Another suburban conference that has a number of promising prospects for the next level, the North Suburban could have some new teams challenging for the conference title.
Lake Forest
6-foot-2 guard Tommie Aberle is one of the best returning players in the area. Also a football standout, the senior is hard to stop getting to the rim and he plays with that chip on his shoulder that you can’t teach. Expect him to dominate on the glass and be one of the leading assist-guys in the conference again. 6-foot-7 junior Hudson Scroggins is an easy breakout candidate, stepping in to make up for some of the production lost from 4-year star Asa Thomas (Clemson). Scroggins is a skilled lefty who just keeps getting better with the day. Able to put it on the ground, shoot the three, block shots, and play above the rim as a rebounder and finisher, he has legitimate scholarship-level ability.
Expect a big year out of senior guard Bolurin Taiwo, a 6-foot-2 senior who really started to come on later in the season last year. He’s a plus defender, has a nice combination of strength and length, and is a good mover and attacker offensively. Sophomore guard Dominic Mordini is a newcomer to keep an eye on with his shooting ability and confidence creating advantages off the bounce. 6-foot-10 big Grant Mordini missed the entire spring and summer, but the junior has promising mobility and an outside stroke that is uncommon for players his size.
Lake Zurich
Lake Zurich should have one of their better groups in past years, led by senior guard Nick Popovic. His scoring and athleticism have both improved, making him a tough cover for most guard and wings at 6-foot-3. He will be a quality Division 3 recruit. Their returning big, Anton Strelnikov, will be the best center in the conference. From a footwork and feel perspective, he’s among the best bigs in the whole state. He has more confidence stepping out to the perimeter but will be a force inside this year.
Senior Ryan Carroll should help with ball-handling and make defenses pay for overhelping on Popovic and Strelnikov. Sophomore Kain Kretschmar is going to be really good. Now at 6-foot-3, he has the talent to be that third option and should benefit from seeing secondary defenders most nights.
Libertyville
It’ll be a totally new look for a team that lost a deep, winning senior class to graduation. There are some returners to keep an eye on. Ben Van Lyssel (6-foot-5) is going to have one of the bigger leaps in the conference. He’s got range that will be shown on a larger scale this year but can impact games in different ways. Fellow senior Jacob Bahrani will be back after a knee injury hindered him the last year. They also return Blaise Lavista, who played good time as a freshman last year. He’s a high-energy, extremely athletic wing who is also a big-time receiver. I’d expect him to lead the team in free throw attempts and paint touches off of penetration and cuts.
Junior Liam Hanson will make an immediate impact this year and has looked solid in the fall. Solid size and touch at the guard spot, he will give Libertyville a steadying player over the next two years. A couple of sophomore bigs could emerge early on for them. 6-foot-7 Bryce Wegryzn is going to be a problem in the NSC. You don’t find players at his size with the bounce off of the ground, end-to-end speed and ball-handling, and comfort working on the perimeter. He could be a player who college coaches add to their radars early on. Nathan Knight, also around 6-foot-6, moves well and brings his volleyball skills to the defensive end and on the glass.
Mundelein
Mundelein doesn’t have the same experience as past years, but three-year starter Derek Bishop is as good of a scorer as you’ll find in the region. If you take away his downhill drives, he’ll light you up from three. Run him off of the line and he’s got a deep bag of tricks in the mid-range and the ability to finish with finesse or power. Everyone in the conference knows that the goal will be to take him away, but there’s a reason why the junior is on pace to score 2,000 career points. There aren’t a ton of certainties around him, but look for lefty guard Evan Salvador, a high-IQ shooter, and 6-foot-5 junior Nathan Hauf to be some options to assist Bishop.
Stevenson
Now under the direction of Will Benson succeeding long-time coach Pat Ambrose, Stevenson has a nice collection of experience and flat-out talent. Returning guards Aidan Bardic (6-foot-3) and soph Rocco Pagliocca (6-foot-2) could be the best backcourt in the conference. Bardic is an unshakeable PG with size, passing ability, and advanced finishing ability. He’s also got the ability to stretch the floor and will be a player who college coaches love when they see him play live. Pagliocca is also able to play on or off the ball with a shifty handle and a good understanding for spacing, cutting, and burying threes at a high rate. Both guards have the ability to be high-level on-ball defenders as well.
The frontcourt has just as much to look forward to in senior Jack Dabbs (6-foot-7) and junior Atticus Richmond (6-foot-8 transfer). Dabbs had a good junior year and should have more time and space to operate to show his inside-out game. Richmond is a huge addition and will be the best long-term forward prospect in the conference. He shoots it very well from three, has improved his efficiency as a ball-handler, and can shine as an athlete inside. I think he’s going to be able to take over some games as a rebounder and disruptive defender at times as well. Senior guards Randy Clay and Armand Burris should be ball-hawks. Explosive sophomore guard Donovan Williams and 6-foot-5 junior Liam Curtin both have a chance to be really good.
Warren
Warren may be back. The combination of gifted youth and rock-solid seniors will have them in position not just compete in conference but make a run to March. 6-foot-6 do-it-all forward Alex Daniels was very productive last year, both as a scorer and rebounder. There aren’t any serious flaws in his game, and he will be a player to lean on in high-pressure moments. Freshman Jaxson Davis is as cool as the other side of a pillow. Nothing gets him off of his game and he values the little things the way you’d expect from a college player. His playmaking is very advanced at this stage and will be one of the main ways he contributes to this deep group. But his defense and shot-making are going to show throughout the year as well.
Sophomore Braylon Walker was up as a freshman and will be even more assertive this season. It looks like he’s going to continue to get taller and he has a smooth offensive game that should work well running his lanes and playing off of the other guards. One of those will be senior Josh Stewart, who looks to bring leadership and aggressive on-ball defense as a returning starter. Junior Jack Wolf is also back to give some floor spacing. There are a bevy of quick, tenacious guards who should be able to rotate in and keep the momentum going for this team. Manny Brown (6-foot-4) will be a presence on the glass. They have all the pieces to make noise.
Waukegan
Another team who is on the upswing in the conference, Waukegan is heavy on guard play, but has the right ones to play their style. Sophomore Simereon Carter and Carter Newsome are back and have each diversified their games. Carter was a standout as a freshman and has improved his outside game to add to his high-flying athleticism. Newsome can really shoot it from three and handle the ball, but he’s also getting better at using his quickness defensively against bigger guards. The addition of St. Rita transfer Jeezy White gives them an electric ball-handler and passer who can get everyone else easy looks.
Senior forward Nehemiah Dunn is a high-end run-and-jump athlete who will have to play a quasi-big for them this year. He’s got the explosiveness to do it, though he may be giving up some height to the other bigs in this conference. Brandon Phillips is also back to give support to the backcourt. They will be a high-energy group that is fun to watch.