This was most definitely not a loaded Friday, so the notebook is a bit thin. But in case you missed all the stories we posted to the site today, here are some teasers.
After Curie’s loss last night in Kentucky there are just two teams left unbeaten. Joe Henricksen takes a look at their chances to run the table...
Joe also goes long on a dozen storylines that developed over the course of the holiday tournaments.
And don’t forget the latest episode of No Shot Clock. There’s a massive listener mailbag in this one. Topics include:
-Would AJ Casey be putting up the same numbers at Simeon?
-Could Max Christie or Bryce Hopkins win Player of the Year this season?
-Status checks on Bloom, Cary-Grove, Marian Catholic heading into January
-Don’t forget about Zion-Benton’s Amar Augillard
-Rich East’s rugged schedule
-Joliet West and emerging star Jamere Hill
-Why Curie started the season at No. 12
Friday’s top games
Oswego East 62, Romeoville 55: Solid conference win. I’ve liked what I’ve seen of the fully-healthy Wolfpack. They are definitely worth keep an eye on.
No. 13 Marian Catholic 68, Carmel 49: The Spartans cruise in a conference game that was played in Moline. Slightly confusing. Ahron Ulis scored 19 and Joe Green added 15 points. I might have been a little hard on Marian Catholic in the latest episode of No Shot Clock, but that is only because I’ve expected an awful lot of them. This team is still capable of achieving all its goals this season.
Waubonise Valley 55, East Moline United 38: Always a good sign when a team doesn’t drop its first game after cracking the rankings. This was also at the Wharton Fieldhouse in Moline. Ben Schwieger scored 19 for the Warriors.
Rock Island 88, Zion-Benton 76: The Quad Cities get a win in this one. Amar Augillard kept up his torrid pace with 27 points for the Zee-Bees.
No. 9 Bloom 84, Walker, LA 60: The Blazing Trojans win it in New Orleans. This gets them into the semifinals. Bloom, which made 12 three-pointers in the first half, will play two games tomorrow. Keshawn Williams hit five of those threes and finished with 21 points, four rebounds and four assists. Dante Maddox Jr. added 20 points and eight rebounds.
TF South 82, Eisenhower 67: Elijah Watson scored 19 for the Rebels and Jemel Jones led Ike with 29.
Benet 69, Marian Central 38: I didn’t see the high scorers in this one, but according to multiple coaches on Twitter this is Gene Heidkamp’s 300th win. That total is going to get an awful lot higher.
Joliet Central 56, Yorkville 35: How about this one. Maybe the Steelmen have turned the corner.
