Lincoln Park

This team started off last seasons conference play 1-2, with a road game at Whitney Young on the horizon. Things were looking bleak and being demoted to the White West was a realistic possibility. After the game was over, LIncoln Park snuck out of WY with a 59-54 win and went on to win 6 of their next 7 conference games to secure there place as one of the top teams in the conference and avoid demotion.

Behind 2021 guard combo of Ismael Habib and 2021 sharp-shooting Julio Montes, Lincoln Park looks to make even more noise this year. While this team is well coached (Pat Gordon) and plays a good brand of basketball, it will be difficult for them to produce similar results in conference play.

Their system is a plug and play style, so losing players doesn’t hurt them as much, as they have JV guys waiting in the wings. They will be solid and give maximum effort nightly.

This team is a solid top 25 team, but will have difficulty jumping into the top 10 at any point this season.

Prediction:
Record- 21-9
Conference- 4th place
City Playoffs- Sweet 16
State Playoffs-Regional Finals (Class 4A)

Westinghouse

Last years White West champions make the jump to the Red North West this season. After many expected teams such as Collins and Michelle Clark to make the jump up, this young group of mainly sophomores and juniors raced through conference play undefeated (9-0) and were promoted to the Red.

Led by ChiScoops #7 player in the Public League (2020 Devin Davis), who averaged 24 ppl last season, big things are expected from the new look Warriors. Coach Rafie Fields will depend on the Davis, the leadership of 2020 Ryan Brown, and underrated 2021 pg Kier Jordan to help guide the attack. Look out for 6’5’ 2021 combo guard (Gary Johns and 6’6’ 2022 big Tony Webb.

Their up and down style and full court pressing defense brings back memories of the dominant Westinghouse teams of the 90’s and early 2000’s. While this team isn’t quite on that level yet, they can compete with any team in the city.
This team is a Top 25 team with the potential to crack the Top 10.

Prediction:
Record- 22-8
Conference- 3rd place
City Playoffs- Elite 8
State Playoffs-Sectional Finals (Class 3A)

Orr

The 3-time defending Class 2A state champs are looking to do something that hasn’t been done since Jabari Parker and Simeon did it from 2010-2013, that’s win 4 state championships in a row. After losing their top 3 players from last years squad, winning it all this year will be coach Lou Adams biggest challenge yet.

Most programs would be in full rebuild mode, I.e. Providence St. Mel, but coach Adams just hits the streets, literally, and stockpiles talent for the year to come.

While we here at ChiScoops are still high on Orr, we aren’t ready to crown them on any level this year. We will take a wait and see approach to this group as there are more questions than answers at this time, specifically with there top 2 transfers coming over looking to repair some character issues from their past.

This team is good enough to be a Top 5 team in the area, but also has enough question marks to not crack the top 25. For now they fall somewhere in the middle. It will be interesting to watch how this team develops over the year.

Prediction:
Record- 24-7
Conference- 2nd place
City Playoffs- Elite 8
State Playoffs-State Championship (Class 2A)

Whitney Young

Coach Tyrone Slaughter and Whitney Young have been dominate in the Red North West (formerly Red West) for the last decade. The question is, will that dominance continue this year? With Duke commit and ChiScoops #2 player in the Public League DJ Steward, candidate for Gatorade Player of the year for the state of Illinois and ChiScoops Player of the Year, leading the way, all signs point in that direction. While this version of Young doesn’t have the high level depth as the last few teams (Javon Freeman, X Castanavo, Justin Boyd), transfer Jaeshon Thomas, and ChiScoops #10 player, Tyler Beard will cause matchup problems for most teams running into the Dolphins. 2023 guard (Dalen Davis), brother of Westinghouse’s Devin Davis seems to be the real deal. Expect him to contribute on the varsity level this season as well.

Steward may put this team over the top, but the gap has seemed to close with Orr being on their heels, Westinghouse not far behind, and Lincoln Park waiting in the wings.

For now, this is a top 2-3 team in the area and big things are expected.

Prediction:
Record- 27-6
Conference- 1st place
City Playoffs- City Championship game
State Playoffs-State Championship game (Class 4A)

Top 10 Players in the Public League

1. Adam Miller- Morgan Park
2. DJ Steward- Whitney Young
3. Ramean Hinton- Curie
4. Brandon Weston- Morgan Park
5. Antonio Bloxton- Bogan
6. Ahmad Bynum- Simeon
7. Devin Davis- Westinghouse
8. Donovan Taylor- Fenger
9. Tyler Beard- Whitney Young
10. Jeremiah Williams- Simeon

Story on each player to follow.

Conference Preview: Top 4 Teams in the Red South Central Conference

Simeon

Coming off a down season last year, where their record hovered around .500 all season, Simeon is looking for a bounce back season and look to pick back up on the dominance they displayed for the majority of the 2010’s. Quick service announcement to “Simeon Nation”, those days are over. 2021 Ahmad Bynum (Black Cat) is the big name returning to the team this year. He impressed this spring/summer on the Travel circuit playing with Mac Irvin Fire, picking up a couple of Division 1 offers. He can light it up and score from anywhere on the court, but he doesn’t like sharing the ball as the only thing he passes is his test at school, as we heard he is a very good student.
While St. Laurence transfer 6’3”Jeremiah Williams, talented freshmen Jay Griffin and Davious Laury, along with returning guard Jalen Drake all will make this team competitive and fun to watch, they are 2-3 players away from challenging the likes of Morgan Park and Bogan for conference dominance.
Losing potential McDonalds All-American in 2022 6’8” AJ Casey will just be hard to replace.
Coach Rob Smith has proven himself to be one of the best coaches in the state over the last decade so we expect a superior effort from this team, but due to their youth and lack of size and talent, this teams ceiling is only a couple of floors high. Though we at ChiScoops won’t totally throw in the towel on this squad yet, as they keep a trick under their sleeve. Don’t be surprised if they somehow get a 6’8” transfer from out of town before the season starts.
This team is a fringe top 25 team at the moment.

Prediction:
Record- 21-10
Conference- 4th place
City Playoffs- Elite 8
State Playoffs-Sectional semi-finals

Curie

The defending City Champs and Class 4A Third Place team comes back this year looking to defend their city crown and challenge for State again. They return one of the city’s best players in SEMO commit Ramean Hinton, a solid contributor from last years team in Elijah Pickens, and heady junior point guard in Nick Owens. Their top defensive player from last years team (Ahmad Williams Jr.) returns as well.
This team has the look of a team that will be able to compete on a high level again this year, but the question comes down to, how do they replace Kansas State signee Dajuan Gordon? While they had many contributors last year, his presence and leadership is a void that this years team will have a hard time filling.
While their JV had a level of success, as they lost in the city championship game last year, they aren’t moving up any players from that team that are worth mentioning in this article.
They will still be a team worth watching this year, due to their fast paced and trapping defensive style, their lack of having a go to player will ultimately be their undoing. ChiScoops is lukewarm about this team, though they are in our Top 25. It will be highly unlikely that they reach the pinnacle of success due to their depth, or lack thereof, lack of leadership, and overall talent deficiencies behind their top 6 players.

Prediction:
Record- 22-7
Conference- 3rd place
City Playoffs- Elite 8
State Playoffs-Sectional Finals

Bogan

Bogan was able to do something last year it had only done once in the past 7 seasons, beat Morgan Park, this time in the Class 3A sectional championship. After surprising the city, and even themselves in winning that game, Bogan continued to roll all the way to the championship game. All that was for nought as the team, full of talent and short on discipline failed to box out at the free throw line while up 2 points with 4 seconds left in the state championship game. East St. Louis tip dunked the rebound and eventually won in OT, denying Bogan and coach Goody their first ever basketball state championship.
After losing 2 all-city players and 4 other seniors/transfers, coach Goody has reloaded and may have even more talent on this team than last years state runner-up. With a boatload of transfers (too many to name) and speed and size to play with any team in the state, Bogan seems primed for another long postseason run.
This team is sure to be a top 10 team and a team that is capable of winning the city and state championship.

Prediction:
Record- 25-5
Conference- 2nd place
City Playoffs- Final 4
State Playoffs-Sectional Finals

Morgan Park

This team comes into the 2019-2020 season with unfinished business on their mind. After losing the sectional final to Bogan last season, Adam Miller declared “we’re going to come back strong next year and I swear to God people are going to feel us next year. They’re going to remember my name for sure.” No matter how this season ends for Morgan Park, Adam Miller’s name will be ringing nationally.
However one of ChiScoops top players and teams in the state look poised to make Adam look like a prophet.
With the addition of one of the top players in the state in Lake Forest transfer Brandon Weston (first full year), return of Wake Forest commit Marcus Watson, Isaiah Burrell, and a couple of transfers, this team looks like the top team in the state, regardless of class. The loss of 6’8” Syree Lewis won’t be easy to shake off, but by November 20th, we here at ChiScoops are sure his replacement will be in place and ready to roll.
With one of the best coaches in the state leading the way, big things are expected out in Beverly! Though it has eluded him since 2010, this might possibly be the year he wins his second Public League basketball championship.
This is hands down a top 2-3 team in the city and potentially one of Nick Irvin’s best teams yet.

Prediction:
Record- 27-3
Conference- 1st place
City Playoffs- City championship game
State Playoffs-State Championship game