By Joe Henricksen
After a busy few days of basketball over the weekend, the City/Suburban Hoops Report had a chance to get out and see different teams, players and events — and hear a little of this and that around the high school basketball scene.
If there is one player in the Chicago area that has received little or no recognition but should be it’s Downers Grove South’s Malcolm Herron. Whether it’s been due to playing for a Downers Grove South team that was just .500 a year ago or just not finding the right fit on any AAU team up to this point, Herron has flown under the radar.
Herron, who had a solid junior year playing for coach Paul Runyon, is one of the best scoring guards in the Class of 2009. He can flat-out stroke it from the perimeter. He is shooting it consistently from three-point range and doing a lot more off the dribble. Herron, who has good size at 6-3, has really improved his ballhandling skills.
There is a good chance Herron will be hooking up with Meanstreets for the remainder of the summer, which would look to be a nice fit. With a talented point guard in D.J. Cooper and a big man in Shaun Pratl, Meanstreets could use a perimeter scorer and shooter like Herron. We’ll see if it materializes.
Speaking of scorers….
While Herron is a terrific scorer with good size for a 2-guard, the Hoops Report continues to be one of the biggest fans of St. Rita guard Terry Johnson. He was nursing a tender ankle while playing for the Mustangs this weekend but still showed his great knack for simply putting the ball in the basket. He’s always been a true scorer, but his outside shot has steadily improved, become less streaky and more consistent and is now near automatic. He can put points on the board in a hurry. And don’t tell me about his size. I don’t care if he’s 5-11 or 6-0, the kid makes plays and can score at will. He’s a combo guard and there is nothing wrong with being a talented combo guard and a little on the small side when you can score like that.
The mass exit out of Hales Franciscan continues. Another player has left as junior Pat Miller, a promising guard, has enrolled and is playing for St. Rita.
More interest generating for Simms-Edwards
With eight offers already from Missouri Valley schools, Washington star Dyricus Simms-Edwards, who plays in the summer for the Illinois Wolves, has more high-major interest as both Providence and West Virginia have come on lately in their pursuit of the talented guard. Colorado, Kansas State, Minnesota and Purdue have all shown varying degrees of interest as well.
Conrad Krutwig of Jacobs, a hard-working and underappreciated 6-5 combo forward, recently gave unofficial visits to Evansville, Murray State and Loyola.
New Kids on the Block
A new name on the high school basketball scene is Kyle Anderson. Huh? The kid can really play. He’s an athletic 6-2 guard from Newark, a tiny school (enrollment 187 students) about 25 miles southwest of Aurora. The last Division I player produced from Newark was Dave Olson, who led the state in scoring averaging over 35 points a game in the late 1980s before signing with Eastern Illinois. Anderson, who will be just a sophomore next season, has a chance to be the next Division I player.
Anderson had a big season as a freshman, although it was obviously against very weak competition. However, he has the physical tools and basketball skills to eventually become a Division I prospect. The competition he faces is going to be an obstacle. But make no mistake, he has a lot to offer. He’s already an outstanding shooter for his age and then will surprise you in transition by finishing with a dunk. And for his age and experience he really composes himself well on the floor. Anderson is one to watch over the next three years and should put up ridiculous numbers playing for Newark.
Another new name on the scene is Duje Dukan, a junior from Deerfield. He has a nice body, very skilled and can shoot it with range. He’s 6-5 and looks as if he will surely grow. He has great bloodlines as he’s the son of Ivica Dukan, who played 14 years of professional basketball in Europe and is the Director of International Scouting for the Chicago Bulls.
