We’re halfway there.
Wrapping up holiday tournaments last week marks the midway point of a 31-game season for boys basketball teams in the Aurora and Elgin area.
Plenty of exciting action remains, but here’s what we’ve learned so far:
Topping the charts
David Douglas Jr., a 6-foot-5 senior guard from Yorkville Christian, is equally adept at slashing to the basket or converting from beyond the arc. He leads area scorers by a large margin, averaging 32.2 points. Harvest Christian’s Ben Lothery, another long-distance ace, follows at 22.2 points. Burlington Central’s Drew Scharnowski, a Belmont recruit, rounds out the top three at 21.3.
The team to watch
Rudyard Kipling has nothing on Oswego East coach Ryan Velasquez and his appropriately named Wolves, who are looking to extend beyond last season’s run to the sectional final. Ryan Johnson is the leading scorer for the area’s top team, averaging 11.7 points, with Towson recruit Mekhi Lowery at 11.4, Jehvion Starwood at 9.5 and Bryce Shoto at 9.5. For this group, the Wolves’ strength is indeed the pack.
An early surprise
Has to be Yorkville, which is off to a strong 14-3 start through Tuesday under coach John Holakovsky behind talented big men in 6-9 Jason Jakstys and 6-4 LeBaron Lee Jr. Jakstys and Lee average 11.1 and 11.8 points, respectively. Newcomer Jory Boley, who is averaging 9.4 points, sparks good guard play for these sly Foxes, who are surely a contender for the program’s first regional title since the 2004-05 season.
Chairmen of the boards
Martin Ledbetter, a 6-5 sophomore for Hinckley-Big Rock, is a perfect 10.0 to lead the area in rebounding. Close behind are Oswego East’s Mekhi Lowery at 9.6, Newark’s Zach Carlson at 8.5 and Yorkville’s Jason Jakstys at 8.1. Those four have been cleaning up, and then some, on the boards.
Ready for flight?
Losing 7-3 Conrad Luczynski to graduation and a Missouri prep school couldn’t help but give Bartlett a new look, but don’t think little engine that could for the Hawks. Think high flyers behind junior guards Kelton McEwen, who’s 6-2, and Nathan Scearce, who’s 6-4.
The king of swat
Senior forward Trevon Roots is still the one for Marmion. A 6-5 jumping jack, Roots is averaging 4.5 blocked shots a game. Oswego East’s Lowery is well behind Roots’ pace at 1.7, which is still pretty good.
Stingy numbers game
Geneva continued to impress this week with a 61-45 nonconference victory over Hersey. Led by third-year starters Mick Lawrence and Jimmy Rasmussen, the Vikings (12-3) have held opponents to an average of 39.5 points a game, allowing more than 50 points just once.
Lending a hand
The assist, the most unselfish play in basketball, is a good pass that leads to a teammate scoring a basket. A pair of senior guards in Marmion’s Jabe Haith and Burlington Central’s Matthew Lemon lead the way for the area in assists with an average of 4.9. Marmion’s Collin Wainscott is next at 4.2, followed by West Aurora’s C.J. Savage at 3.6.
Coming of age
Entering the second half, that’s the goal for three area teams — West Aurora (10-5), Kaneland (14-3) and Aurora Christian (13-4) — that don’t have much senior leadership. The Blackhawks are led by the junior trio of Josh Pickett, Jordan Brooks and Savage. The Knights roll behind the guard tandem of junior Troyer Carlson and senior Gevon Grant. The Eagles are paced by junior Cam Morel and freshman phenom Marshawn Cocroft.
POY candidates
There’s a tight race looming, with plenty of candidates worthy of consideration. It’s a group headlined by, but certainly aren’t limited to, the aforementioned Lowery, Scharnowski, Douglas and Pickett.
