Boys basketball: Scouting St. Viator

St. ViatorCoach: Quin Hayes

Last year: 23-6, sectional semifinalist

Top returning players: G Patrick McNamara, G Mark Falotico, F Sal Cannella

Key losses: G Ore Arogundade, G Roosevelt Smart

Outlook: Quin is in, again, at St. Viator. Coach Quin Hayes returns to lead the program in which he excelled as a player in the mid '90s, and just as in that era, there's an expectation for excellence. True, the Lions graduated all-area captain Ore Arogundade, who is already starting in Drake's lineup as a collegiate freshman, and standout guard Roosevelt Smart transferred. But St. Viator returns most of the rest of the proven players who gave eventual third-place finisher Stevenson a run for its money in sectional final play last winter. Hayes was an assistant to Mike Howland last year, so he knows he's fortunate to have a starting senior backcourt of McNamara and Falotico; both are attracting next-level attention. "They're really solid, especially for what you're trying to accomplish at the high school level," Hayes said. "They're more about the team, very unselfish." Both are terrific 3-point shooters, too, which should benefit 6-foot-6 Sal Cannella, who also got plenty of playing time last year. It may take Cannella a while to hit his basketball stride after excelling for the St. Viator football team this fall, but Hayes expects him to have an impact. "He'll be a quality big guy for us," Hayes said. "He's got good size, and he's very athletic." Even more encouraging is the support Hayes expects from the junior class. Kyle Hammarlund and Jake Stepuszek are among the key players from a group that finished 24-1 last winter. "I have a feeling our juniors are going to mesh very well with our seniors," Hayes said. "Our juniors are extremely unselfish and we've got a bunch of kids that will really help out." Hayes says the hope is to again challenge for an East Suburban Catholic Conference championship, and he believes last year's experience will only help this year's group. "When you're playing in a sectional with 1,500 or 2,000 people, it's invaluable," he said. "I've got guys who have been there. They know what it's like to play with that kind of attention, that kind of pressure." The Lions will face Walther Lutheran, Conant, Highland Park and Prospect in the Thanksgiving tournament they host. On a personal level, Hayes says it's been a delight to lead the program. "It's been extremely exciting for me," he said. "It's where I went to school, and it's where I always wanted to coach. The relationships you form at St. Viator are not just for the four years you're there. I've been out of high school a long, long time, and those relationships are still important to me - and not only with my peers, but with teachers as well."

- Aaron Gabriel