2023 Daily Chronicle Boys Basketball Player of the Year: DeKalb’s Sean Reynolds

Just a sophomore, Sean Reynolds already has been a unanimous first-team selection in the DuPage Valley Conference.

And while DeKalb failed to win the conference for the first time since joining in 2019, the Barbs still wracked up 20 wins, with Reynolds a big part of that.

The guard shot 40% from 3-point range, averaged 15 points, four rebounds and three assists per game and was named the 2023 Daily Chronicle Boys Basketball Player of the Year.

“I feel like it went pretty solid,” Reynolds said. “It didn’t end the way we wanted it to, but we won 20 games. Our goal was to win conference, and we didn’t do that, but I think we had a solid season.

“We’re pretty young, and we need to keep building on that for next year.”

After reaching the sectional round last season, the Barbs lost a double-overtime thriller to Hampshire in the final of the Class 4A St. Charles North Regional. DeKalb was missing two rotation players in that game and generally were a young team with three sophomores and a freshman getting heavy minutes.

Davon Grant, the team’s center, started as a freshman this year alongside Reynolds. That youth has Reynolds excited for next season and beyond.

“It was actually pretty exciting,” Reynolds said. “I’m going to be able to play with Davon for three years, and the rest of the young guys. Just to have a little bit of experience with them and to be able to lead them because I was on the team as a freshman, that’s exciting. I think all of us grew a lot.”

Reynolds said failing to win a DVC crown and not getting out of the regional already has gotten the team focused on next season.

“It’s definitely made us way hungrier, trying to accomplish our goal way more,” Reynolds said. “Our goal next year is obviously to win conference and get another regional. We’ve had guys come in before school, after school, come in, work on our game, try to get better.”

DeKalb coach Mike Reynolds, Sean Reynold’s father, said it reminds him of the COIVD-shortened 2021 season. Led by Player of the Year Lane McVicar, the Barbs went undefeated in the regular season until the final game. There was no postseason that year, but the Barbs played rival Sycamore in the final game of the year.

Sycamore snapped a 10-game losing streak to the Barbs and kept DeKalb from going undefeated.

“I think it disappointed us,” Mike Reynolds said. “We had some struggles early in the new year in the DVC, so we focused our attention back on the regional and playing our best ball at that point. I thought we were playing pretty well and played a good game against St. Charles North, but then didn’t play our best. I know we were missing a few guys in that last game.”

Sean Reynolds jumped from averaging 10 points per game last season to 15 in his second year as a starter. He was a Daily Chronicle first-team all-area selection last year.

Mike Reynolds said the jump was impressive between Years 1 and 2 for Sean Reynolds. Now the coach expects a similar jump in the leadership department next year.

“He led a lot by example, and we’re going to need him to take a step forward with leading a little more with his voice, helping the more inexperienced guys through,” Mike Reynolds said. “It will be his third year of playing varsity basketball already. I think he’ll be up for the challenge.”

Mike Reynolds said the Barbs had an up-and-down year with more ups than downs.

“My expectation was to try to lead a young team to another regional title,” Sean Reynolds said. “Obviously, we didn’t do that, but I think I had a pretty solid season. All my numbers improved. Just tried to be another leader and work hard every day. I think I accomplished that.”