Sam Brief

Sam Brief is a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune.

No stopping Stevenson’s Chucky Sullivan, the gregarious defensive end for playoff-bound Southern Illinois

April 23, 2021 at 7:56 p.m.

Every day, Chucky Sullivan would wake up at 5:30 a.m. and ask himself a question. "How bad do you want it?" In the midst of a young life littered with...

Highland Park's David Sachs (10) takes the ball to the basket during a game against visiting Lake Zurich on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2015.

‘Is this for real?’ David Sachs was picked in The Basketball League draft. The Highland Park graduate just needs a roster spot to become a pro.

March 23, 2021 at 6:02 p.m.

David Sachs feared his basketball career was over. The Highland Park alum had just finished a college career that took him from Division II Barry University in Miami to Division...

‘Here we go again’ was a familiar refrain for ex-Loyola Academy standout Liz Satter — until she overcame multiple injuries to find a new basketball home

February 28, 2021 at 11:52 p.m.

Liz Satter — lover of basketball, lifelong baller and member of a hoops-frenzied family — doubted she'd ever again play the sport she treasures. "I was going to be done...

Taking it seriously: Niles North grad Damaria Franklin grows into new role at Tennessee Tech; ‘Now, it’s a big-boy game’

February 14, 2021 at 10:36 p.m.

Chat with Damaria Franklin for a few minutes, and you quickly realize that he views basketball as much more than just a game. "Growing up in the inner city of...

Glenbrook South graduate Caitlin Schneider is an assistant captain for the Wisconsin women's hockey team.

Glenbrook South’s Caitlin Schneider goes from state champion to winning an NCAA hockey title with Wisconsin: ‘It’s crazy to think how far I’ve come’

January 31, 2021 at 10:59 p.m.

When Caitlin Schneider was 3 years old, she slipped into a pair of skates and hit the ice at the Glenview Ice Center. "She'd be out in the corner building...

Brotherly bond: OPRF’s Bolivar brothers, Eddie and Nico, are wrestling teammates once again — this time at Indiana

January 24, 2021 at 10:34 p.m.

Eddie Bolivar and his younger brother Nico had shared a room since Nico was born. "Their cribs were in the same room, then the toddler beds, then bunk beds," said...

Daria Pyshnenko has won six Big Ten titles at Michigan. But the Lake Forest grad recalls not always swimming like the daughter of Olympic medalists.

January 19, 2021 at 6:15 p.m.

As you read this, Daria Pyshnenko is an All-American who has won six Big Ten titles at Michigan. She also earned two state championships at Lake Forest. But just over...

Northwestern wide receiver Riley Lees (19) is knocked into the air by Auburn defensive back Jaylin Simpson during the second half of the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida, on Friday, Jan. 1, 2021.

From running back to quarterback to receiver: How Libertyville’s Riley Lees ended his career at Northwestern and looks ahead to the NFL

January 17, 2021 at 10:50 p.m.

Amid the final half of Riley Lees' last college football game, the senior wide receiver became a spectator. "I was not feeling hot," Lees said. "I was definitely in survival...

Iowa State quarterback Hunter Dekkers (12) celebrates with teammate Sean Foster (75), an offensive lineman who graduated from Carmel, after scoring on a 12-yard touchdown run during a game against Kansas State in Ames, Iowa, on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020. Iowa State won 45-0.

Carmel’s Sean Foster finds footing as left tackle and captain for Fiesta Bowl winner Iowa State. But after five seasons he has ‘unfinished business.’

January 7, 2021 at 4:25 p.m.

Not even 48 hours had passed since Iowa State's Fiesta Bowl win against Oregon, and Sean Foster already was chewing over his next step. The fifth-year senior and Carmel graduate...

Northwestern guard Scottie Lindsey (20) drives past Vanderbilt guard Joe Toye (2) during a first-round game in the NCAA Tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City on Thursday, March 16, 2017. Northwestern won 68-66.

From Fenwick to Northwestern to the G League, Scottie Lindsey reached the cusp. A torn ACL slowed him down but was ‘a blessing in disguise.’

January 4, 2021 at 6:53 p.m.

Scottie Lindsey was pounding on the NBA's door. "I was definitely in line for a call-up," Lindsey said. "He was killing it in the G League," his mother, Kim, added....

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