Riverside-Brookfield Summer Shootout 2024

The Riverside-Brookfield Summer Shootout this past weekend was a good look at teams in advance this year’s upcoming tournament. I mostly cover the Chicago Catholic League and the Chicago Public League so I wanted to get a look at as many of those teams as I could. But I could only be there on Friday.

I got a look at DePaul Prep in games against Lake Zurich and DeLaSalle. The Rams have plugged in junior guard/wing Rykan Woo, a transfer from Whitney Young. The Rams return Makai Kvamme, AJ Chambers, Rob Walls and Rashawn Porter. They should pick up where they left off.

The Lane Tech Champions also looked like they picked up where they left off. Despite losing Shaheed Solebo to graduation, the Champions return Dalton Scantlebury, a top player in the 2025 class. The returning group of seniors, Braydon Rosenkrantz, Drew Bartoli, Mike Remotigue and Zach Mazanowski. Despite a close lose to Simeon in their first game, the Champions looked good.

The St. Ignatius Wolfpack looked very good against East St. Louis. Returning top player Phoenix Gill looked bigger, stronger and faster. A new group of starters, make this pack of wolves appear especially dangerous in the coming season.

I saw DeLaSalle against DePaul Prep. Meteors coach Gary DeCesare will have this talent group ready. They looked good but not good enough against the Rams.

I saw the first half of St. Laurence against Glenbard West. Jason Opeka had his Hilltoppers playing their 1-3-1 defense that was giving the talented group of Vikings, lead be returning EJ Mosley, some trouble. I didn’t get a good chance to see much of what Roshawn Russell and this Vikings will have in store for the league this winter. I asked one observer about St. Laurence. He said, “We’ll see.”

I also got a look at El Paso-Gridley. A newcomer to the R-B, the Comets look to show off their top performer Jonah Funk. The 6-9 forward didn’t dominate and played on the perimeter more that I expected. The 2-A Comets were overmatched in the game I some them play against DeKalb. It’s difficult to say how well the Comets will fair this season even with Funk. But I got a look at Funk, he will dominate the Comets conference opponents. I intend to get down to El Paso at least once this year to see Funk play, if he stays in El Paso.

I also got a look at Lou Adams’ Rich Township squad. I figured it was only a matter of time before Adams working Rich into a top team. That time appears to have arrived. Look for Rich to make a splash.

I got a look at Benet. The Redwings look special even without one of last year’s top contributor, Gabe Sularski. Sularski a couple court’s over after returning to his home town Lemont team. Sularski had a couple chippy exchanges with Whitney Young’s Antonio Munoz in their matchup.

Whitney Young is, well, Whitney Young. They will be very good as usual—maybe special. Antonio Munoz looks itching to get after a state title.

So those are my impressions of Friday. Here are a few photos from the day.

DeLaSalle Defeats DePaul Prep 40-37

The DePaul Prep Rams (3-1, 10-2) fell to the DeLaSalle Meteors (0-3, 4-13) Friday evening (January 7, 2022) 40-37 at the Tom Winiecki Gym.

The Rams were without their head coach Tom Kleinschmidt but were ably led for the evening by assistant coach Michael Sneed. Coach Kleinschmidt is expected back for tomorrow’s Steve Pappas Shootout.

The Meteors came out shooting well and jumped out to an early first quarter lead on the strength of three three-pointers. At the start of the second quarter it looked like the Rams might do what they usually do—pull ahead but despite taking a 19-16 lead, the Rams could not hold their lead.

DeLaSalle’s coach Gary DeCesare is just one of those coaches that can impact a game by the shear force of his will. Maybe it’s just me, but he is as much fun to watch as the action on the court. He returned to coaching in the Chicago Catholic League this year after coaching out of state last season. He formerly coached at St. Rita where he met with considerable success during his tenure. I caught up with him after the game.

“DePaul’s a great program. They were the number one team in the state last year and those kids that played tonight were on that team; so they know how to win,” DeCesare said.

“For our program, taking over, trying to change the culture, we are learning how to win. We played some really tough competition. Our last seven games have been out-of-state. We played in [Las] Vegas and Arkansas. We went 0-7. I told the kids when you come back, you are going to meet teams just like we played. Everybody in the Catholic League is good and well coached. We’ll be prepared.”

As so they were.

They came ready to play. There were precious few inside buckets for the Rams. DePaul’s senior center Dylan Arnett had difficulty getting the ball inside. And when he did, he was mobbed.

“Dylan’s a really good player. We have some bigs and I told everybody, ‘Use your fouls. Use all five fouls.’ We have three guys that are 6’6” or better. We gotta put a body on him and be physical. We know he is physical. Every time he touches the ball, he has to earn his points.

Despite Arnett being roughed up, the Rams were always within striking distance. With 10 seconds to go and only down two, the Rams got a turnover and had a chance to win with a three or to tie with a bucket in the paint.

It wasn’t to be. The Rams turned it over with a few seconds left without getting up a shot. A foul with 1.8 to play lead to a DeLaSalle made free throw making the final 40-37.

The Rams host the Steve Pappas Shootout on Saturday (January 8, 2022) and will take on Homewood-Flossmoor.  

As for the photos, I tried something a little different. I used a 50mm, f1.8 prime lens on a second camera body instead of the usual 24-70mm, f2.8. I wanted to do something different. I don’t think it made any difference. At least know I know.