Waubonsie Valley lands top spot. Can Oswego East, Metea Valley and West Aurora challenge?
Top 10 Teams
1. Waubonsie Valley (27-3)
Illinois State recruit Tyreek Coleman, a 6-foot-2 senior guard, and 6-5 senior guard/forward Moses Wilson will lead the Warriors. Wilson is a Division I talent, according to coach Andrew Schweitzer. They will be joined by fellow seniors in 6-7 forward Cade Valek and 6-1 guard Joshua Tinney, who’s back from an injury. Don’t miss 6-3 sophomore guard/forward Kristopher Mporokoso.
2. Oswego East (21-11)
The Wolves have won 20 or more games in each of the six full seasons under coach Ryan Velasquez and should do so again. Two starters return in rising junior guard Mason Lockett, who has offers from Xavier and Minnesota, and senior guard Andrew Pohlman. Both are 6-4.
3. Metea Valley (19-11)
Senior point guard Khalil Jones, a three-year starter at St. Laurence, transfers home and bolsters Mustangs’ core of senior forwards Jake Nosek and Dominic Smith and junior guard Tre Watkins. Metea is expected to contend with Waubonsie and DeKalb for DuPage Valley Conference title.
4. West Aurora (21-11)
Three seniors in forwards Terrence Smith and Kewon Marshall and center Gabe Gonzales should lead Blackhawks’ bid for a conference title in Upstate Eight West return. Sophomore guard Travis Brown will definitely help, while senior guard Jaden Edwards returns from injury.
5. Geneva (16-15)
Three of four starters who are back averaged in double figures last season and should make Vikings a strong contender in the DuKane Conference race. Leading the way will be 6-6 senior forward Hudson Kirby, who averaged 11.5 points, while 6-2 senior guard Jack Hatton clocked in at 10.5 and 5-11 junior guard Gabe Jensen added 10.
6. Batavia (22-9)
Senior forward Jax Abalos (Cornell), who averaged 11 points and five rebounds, is expected to shoulder a bigger scoring load. Senior forwards Darian Susic and Payton Wolff and senior guards Josh Kahley and Joe Schroeder should help Bulldogs contend in DuKane Conference.
Batavia’s Jax Abalos does a reverse layup against St. Charles East during a DuKane Conference game in Batavia on Friday, Dec. 22, 2023. (Jon Cunningham / The Beacon-News)
7. Kaneland (26-6)
Despite graduating the program’s career scoring leader in Troyer Carlson, Knights have plenty of talent returning, led by 6-7 senior forward Freddy Hassan and 6-5 junior guard Evan Frieders. Sophomore forward Jeffrey Hassan, who is 6-9, has improved. Junior guard Marshawn Cocroft, an all-state transfer from Aurora Christian, bolsters an already-strong backcourt.
8. Burlington Central (21-11)
Missouri Southern State baseball recruit Jake Johnson, a senior forward who averaged 14.9 points and 6.6 rebounds last winter, will help keep the Rockets in contention in the Fox Valley Conference. A trio of fellow seniors in forward Patrick Shell and guards LJ Kerr and Caden West will be bolstered by four sophomores who gained varsity experience as freshmen.
9. Bartlett (19-11)
The Hawks lost 20-point scorer Nathan Scearce to graduation. A trio of seniors — twin forwards Colin and Keegan Taylor and center Dimitre Petrasiunas — will try to share the load for last year’s Upstate Eight Conference runner-up. Sophomore guard Joey Cwik, who averaged 7.5 points as a freshman, also will be in the mix.
10. Oswego (4-25)
Returning senior guard/forward Dasean Patton should reach 1,000 points early in the season and will team up with senior guard Tyrell Mays. Incoming guard Ethan Vahl will have an impact as one of the state’s top freshmen. Look for junior guard Mariano Velasco to be a defensive standout for first-year coach Nicholas Oraham.
Oswego”s Dasean Patton (23) drives to the basket against West Aurora during a Southwest Prairie West game in Aurora on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Mark Black / The Beacon-News)
The 25 Players to Watch
- Jax Abalos, Batavia, senior, guard/forward.
- Marshawn Cocroft, Kaneland, junior, guard.
- Tyreek Coleman, Waubonsie Valley, senior, guard.
- Gabe Gonzales, West Aurora, senior, center.
- Freddy Hassan, Kaneland, senior, forward.
- Jack Hatton, Geneva, senior, guard.
- Davion Jackson, East Aurora, junior, forward.
- Ben Jurzak, Jacobs, senior, guard.
- Jake Johnson, Burlington Central, senior, forward.
- Khalil Jones, Metea Valley, senior, guard.
- Hudson Kirby, Geneva, senior, forward.
- Martin Ledbetter, Hinckley-Big Rock, senior, forward.
- Mason Lockett, Oswego East, junior, guard.
- Kewon Marshall, West Aurora, senior, forward.
- Kristopher Mporokoso, Waubonsie Valley, sophomore, guard/forward.
- Jake Nosek, Metea Valley, senior guard/forward.
- Dasean Patton, Oswego, senior, forward.
- Dimitre Petrasuinas, Bartlett, senior, center.
- Andrew Pohlman, Oswego East, senior, guard.
- Jayden Riley, Yorkville Christian, junior, guard.
- Terrence Smith, West Aurora, senior, forward.
- Jahvion Sowers, Larkin, junior, guard.
- Ali Tharwani, Marmion, junior, guard.
- Ethan Vahl, Oswego, freshman, guard.
- Moses Wilson, Waubonsie Valley, senior, guard/forward.
