***High school coaches can continue to fill out the Season Preview Form to provide information on their teams. This is not required to be featured, but it does help provide context to put together the previews.

York

Outlook:

After winning 26 games and challenging for a sectional final last year, eight seniors graduated, including a couple of Division 1 recruits. It will be a new look for the Dukes, but there are high hopes for a junior class who had a ton of success at the sophomore level. That class includes 6-foot-8 forward Hunter Stepanich, who was up on varsity last season. He’s shown some nice flashes and was one of the team’s leading shot blockers a year ago in a reserve role. Also a talented volleyball and football player, Stepanich knows how to affect games with his size and athleticism. Another key returner will be senior guard Connor Fitzgerald, who is a scrappy, competitive kid who can really shoot it from the perimeter. I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up being one of the top shooters in the West Suburban this year.

Fellow seniors Eddy Sica and James DeCicco will add some ball-handling, passing, and timely scoring to the backcourt. Two newcomers to keep an eye on are Ethan Iacob, a versatile 6-foot-4 junior who plays with an edge, and 6-foot-5 big man Costa Kampas, a rock-solid low post scorer and area rebounder. The group should continue to learn each other as the year goes on with the hope for steady growth heading into the latter part of the year.

Key Players:

Jr – Hunter Stepanich (6’8 Forward)

Sr – Connor Fitzgerald (5’10 Guard)

Sr – Eddy Sica (6’0 Guard)

Sr – James DeCicco (6’0 Guard)

Jr – Ethan Iacob (6’4 Forward)

Jr – Costa Kampas (6’5 Center)

Prospect For College Coaches To Keep An Eye On:

Connor Fitzgerald (5’10 PG/SG, 2025)

You just have to tip your cap to a kid who plays with as much emotion and competitive fire as Fitzgerald. He takes pride in guarding the ball and projects as a disruptive on-ball defender at the point guard position. Whether he is taking charges, jumping passing lanes, or stripping the ball from guys on drives, he regularly brings intensity to that side of the floor. But Fitzgerald is also a very good three-point shooter who can light it up when he gets his feet set with a quick, one-motion release. He’s also a sound decision maker who will play on the ball for stretches for the Dukes this year. Fitzgerald is a physically strong guard who can shoot it, defend, and run the offense when needed. There should be options to play at the next level if he chooses to do so.