t noticed), but I think it’s the best basketball town in America. And this is due in no small measure to the wealth and breadth of the Chicagoland high school hoops scene. Great players and coaches abound. And unlike most other big cities, it is a basketball community where city and suburb communicate and collide to great effect. And neither camp has a monopoly on talent. My friend from Detroit says even the best suburban programs there are almost never competitive with city public or Flint schools. In Chicago the parity from city to suburb is a given. One need only attend the Proviso West Holiday Tournament or some IHSA sectionals and supersectionals to see this argument proven year after year.

As a New York city resident, I am frustrated by the inaccessibility of high school basketball. A big part of the problem is that the local sportspages here–New York Times, NY Post, Daily News–are some of the worst in the country. The NYT is more of a national paper so I give it a pass. Not that I think it’s national sports coverage is worth a damn either. The Post and Daily News have no such excuse. They are journalistic jokes from start to finish. So it’s hard to know where the good games are being played. I know there are some strong suburban programs across the Hudson in Jersey, but it’s a chore to find out the who, what, where and whens. Moral of the story, when I visit Chicago I’m in bad need of a fix. And the Chicago Sun-Times does a superb job of telling me where to score.

There were several Turkey Day tournaments that caught my eye. Michael Jordan’s sons are on the same roster at Loyola Academy (Wilmette). The matchups at their tournament weren’t that competitive so I demurred. My alma mater at Oak Park-River Forest has two D1 prospects and they were playing in a pretty solid tournament at Lane Tech. I couldn’t break away from family duties. Gene Pingatore’s St. Joe’s Chargers have at least three D1 starters (Evan Turner, OSU: Demetri McCamey, Illinois, and Garrett Leffelman, Brown). I’ll see them at the Proviso West Holiday tournament at Xmas, so I decided to wait a month.

Then I noticed the Chicago Heights Classic with a marquee Hillcrest vs. Homewood-Flossmoor tilt. Bango! I borrowed my mother-in-law’s Toyota Avalon, put her Johnny Cash Live At Folsom album on eleven and burned rubber to Marian Catholic High. I got there just as the zebras were making sure the rock had good bounce. I sat two rows up on center court and was soon surrounded by the unofficial Hillcrest Hawks cheer squad. Ambience!

Hillcrest is a state contender. Coach Tom Cappel has been there for several decades and has produced countless D1 studs. His most recent product is Jerel McNeal at Marquette. Like many programs in the south suburbs Hillcrest has plenty of basketball talent strolling its halls. What separates the Hawks and equally strong neighboring programs at Thornwood, Thornridge, Bloom and Thornton is coaching. And Cappel is the best of the bunch.

H-F has a loaded roster. I counted at least four D1 caliber players. Kevin Dillard is one of the areas most skilled point guards and he’s only a junior. Fellow juniors, 6′6″ Supo Sanni and 6″3″ Russell Ellington already possess NBA bodies and unlimited athletic upside. When you’re bringing strapping 6′6″ sophomore Mike Buchanan from the end of your bench you are officially stacked.

Cappel’s squad has some tremendous athletes and two D1 players in 6′7″ senior Kellen Thornton (a long, smooth player with nice range on his jumper) and Elliott Jones, a bruising 6′2″ tweener with a beautiful inside/outside game. On paper, though, H-F should’ve won this thing. No one told Cappel or his Hawks. They played wonderful, hustling team basketball from minute one and never let up. H-F had long stretches where they coasted and daydreamed, expecting their talent to carry them. This lackadaisical attitude probably gets them by a lot of nights. But if the opposing team is executing and playing a frenetic, committed five man game H-F will have problems.

It was a coaching clinic by Cappel and a passionate effort from his kids. And that folks is why I will never tire of high school basketball in Chicago. The kind of quality basketball combined with top flight talent that I witnessed tonight is available every night of the week. It’s a savvy fan’s paradise.

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