Girls basketball season preview 2021: Five to watch

Faith Feuerbach, jr., G, Sycamore – Feuerbach averaged 12.7 points and 4.1 rebounds last season, helping the Spartans win a conference championship and a regional title. With the team’s leading scorer and rebounder from the last three seasons gone, the junior could see an increased role this year. She was a Daily Chronicle all-area first-team selection last year.

Lake Park's Gabi Burgess (5) guards Sycamore's Faith Feuerbach (5) as she drives toward the basket during the Inaugural MLK Day Conference Challenge at Batavia High School on Monday, Jan. 20, 2020 in Batavia. (Mark Black)

Brooke Heiman, sr., G, Indian Creek – The unanimous all-conference selection averaged 21.6 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. She was also honorable mention on the AP and Illinois Basketball Coaches Association all-state teams. She has earned a spot on the Daily Chronicle all-area first team for the past two years.

Indian Creek's Brooke Heiman, left, and Oregon's Olivia Lambrigsten battle for a rebound in the fourth quarter of their game January 4 in Shabbona. (Mary Beth)

Tessa Prellberg, sr., G/F, Hinckley-Big Rock – She had eight double-doubles and topped the 30-point mark four times in averaging 19.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.7 steals and two assists in doing it all for the Royals last year.

Hinckley-Big Rock junior Tessa Prellberg and Indian Creek freshman Madison Bogle go after a loose ball during their game Thursday night at Hinckley-Big Rock High School. (Mark Busch)

Lily McPherson, sr., G, Genoa-Kingston – She averaged 9.6 points per game for the Cogs last year and has been a scoring machine for the team for three years, earning a spot on the Chronicle all-area team honorable mention as a freshman. She was on the second team last year.

Genoa-Kingston High School senior Lily McPherson takes a shot Monday during girls basketball practice at the school. Area teams have just been given permission by the IHSA to begin practices with certain restrictions still in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. (Mark Busch - mbusch@shawmedia.com/Mark Busch - mbusch@shawmedia.co)

Kylie Holubecki, sr., F, Kaneland – The second-team Chronicle all-area selection from last year averaged 9.9 points per game for the Knights. She made clutch shots throughout the year for the Knights.

Kaneland’s Kylie Holubecki (33) shoots the ball off a backdoor cut against Sandwich’s Josie Ness (33) during a IMSA 3A regional semifinal game in Aurora Feb. 19. (Sean King)