High school basketball notebook: Joliet West’s Justus McNair commits, new event sparkles, weekend...

Chicago Sun-Times - Chicago High School Sports 5/23 3:43A Joe Henricksen

Joliet West’s Justus McNair (1) the ball as Kenwood’s Noah Mister defends. Allen Cunningham/For the Sun-Times While it went a little under the radar last week, the commitment of Joliet West’s Justus McNair to Valparaiso was significant, or at the...

College basketball: Former Oswego East star RayJ Dennis is a hot commodity in the transfer portal

Chicago Sun-Times - Chicago High School Sports 5/23 3:31A Joe Henricksen

San Diego State guard Malachi Flynn, right, steals the ball from Boise State guard RayJ Dennis during a game in 2020. AP Photos It took some time and a couple of college stops but RayJ Dennis, the former Oswego East star, has emerged as one of...

Kevari Thunderbird hurls a gem to lead Kenwood to its first baseball city title

Chicago Sun-Times - Chicago High School Sports 5/22 12:35P Michael O'Brien

Kenwood’s Kevari Thunderbird (4) reacts at home plate during the city championship game against Payton at Guaranteed Rate Field. Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times Kenwood won its first Public League baseball city title on Monday at Guaranteed...

Wheaton-Warrenville South takes third in bass fishing at state

Chicago Sun-Times - Chicago High School Sports 5/22 8:16A Dale Bowman

A file photo of Carlyle Lake. Dale Bowman Wheaton-Warrenville South’s Boat 2 was the only Chicago-area team to medal with a third Saturday at the Illinois High School Association’s state finals for bass fishing at Carlyle Lake. Brandon Carstens,...

High school baseball: Kenwood siblings suit up for shot at Public League title

Chicago Sun-Times - Chicago High School Sports 5/21 12:44P Michael O'Brien

Kenwood’s Kevari Thunderbird, Kevin Thunderbird and K’vion Thunderbird (left to right) pose for a photo before practice at Cornell Field. Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times One last time, the Thunderbirds are taking flight together for Kenwood....

Butler Lake gives extra education for Libertyville high schoolers

Chicago Sun-Times - Chicago High School Sports 5/19 4:17A Dale Bowman

Gerry Urbanozo oversees Lucas Murphy weighing a largemouth bass during the inaugural Libertyville High School Lake Day at Butler Lake. Dale Bowman As Gerry Urbanozo reached into a white tub of water, he said, “ Be careful when you put your hand...

Minooka High School fisherman takes a different path to All-American bass angler

Chicago Sun-Times - Chicago High School Sports 5/17 4:16A Dale Bowman

Hunter Petrovic headng out to fish a Minooka Anglers Club qualifier, which he won, on Braidwood Lake. Provided Hunter Petrovic’s fishing obsession started early, but he has different sides. He plans to attend Southwestern Michigan College for its...

High school basketball: St. Rita implosion unlike anything we’ve seen before

Chicago Sun-Times - Chicago High School Sports 5/15 3:37A Joe Henricksen

Former St. Rita coach Roshawn Russell watches as the Mustangs play Joliet West. Allen Cunningham/For the Sun-Times Just six months ago St. Rita was the preseason No. 2 ranked team in the Super 25 rankings, boasting three juniors all committed to...

High school baseball: New Trier’s Mike Napoleon breaks state record for wins

Chicago Sun-Times - Chicago High School Sports 5/14 5:10P Mike Clark

New Trier baseball coach Mike Napoleon talks with Jackson McCarey during the game against Niles West. Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times When COVID shut down high school sports in Illinois for much of the 2020-21 school year, Mike Napoleon and...

High school basketball: Jeremiah Fears leaves, new coaches at West Aurora, Lockport, Stevenson

Chicago Sun-Times - Chicago High School Sports 5/13 2:40A Joe Henricksen

Joliet West’s Jeremiah Fears (2) goes to the net over Rolling Meadows. Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times Jeremiah Fears has joined what is becoming a lengthy list of high-level basketball prospects from Illinois who have left the state. The...

Basketball stars looking elsewhere

Chicago Sun-Times - Chicago High School Sports 5/12 5:35P Joe Henricksen

Jeremiah Fears, one of the top prospects in the Class of 2025, is headed to Sunrise Christian, a prep school in Kansas. Allen Cunningham/Sun-Times Jeremiah Fears has joined what is becoming a lengthy list of high-level basketball prospects from...

IHSA sectionals show the growth of high school bass fishing

Chicago Sun-Times - Chicago High School Sports 5/9 4:16A Dale Bowman

Alden-Hebron’s Damian Marks and Riley Prentice celebrate their runaway victory at the Chain O’Lakes North sectional. Provided by boat driver Dave Kranz How do you figure the Illinois High School Association’s bass fishing sectionals? Are high...

Alex Burstein truly is talking the talk

Chicago Sun-Times - Chicago High School Sports 5/6 12:32P Mike Clark

Lane senior Alex Burstein does an online play-by-play broadcast of a Champions baseball game last week. Allen Cunningham/Sun-Times Alex Burstein has loved sports his whole life. But early on, the Lane senior accepted that his future wasn’t in...

Notre Dame lands commitment from Cole Certa of Bloomington Central Catholic

Chicago Sun-Times - Chicago High School Sports 5/4 10:38A Joe Henricksen

Junior guard Cole Certa of Bloomington Central Catholic has committed to Notre Dame. Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times Notre Dame, which had very little interest in recruiting the state of Illinois during the Mike Brey era, has made quick work...

High school basketball: St. Rita basketball coach Roshawn Russell resigns

Chicago Sun-Times - Chicago High School Sports 5/2 7:35A Michael O'Brien

St. Rita coach Roshawn Russell watches as the Mustangs play Joliet West. Allen Cunningham/For the Sun-Times St. Rita basketball coach Roshawn Russell resigned on Monday. The 2008 St. Rita graduate led the Mustangs to more than 20 wins in each of...