Boys basketball season is back! We asked our coaches how they thought their teams would fare this season and here are their responses!
*All coaches were contacted multiple times for their exercise. Their responses are below. Don’t see your team? Reach out to Michael Wojtychiw (mmwojtychiw@cps.edu)
School: Chicago High School Agricultural Sciences
Last Year’s Record: 20-10
Starters returning (Name, class, position):
Gavyn Reilly, Junior, Guard
Bobby White, Sophomore, Guard
Key non-starters returning (Name, class, position):
Cedrick DeBerry, Senior, Center
Kris Bell, Junior, Center
Sam Rush, Junior, Center
Braden Gillie, Guard, Junior
Newcomers to watch (Name, class, position):
Drew Rice, Freshman, Guard
Tournaments/Shootouts participating in or hosting:
Oak Lawn Thanksgiving Tournament
Kankakee Christmas Tournament
Coach’s Season Outlook: I’m very excited to see this team perform as a unit this year. Everyone will contribute and we are not just a one man team.
School: Clemente
Last Year’s Record: 8-17
Starters Returning:
Demarion Ferguson, jr., 16 ppg, 8 rpg
John L. Walker 7 ppg
Newcomer to Watch:
Chief Warren 6’2 freshman
Coach’s Season Outlook: Young up and coming squad ready for all challenges.
School: Curie
Last year’s record: 24-10 (Lost in City Championship game to Kenwood)
Returning starters:
Justin Oliver, Sr., G (1st team all-city)
Michael Oliver Jr., Sr., G (Shot 40% from 3PT)
Other key returners:
Kendall Holliday, Sr., F (Played major minutes off the bench last year)
Jayden Sidney, Sr., G
Saquan Commings, Sr., G
Tobyus Banks, Jr., G
Joshua Hurley Jr., Sr., F
Top newcomers:
Keith Collins, Sr., F
Amir Green, So., F
Dream Horton, So., G
Malik Horton, So., G
Tournaments/shootouts
Pontiac Holiday tournament (Dec 29-31)
Chicago Elite Classic (Dec 6)
Team Rose Shootout (Dec 13)
Steve Papas Shootout (Jan 10)
Mustang Madness (Kentucky) (Jan 9)
Coach’s Season Outlook: We are returning 11 players from last year’s team that lost in the City Championship game! That means we have some experience in big games. We have 3 sophomores that should contribute as well as a 6’8 transfer that will provide a presence in the middle! Hopefully our size and depth will wear teams down!
School: Lane Tech
Last Year’s Record: 20-12
Social media handle: X-@lanetechhoops, IG-lanetechhoops
College commits: Matt Szafoni, Illinois State University
Starters returning (Name, class, position):
Matt Szafoni, Senior, F
Newcomers to watch (Name, class, position):
Ethan Chan, 2028, W
Cole Christian, 2028, F
Tournaments/Shootouts participating in or hosting:
Battle of the Bridge Thanksgiving Tournament @ Lane Tech- 11/24-11/26
Hinsdale Central Holiday Tournament- 12/26-12/30
Chicago Elite Classic- 12/5
Team Rose Shootout- 12/13
Oak Lawn Shootout- 2/1
Coach’s season outlook:
Returning senior and D1 commit Matt Szafoni will lead the charge with a young and hungry team around him. We play another incredibly challenging schedule to prepare us for playoff time in February and March.
School: Marshall Commandos
Last Year’s Record:12-17
Social Media Handle: @commandosbasketball
Returning starters:
Darrin Dj Laye, So, Guard, 17 ppg, 5 apg, 4 rpg, 2.3 spg,; Boylan 1st team all tournament, 2nd leading ppg as a freshman in the Proviso West Christmas tournament.
Amari Cornell, Sr Forward, 7.8 ppg, 1 Assits, 6 Rebs,
Amari Kennedy, Jr Forward, 8 ppg, 2 assists, 7 Rebs,
Key non-starters returning:
Lawrence Jefferson, Jr, Guard
Quinton Gipson: Sr, Forward
Antonio Archer: Jr, Forward
Jason Brown: Jr, Guard
Newcomers to Watch:
Rayvon Myles Jr, Guard
Edward Humes Jr, Guard
Marques Elem, Jr, Forward
Tournament/shootouts:
Boylan Thanksgiving Classic
Proviso West Christmas tournament
Ms Gators MLK shootout
Breast Cancer awareness shootout Rich township
Chop Shootout Kankakee H.S
Coaches Outlook:
The Commandos are looking to be a very improved team. We have additional players who have arrived, love to play old-school Commando basketball. (Defense, basketball pressure, playing uptempo basketball). We are looking forward to making a pretty deep run in the city and 1A State playoffs this season.
School: Mather Rangers
Last Year’s Record: 12-17, 4-5 White North
Social media handle: X: @Matherhoops
Starters returning (Name, class, position, stats, honors):
Adin Smajlovic, 2026, G 20ppg, 2x All-Conference, will reach 1000 varsity points
Byron Purnell, 2026, F, 5ppg
Lucas Lambert, 2026, F
Roy Beard, 2026, G/F
Key non-starters returning (Name, class, position):
Jayden Pinder, Senior, Guard
Newcomers to watch (Name, class, position):
Michael Oginni, Junior, Forward
Casey Fleming, Senior, Guard
James Tran, Junior, Guard
Maxwell Joway, Senior, Guard
Tournaments/Shootouts participating in or hosting:
Prosser Thanksgiving Shootout
Mather MLK Shootout
Coach’s season outlook:
The Rangers will look to build on consistent hard work and effort. We want to grow into the season and see our veterans and newcomers gel. Our goal is to be in the White North title race and improve last season’s win total.
School: Northside
Social media handle: ncphoops
Starters returning (Name, class, position):
Jack Mullins, SR, SF
Will Moran, SR, PG
Key non-starters returning (Name, class, position):
Rowan Yen, JR, SF
Newcomers to watch (Name, class, position):
Amon Schingler, JR, C
Tournaments/Shootouts participating in or hosting:
Lakes Thanksgiving Tournament
Maine East Holiday Tournament
School: North Lawndale
Last Year’s Record: 15-12
Social media handle: @nlcp_phoenix
Starters returning (Name, class, position, stats, honors):
Arnez Jones, Sr., Forward, 13.2 pts., 8 rebs.
Nicario Knox, Sr., Guard, 13.8 pts. 3 assist
Julio Malone, Sr., Guard, 9.2 pts. 6 assist, 3.3 steals
Thomas Hayes, Jr., Guard, 7 pts., 3 rebs.
Tywon Madison, Sr., Guard, 7.0 pts.
Key non-starters returning (Name, class, position):
Jarell Webb, Sr., Guard
Marshawn Clemons, Sr. Forward
Newcomers to watch (Name, class, position):
Demarion Elkins, Jr., Center
Towaun Smith, Jr., Guard
Corey Evans, Jr., Guard
Tournaments/Shootouts participating in or hosting:
Prosser Thanksgiving Shootout
State Farm Holiday Classic Tournament
Coach’s season outlook:
As a new head coach at North Lawndale, and with only a couple of months together, I’m continuing to learn this group while preparing them for the season. We return eight varsity players, including four starters, giving us valuable experience to build on. Early in the season, our focus will be discipline, ball movement, and establishing strong habits. We’ve scheduled tough competition to prepare us for the Red–West Conference and to position ourselves to make a strong push when the playoffs arrive.
School: Perspectives Leadership
Last Year’s Record: 18-9
Social media handle: perspectiveswarriorsbb (instagram)
College commits: Phoenix Childs (Minnesota State University), Derrick Dowdell (Central Community CC)
Newcomers to watch (Name, class, position):
Jayden Taylor, 2027
Morgan Travis, 2026
Xavier Porter, 2026
Ian Flowers, 2026
Tournaments/Shootouts participating in or hosting:
Buckets and Blessings Thanksgiving Tournament
York’s Jack Tosh Christmas Tournament
School: Schurz
Starters Returning:
Michael Chaney Jr., Senior, Guard, averaged 17 ppg last year
Non-Starters Returning:
John Coppage, Senior
Robert Leal, Senior
Cameron Trent, Senior
Kamarion Fagairo, Junior, Forward
Key Newcomer:
Terrence Broughton, Sophomore
Coach’s Season Outlook: This should be the best Schurz team in years.
School: Uplift
Last Year’s Record: 16 – 7
Starters returning (Name, class, position):
Roderick WInston, G, Sr.
Key non-starters returning (Name, class, position):
Marcus Hughes, G, Sr.
Joune Woods, G, Sr.
Paul Ashcebe, F, Jr.
Dewayne Wesley, F, Jr.
Tournaments/Shootouts participating in or hosting:
Streamwood Thanksgiving Tournament
Uplift Christmas Tournament
Coach’s season outlook:
Defense, defense, defense!
