March 15, 2025
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Eight local standouts earn IBCA Boys All-State recognition

Bradley-Bourbonnais' Nick Allen, Kankakee’s Lincoln Williams highlight local selections

By Mason Schweizer
Kankakee's Lincoln Williams, top, leaps over Pontiac's Riley Johnson to send home a slam dunk during the IHSA Class 3A Morris Regional semifinals Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025.

Kankakee's Lincoln Williams, top, leaps over Pontiac's Riley Johnson to send home a slam dunk during the IHSA Class 3A Morris Regional semifinals Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (Shaw Media/Mason Schweizer)

As the boys basketball season concludes at the IHSA State Finals in Champaign this weekend, the postseason awards have also begun to reach a state level.

The Illinois Basketball Coaches Association released its Boys Basketball All-State teams at the state tournament Friday, and eight local stars earned recognition.

The area’s lone first-team selection this year came in Class 3A, where Kankakee junior wing Lincoln Williams earned the honor after leading the Kays to a regional championship on an average of 19 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals per game. The Kays' point guard, junior Myair Thompson, also earned all-state recognition as a special mention. The lefty averaged 13 points and five assists per game.

BBCHS's Nick Allen moves toward the net as Manteno's Nate Hupe guards during Tuesday's game at BBCHS. Allen had 27 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks in the Boilermakers' 78-43 win.

BBCHS's Nick Allen moves toward the net as Manteno's Nate Hupe guards during Tuesday's game at BBCHS. Allen had 27 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks in the Boilermakers' 78-43 win. (Daily Journal/Nicholas Holstein)

In Class 4A, Bradley-Bourbonnais center Nick Allen earned a second-team nod after averaging 22.5 points and 12 rebounds per game for the Boilers. He’s now a two-time IBCA All-Stater after a first-team nod his junior year. The future Illinois State Redbird also became Bradley-Bourbonnais' all-time career scoring leader (1,596) and was named the SouthWest Suburban Conference Red Division Player of the Year for the second straight season.

Another dominant big man in the area got third-team recognition in Class 2A, Reed-Custer’s Jacob Reardon. The Joliet Junior College commit earned All-Illinois Central Eight Conference recognition as well after averaging 20.3 points and 13.5 rebounds per game.

A pair of talented guards received special mention in Class 2A. Manteno’s new career scoring leader, Ray Lee, set a new program standard with 1,280 career points, and earned both IBCA special mention and All-ICE honors after averaging 15 points per game and leading the Panthers to consecutive 20-win seasons.

Bishop McNamara's Willie Felton keeps his eye on the basket as Joliet Catholic Academy's JJ Sterrett attempts to swat the ball away during the Fightin' Irish's 79-67 victory over the Hilltoppers in the IHSA Class 2A Peotone Sectional semifinal on March 4, 2025.

Bishop McNamara's Willie Felton keeps his eye on the basket as Joliet Catholic Academy's JJ Sterrett attempts to swat the ball away during the Fightin' Irish's 79-67 victory over the Hilltoppers in the IHSA Class 2A Peotone Sectional semifinal on March 4, 2025. (Tiffany Blanchette)

Bishop McNamara point guard Willie Felton paired his All-Chicagoland Christian Conference recognition with an IBCA special mention nod as well. Felton and the Fightin' Irish won a school-record 26 games and reached the Sweet Sixteen, with Felton averaging 10.8 points, 5.3 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 3.1 steals per game.

Class 1A also featured a pair of premier backcourt talents in the area. Senior Blake Brown, the new Grant Park career scoring leader with 1,810 points, earned a special mention spot after averaging 23.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2.5 steals and a block per game. Cissna Park junior Seth walder, whose stats were not immediately available, was also selected as a Class 1A special mention.