High school basketball: Numbers adding up to success for Downers Grove North, Downers Grove South, other area teams

The stats can say a lot about a basketball team or a specific player. Winning percentage, points per game, 3-point percentage and number of steals are all part of the key stats that coaches, players and fans look at. Here are some numbers to know for area boys and girls basketball teams this season.

181-38 Record for Benet's boys under head coach Gene Heidkamp since the 2009-10 season

7-3-3 Diamond Anderson's average points, rebounds and assists per game for Hinsdale South last year

12 Points per game for Downers Grove North's Bryan Jakobsze a season ago

117 Rebounds for Downers Grove North's Brigid Miller last seasonal, tops among returning players

78 Number of 3-pointers made by Downers Grove South's Denis Alibegovic last season

10.3 Points per game for Benet's Jack Nolan last season, one of four Redwings to average double figures

13 Points per game for Caden Anderson as a freshman at Westmont last season

10-2 West Suburban Gold record for Downers Grove South's boys last winter

8-3 Interstate Eight Conference record for Westmont's girls last season

8.8 Points per game for Benet's Katie Jaseckas last year, third on the team. She also had a team-high 240 rebounds

10 Number of juniors and sophomores on the roster for Downers Grove South's girls. The ?Mustangs have four seniors

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The ultimate destination for high school boys basketball teams is the Peoria Civic Center for the state finals in March, but it is a long road to get there. Here's the outlook for Downers Grove North, Downers Grove South and other area teams this season.

Benet Redwings

Coach: Gene Heidkamp

2015-16 record: 31-4

TOP PLAYERS

NAME YEAR POS.

Justin Enochs sr. G

Liam Lyman sr. F

Jack Nolan sr. G

Outlook: The Redwings played for a state title for the second time in three seasons last winter, and though most of the firepower that fueled that run has moved on, Benet is always a threat to make a playoff run.

Lyman and Nolan both started last season and combined to average about 17 points per game, while Enochs was a key reserve and senior Matt Teglia saw of action off the bench during the postseason.

Seniors Ryan Liszka and Dan Veselik were on the varsity team last year and are in line for larger roles this season, and freshman center Colin Crothers will be a mainstay in the post.

Downers Grove North Trojans

Coach: Jim Thomas

2015-16 record: 14-14

TOP PLAYERS

NAME YEAR POS.

Eddie Boston so. G

Anthony Castelvecchi sr. G

Keenan Davis jr. F

Bryan Jakobsze sr. F

Charlie Kaufmann sr. F

Ryan Pustelnik sr. F

Outlook: In a West Suburban Silver that is top to bottom one of the most competitive conferences around, the Trojans have to like their chances of ascending to the top of the pile this season.

North returns starters Castelvecchi, Davis and Jakobsze, adds electric guard Boston to the mix and brings back reserve forwards Kaufmann and Pustelnik, who saw plenty of action a season ago.

Listed as a 6-foot-6 forward, Jakobsze can get to rim and finish strong but he can also hit from long range and distribute the ball like a point guard. Davis improved throughout last season, and Castelvecchi also has the tools to take over a game.

The addition of Boston and classmate Semaj Henderson give North plenty of options at the guard position.

North won the Wheaton Academy Thanksgiving tournament on a Jakobsze buzzer-beater in the final against Lake Park, and the Trojans take their 4-0 record on the road to face Lyons Township in the WSS opener on Dec. 2.

Downers Grove South Mustangs

Coach: Kris Olson

2015-16 record: 21-10

TOP PLAYERS

NAME YEAR POS.

Denis Alibegovic sr. G

TJ Clifford sr. F

Dylan Kaczmarek sr. G

Tyree Spencer sr. G

Outlook: The Mustangs won the West Suburban Gold title a year ago, and they are the team to beat once again this season.

Clifford, a 6-foot-6 forward who committed to Western Michigan before the season started, is back after averaging 12 points and 5.6 rebounds per game last year. Alibegovic is a deadly deep threat who will make teams pay if they dare to double Clifford.

In the season opener against Metea Valley on Nov. 22, Alibegovic was 4-of-7 from 3-point range as he scored a game-high 22 points. Clifford had 18 points and 10 rebounds in an 81-62 win.

Spencer, a starter last year, adds guard depth, and Kaczmarek looks ready for a larger role as a guard. Seniors Daniel Misioura, David Roubalik and Hayden Cotter will see time at forward.

The Mustangs host Leyden in the WSG opener on Dec. 2 and hit the road to face fellow conference contender Proviso East on Dec. 9.

Hinsdale Central Red Devils

Coach: Nick Latorre

2015-16 record: 17-11

TOP PLAYERS

NAME YEAR POS.

Chris Eck sr. G

Trevor Hamilton jr. G

Jack Hoiberg sr. G

Tomas Misiunas sr. G

Outlook: Strong post play was the bread and butter for many years for the Red Devils, first with Matt Rafferty and then with Peter Blust. Now Central will be more guard-oriented with Eck and Misiunas, who both started at times last season, leading the way.

In addition to Eck and Misiunas, Hamilton and Hoiberg saw plenty of action at guard while Danny Ahern saw time as a forward. Ahern (6-foot-4), Anthony Brescia (6-3), Nathan McGowan (6-6), Mac Quast (6-4) and JP Hoffman (6-3) provide some size, but the Red Devils will rely on their guards to get the job done on offense and it will be a team effort on defense.

Hinsdale South Hornets

Coach: Brett Moore

2015-16 record: 22-10

TOP PLAYERS

NAME YEAR POS.

Diamond Anderson sr. G

Karol Lipiszko sr. G

Nick Perry sr. G

Outlook: It will be a very different dynamic for the Hornets this season after four-year varsity starter Barret Benson, a 6-foot-10 center now at Northwestern, graduated. That leaves 6-5 junior forward Zion Griffin as the tallest player on the team.

The style this season will be uptempo with guard Diamond Anderson, a returning starter, leading the way. Lipiszko, fellow senior Michael Stoltz and junior Destin Talbert saw some time at guard last year, but Anderson and Homewood-Flossmoor transfer Perry will lead the way.

Griffin and senior Christian Lopez will line up at forward, but the Hornets and head coach Brett Moore spent the summer focusing on guard play, and that's what the Hornets will live and die by this season.

Lisle Lions

Coach: Mark LaScala

2015-16 record: 17-13

TOP PLAYERS

NAME YEAR POS.

Grant Haen sr. G

Josh Jamison sr. G

Mark McGrath sr. G/F

Outlook: McGrath is the only returning starter, but the Lions won't suffer from lack of experience this season.

Haen is in his third varsity season and Jamison and fellow seniors Isaiah Hunter, Brian O'Connell, Trevor Stitt and David White all saw extensive action last season, when the Lions went 9-2 in the Interstate Eight Conference.

McGrath, who averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds per game last year, hit his scoring average in the Lions' season-opening 92-47 win against Yorkville Christian. Jamison added 18 points, White grabbed 12 rebounds and every Lisle player scored in the game. That kind of balanced attack is what the Lions will be looking for throughout the season.

Westmont Sentinels

Coach: Craig Etheridge

2015-16 record: 8-21

TOP PLAYERS

NAME YEAR POS.

Caden Anderson so. F

Sam Asa sr. F

Ben Ledwon jr. G

Matt O'Leary so. G

Outlook: What the Sentinels lack in size (Anderson, Asa and seniors John Antons and Josh Thime are the tallest at 6-foot-2), they make up for with depth and quickness.

Anderson is a threat to score inside and out and he leads a sophomore group that includes O'Leary, Michael Thompson and Troy Schlicter that saw plenty of action last year.

Jalen Wilmington and Tyreke Winston transferred into the program and add guard depth for Westmont.

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The girls basketball season is underway, and teams have their sights set on making it to Redbird Arena for the state finals in March. Can Benet win its third straight title? Does Downers Grove North have another winning season in store? Will Downers Grove South's young players take the next step? Here's the outlook for those teams and others this season.

Benet Redwings

Coach: Joe Kilbride

2015-16 record: 32-3

TOP PLAYERS

NAME YEAR POS.

Katie Jaseckas sr. C

Tsimba Malonga jr. G

Kendal Schramek sr. F

Outlook: The two-time defending state champs will have a drastically different look as all-state guard Kathleen Doyle, who starred on both title teams, has graduated.

Jaseckas and Schramek are the top returning scorers and will take on larger roles in the offense. Malonga joins the varsity and seniors Ali Kramer and Emma Lyne will lead the backcourt. Sophomore Lauren Stack adds depth in the front court.

Benet is off to a 6-0 start ahead of a Dec. 1 meeting with Morgan Park, which handed the Redwings one of their losses last season.

Downers Grove North Trojans

Coach: Stephan Bolt

2015-16 record: 19-9

TOP PLAYERS

NAME YEAR POS.

Hannah Ilyavi sr. F

Brigid Miller sr. G

Colleen Miller sr. G

Julia Pospisilova jr. G

Outlook: The losses of Jaida Green (now at Penn State), Lauren Porcelli, Madison Farnsworth and Nicole Salerno sting, but North shouldn't see too much of a drop off from its recent success.

Ilyavi and both Brigid and Colleen Miller started last, with Brigid averaging close to six points per game, Ilyavi four and Colleen close to three. That trio plus Pospisilova, who is lighting it up so far this season, should provide plenty of scoring punch this season.

Sophomore guard Julia Kramper will play a larger role this season. Sophomore forward Quinn Stephens arrives on varsity to add some depth in the paint.

It may take some time for the Trojans to get comfortable with their individual roles, but they have the talent to compete at a high level.

Downers Grove South Mustangs

Coach: Lyndsie Long

2015-16 record: 14-14

TOP PLAYERS

NAME YEAR POS.

Maggie Greco so. G

Holly Lueken so. F

Jen Masello jr. C

Kasandra Rugienius sr. G/F

Addyson Wesolowski sr. G/F

Outlook: A young team last season, the Mustangs still have just four senior on the roster, but their youth should not be mistaken for inexperience.

Greco, Masello, Rugienius and Wesolowski were all starters last season, and Lueken played extensively off the bench.

The 6-foot-1 Masello and 6-0 Lueken provide height few teams can match. Rugienius and Wesolowski can play in the paint or stretch the floor with solid mid-range games, and Greco is an adept distributor. Senior guard Amy Ganschow, who missed last season with an injury, will also be a key part of the rotation this year.

The physical tools and the level of returning talent make the Mustangs contenders in the West Suburban Gold. They start conference play Dec. 3 at Willowbrook and will have six conference games under their belts before heading to the Oswego East holiday tournament on Dec. 27.

Hinsdale Central Red Devils

Coach: Tom McKenna

2015-16 record: 14-17

TOP PLAYERS

NAME YEAR POS.

Paige Bareck sr. G

Riley Burr sr. F

Grace Hartzman sr. G

Abbi Shaker sr. F

Outlook: There was some adjusting to life without all-time program leading scorer Gabby Rush last season, but those struggles should be a thing of the past.

Bareck and Burr have college-level talent and give Central outside and inside threats. Hartzman and Shaker have plenty of varsity experience, and senior guard Elle Schaefer and junior forward Alex Hughes add to the depth for a team that plans to be in the thick of the West Suburban Silver conference title hunt.

Hinsdale South Hornets

Coach: Brett Love

2015-16 record: 20-10

TOP PLAYERS

NAME YEAR POS.

Erin Collins sr. F

Emily Koziol so. G

Andrea Nkansah so. F

Outlook: The Hornets saw their top three scorers and five of the top six scorers graduate, including standout guard Sydney Kopp (25.7 ppg), so they will have a bit of new look this season.

Koziol averaged 4.7 points last season and is the top returning scorer, though Collins and Nkansah also played varsity minutes last season. Sophomore guard Francesca Markos and junior forward Evelyn Edmond arrive from last year's solid sophomore team.

South struggled to an 0-5 record at its Thanksgiving tournament, but the hope is to challenge for a West Suburban Gold conference title and a regional crown.

Lisle Lions

Coach: Nick Balaban

2015-16 record: 17-10

TOP PLAYERS

NAME YEAR POS.

Nicole Cyranoski sr. G

Abby Kretman sr. G

TyAnn LeGrand-Melton sr. G

Natalie Takahashi jr. G

Outlook: As the only seniors on the team Cyranoski, Kretman and LeGrand-Melton are the leaders, but the Lions are on track for another winning season.

LeGrand-Melton (last year's leading rebounder) and point guard Takahashi (last year's leading scorer) have been named Interstate Eight all-conference the past two seasons and will be the cornerstones at both ends of the floor.

The Lions are off to a 4-2 start this season, which includes a 41-23 win against rival Westmont on Nov. 28. LeGrand-Melton had 18 points and 12 rebounds in that one while Takahashi tallied 11 points.

Westmont Sentinels

Coach: Jeff Pearson

2015-16 record: 15-13

TOP PLAYERS

NAME YEAR POS.

Rachel Chorney sr. F/C

Allena Kraft jr. F

Donna Lalonde jr. G

Kaitlyn Niemer jr. G

Sydney Pardy jr. G/F

Kailee Schac jr. C

Sarah Schlacks sr. G

Outlook: New head coach Jeff Pearson takes over a team that has just two seniors and saw standout players Annie Carlson and Amanda Prete graduate.

Chorney, Kraft, Niemer, Pardy, Schacht and Schalcks were on varsity were on varsity last season, though Pardy is returning from a knee injury and the others are adjusting to Pearson's new system.

The 6-foot Schacht provides height that few teams can match. Kraft and Niemer are in line for breakout seasons while the athleticism of Chorney, Lalonde and Schlacks should help Westmont stay competitive enough to win its share of games.