November 22, 2024
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Five boys basketball players to watch this upcoming season in the Herald-News area

Check out if your favorite player made the list

By Hart Pisani
Morris's Jack Wheeler shoots a wide-open shot agains L-P in Sellett Gymnasium in January 2023 at L-P High School.

Morris's Jack Wheeler shoots a wide-open shot agains L-P in Sellett Gymnasium in January 2023 at L-P High School. (Scott Anderson)

Davion Thompson, so., G, Bolingbrook

Bolingbrook's Davion Thompson

Bolingbrook's Davion Thompson

It was incredibly difficult not to put Thompson’s teammate JT Pettigrew on here as the senior and Valparaiso commit is one of the best players in the state. But Thompson is already one of the best players in the country, as in 50 states. He’s already got an offer from Illinois after averaging 19 points and five rebounds per game last season. Bolingbrook made it to the sectional finals last year, further than any other team in the area, but not as far as they wanted. Now, Thompson, Pettigrew and junior Trey Brost will try to lead them even further.

Paxton Giertz, sr., G, Seneca

Seneca junior guard Paxton Giertz, the 2023-24 Times Boys Basketball Player of the Year.

Seneca junior guard Paxton Giertz, the 2023-24 Times Boys Basketball Player of the Year. (Brian Hoxsey)

Giertz is already one of the best players in Irish history as he’s scored 1,700 points in his career. With another 148, he’ll break the school record of 1,847 set by Seth Evans. Last year saw the senior average 21 points a game, but he also dished out seven assists per game as the Irish won 23 games and reached the regional finals. Giertz will look to close out his career on a high note.

Jack Wheeler, sr., F, Morris

Morris's Jack Wheeler eyes the hoop against Ottawa defenders on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024 at Kingman Gym.

Morris's Jack Wheeler eyes the hoop against Ottawa defenders in January 2024 at Kingman Gym. (Scott Anderson)

Is there anything this kid isn’t great at? One of the best tight ends in the area in football, he’s rated as a two-star prospect in that sport. But he won’t be playing football in college, as he’s already committed to play baseball for Illinois. To top it off, he averaged 21 points and seven rebounds per game last season, exceeding 1,000 points and scored 30-plus points five times, including a season high 36...twice. Look for Wheeler to lead Morris once again into a deep playoff run.

Gabriel Sularski, jr., F, Lemont

Benet’s Gabriel Sularski (25) drives to the hoop against Oswego East's Mason Lockett IV (2) and Noah Mason (back) during a Class 4A Oswego East regional final basketball game at Oswego East High School on Friday, Feb 23, 2024.

Benet’s Gabriel Sularski (25) drives to the hoop against Oswego East's Mason Lockett IV (2) and Noah Mason (back) during a Class 4A Oswego East regional final basketball game at Oswego East High School. (Sean King for Shaw Local)

The transfer portal may not exist in high school, but if it did, this would’ve been the biggest land for any team in Illinois. Sularski is rated as one of the top 75 players in the country by some outlets and 247Sports has him as the top junior recruit in the state. He has received interest from Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana and Notre Dame. All of that came as a member of Benet, but now he transfers to Lemont to give an enormous boost to an already talented team.

Zion Gross, sr., G, Joliet West

Joliet West's Zion Gross in action during the Class 4A sectional semifinal at Rich Township against Homewood Flossmoor on Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024, at Richton Park. (Dean Reid for Shaw Local News Network)

Joliet West's Zion Gross in action during the Class 4A sectional semifinal at Rich Township against Homewood Flossmoor. (Dean Reid for Shaw Local News Ne/Dean Reid)

Year in and year out, the Tigers seem to have one of the best players in the area and this year is no different. Coach Jeremy Kreiger said that eight of 12 players on the roster have received either offers or interest from Division 1 universities. That group is led by Gross, who has five Division I offers, coming from Northern Illinois, Toledo, Kent State, Illinois State and Arkansas State. He’ll be counted on once again as the Tigers look to continue their recent streak out outstanding postseason runs.

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