Benet, Metea Valley and Waubonsie Valley have multiple starters returning. Things are much different for Naperville Central, Naperville North and Neuqua Valley.
BENET
Leading scorer Gabriel Sularski transferred to Lemont, but the Redwings (26-6) return four key players, including 6-foot-9 senior forward Daniel Pauliukonis (Southern Illinois) and senior guard Blake Fagbemi (Truman State). All-conference junior guard Jayden Wright and 7-2 junior center Colin Stack also are back from a sectional semifinalist. Expectations are to compete for conference and sectional titles.
METEA VALLEY
Coach Isaiah Davis is excited to see how the Mustangs (19-11) do this season. There is good reason for optimism because three starters — senior forward Jake Nosek, junior guard Tre Watkins and senior guard Dominic Smith — are back. They will be boosted by the arrival of senior point guard Khalil Jones, who started for St. Laurence the past three seasons.
NAPERVILLE CENTRAL
First-year coach Mike Wilson gets a nearly clean slate, with junior guard TJ Hillman being the only returning starter. Senior guard Alex Liabo and senior center Ryder Erdmann will have expanded roles for the Redhawks (10-23), who are hoping to get a boost once senior guard/forward Daniel Nussbaum, senior forward Connor Sands and senior guard Gavin Wade return from football in early December.
NAPERVILLE NORTH
Fans will definitely need a program to familiarize themselves with the Huskies (13-17) after 12 players, including the entire starting lineup, graduated. Junior guard Max Steele is the only player with varsity experience. But coach Gene Nolan said the new group — led by junior guard Carson Loughlin, junior forward Will Harvey, junior guard Miles Okyne and junior guard Jack Zitko — works hard and is fun to coach.
NEUQUA VALLEY
The Wildcats (23-10) are rebuilding. Returning starter Whitman Charboneau, a senior guard, is the only player who got varsity minutes last season. But watch out for 6-6 freshman forward Cole Kelly, who already has an offer from Illinois. Junior forward Andrew Hoffmann, senior guards Danny Podpora and David Taiwo, and sophomore guard Mason Martin are other top newcomers.
WAUBONSIE VALLEY
The Warriors (27-3) stunned the basketball world by winning conference and regional titles last season, and this team could be even better offensively, if not as dominant defensively. All-state guard Tyreek Coleman (Illinois State) is one of three seniors who are returning starters, along with all-conference swingman Moses Wilson and 6-7 forward Cade Valek, a three-sport athlete and Alabama-Huntsville soccer commit.
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.
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