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Boys basketball: Fox Valley All-Area team

Connor Boesch HuntleyPerhaps no area player improved more year over year than Huntley's 6-foot-6 center. A little-used reserve as a junior, Boesch cracked the starting lineup as a senior and stemmed the program's heavy graduation losses by nearly averaging a double-double. He entered this week's regional playoffs averaging 10.8 points and 8.5 rebounds. Defensively he averages 2.1 blocks, 1.1 steals and has drawn 30 charges. "It's unbelievable to lead a team in blocked shots and charges taken," Huntley coach Will Benson said. "He has really come a long way to develop into being an all-conference caliber player. He worked hard and made huge strides." Boesch will play next season at Elgin Community College.

Matt Bridges HampshireWhether it was sinking a pair of fourth-quarter 3-pointers to beat rival Burlington Central, scoring 5 points in overtime to beat Cary-Grove or scoring 24 points in a win at Sycamore, this 6-foot-2 forward has been a steady performer in the post all season. A 37-percent shooter from 3-point range and an 80-percent shooter from the foul line, the senior entered regional tournament play averaging 16 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. "He's the leader of the team," Hampshire coach Bob Barnett said. "He stumbled early, got himself together and has played well consistently. He's a good kid, too."

Sam Carani Westminster ChristianA four-year varsity performer, in mid-January this 6-foot-4 forward became the seventh boys basketball player in the Elgin school's history to crack the 1,000-point plateau. More importantly, he scored 17 points in the Warriors' second Class 1A regional title victory in as many years. He finished the season with 438 points and 1,208 for his career. Named special mention all-state in 2013-14, Carani averaged 14.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists. A 45-percent shooter overall, he has drained 46 of 127 attempts from 3-point range (36.2 percent) and 70 of 90 free throws (77.8 percent). "Sam's leadership has been terrific for us," Westminster Christian coach Bruce Firchau said. "He's developed into a great inside-outside player and his clutch play has been critical to our success."

Kelvin Cortez-Harvey St. EdwardThis versatile sophomore made an immediate impact for St. Edward's first regional championship team since 2009. Entering sectional play this week, the 5-foot-8, 130-pound guard was shooting 41 percent from the field overall (111 of 273) and 32.8 percent from the 3-point line (42 of 128). An 82-percent free-throw shooter (45 of 55), he was the second-leading scorer for the Green Wave (10.7 ppg) while averaging 3 rebounds and 2.1 assists. He led the team with 72 steals and committed just 33 turnovers. "It was a no-brainer to bring him up," St. Edward coach PJ White said. "He fit in well with the style we wanted to play. He's great on the fast break, and he's got a high basketball IQ and can run a half-court offense well."

Ryan DiCanio BartlettThis talented senior can fill it up. The 6-foot-2 shooting guard entered Wednesday's regional semifinal with a 16.9-point-per-game average and 1,050 career points. A 54-percent shooter from 2-point range and a 37-percent shooter from 3-point range, he has nailed 55 shots from beyond the arc. Among the most accurate free-throw shooters in the area, DiCanio has made 92 of 107 attempts (86 percent). He also averages 5.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals per game. He set the school's single-game scoring record on Jan. 10 with 43 points in an 11-point win at Metea Valley. "When he gets hot he's hard to stop," Bartlett coach Jim Wolfsmith said. "As a junior he stepped up and took over Lance Whitaker's role of primary scorer. It's amazing to see what he accomplished in a little more than two full varsity seasons."

Nick Duffy St. EdwardThis three-year varsity performer passed the 1,000-point milestone two weeks ago and enters sectional play with 1,049 career points. A 6-foot-4 senior committed to Loras College, he leads the program's first regional championship team in six seasons in scoring (15. 9), rebounding (6.9) and blocked shots (42). The 55-percent field-goal shooter (188 of 343) also has posted 47 assists and 23 steals. "He's one of those guys who quietly goes about his business," St. Edward coach PJ White said. 'He's not flashy and he doesn't brag about anything. He just does the job and always seems to have fun while doing it."

Ryan Fitzgerald Burlington CentralThis 6-foot-5 forward developed into Burlington Central's leading scorer and rebounder in his second varsity season. The junior entered the postseason averaging 11.6 points and 6.6 rebounds in 28 games. A 57-percent field-goal shooter (135 of 237), Fitzgerald also has contributed 27 assists, 25 steals, 30 deflections and 19 blocked shots. "He's a really talented big man both offensively and defensively and he keeps getting better for us over the course of his career," Burlington Central coach Brett Porto said. "His decision-making in the post is a key reason for our success lately."

Joe French St. EdwardA two-time All-area pick, this 6-foot guard is one of the reasons St. Edward won its first regional title in six seasons and had 24 wins entering Wednesday's sectional semifinal. The senior shoots 45 percent from 2-point range (77 of 172), 30 percent from 3-point range (40-135) and 69 percent from the free-throw line (78 of 113). Also a three-time All-area soccer player, French averages 4.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game. "Our team pretty much goes as Joe goes," St. Edward coach PJ White said. "He can shoot you back into a game, he plays great defense and has great leaping ability. He can go by people, get to the rim and finish."

Zach Geske Crystal Lake SouthThis 6-foot-2 junior guard is a big reason the Gators are 18-10 entering Friday's regional championship game against Rockford Jefferson. A 44-percent shooter overall (143 of 323), Geske has connected on 3-point attempts at a 38-percent clip (59 of 155) and shoots 75 percent from the free-throw line (40 of 53). He also averages 3.3 rebounds to go with 34 assists, 29 steals and 13 blocked shots. "He can really shoot it, but he has become a better player this season because he's also learned to take it to the rim when the opportunity presents itself," CL South coach Matt LePage said.

Jason Gregoire Cary-GroveA three-year varsity starter and a three-time All-area pick, this 6-foot-2 senior continued to excel despite being a marked man who battled through various injuries. Though he normally draws opponents' best defender, Gregoire nonetheless managed to score 355 points in 23 games (15.4 avg.) to surpass 1,000 career points and become his school's all-time leading scorer. He enters the postseason with 1,118 career points, thanks to 35-percent shooting from 3-point range (35 of 100) and 80.1-percent free-throw shooting (112 of 139). Cary-Grove's versatile captain has also collected 118 rebounds (5.1 avg.), 54 assists and 37 steals for a 16-win team. "He does it all as far as fundamentals: shooting, passing and rebounding the ball," Cary-Grove coach Ralph Schuetzle said. "We were fortunate to have him. He's the kind of player that comes around only once every 15 to 20 years."

Cameron Krutwig JacobsThis 6-foot-8 sophomore helped Jacobs win its first undefeated Fox Valley Conference Valley Division title since 2007-08 as he continued to develop in his second varsity season. A 60-percent field-goal shooter (114 of 190), Krutwig entered regional play this week averaging 9.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals. "He just keeps coming," Jacobs coach Jim Roberts said. "The biggest development he had this year was physical. Last year he was maybe 6-7, 190-ish. Now he's 6-8, 250-plus. He's not only grown up and out, he's really come along as an athlete."

Kenton Mack JacobsAfter missing the first 6 games of the season due to a knee procedure, this Northern Michigan signee made an impact in his second game back when the 6-foot-2 guard sank a long, game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat Barrington 51-48. Mack entered the playoffs this week averaging 10 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.1 steals per game for a team that went undefeated in the Valley Division of the Fox Valley Conference. "He's one of the best defenders in the area," Jacobs coach Jim Roberts said. "He has a tremendous work ethic. He was rehabbing to get back to full health while we were playing games, and he's still getting better."

Daniel McFadden LarkinAfter a season away from Larkin basketball, this 6-foot-5 forward returned to the team and demonstrated a solid work ethic as he developed into one of the most productive big men in the area. The senior enters the Class 4A Bartlett regional final averaging 8.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game for a 19-win team. "As far as maturity, he's making leaps that you couldn't anticipate from his freshman year until now," Larkin coach Deryn Carter said. "He finally took care of things off the court and showed the reasons why he was a freshman on the varsity and a sophomore contributor to a regional championship team. His basketball talent is obvious."

Christian Negron LarkinThis ultra-athletic 6-foot-6 sophomore developed into a force for Larkin in his second varsity season. A highly sought-after Division-I recruit, Negron was not only averaging 2 dunks and 12.8 points per game heading into Friday's regional championship, he was averaging an area-best 11.4 rebounds to go with 79 assists, and 56 steals. "He's exactly where we would hope for him to be in his second year, which is harder to do than it sounds because we have huge expectations for him," Larkin coach Deryn Carter said. "I don't think any player in the area has grown more from November until now than he has. He's playing more on the perimeter and getting more confidence. As that grows, it will make him a better player with his back to the basket."

Chrishawn Orange JacobsA three-year varsity player and two-time All-area selection, this senior and the honorary captain of the All-area team, is the floor leader for the undefeated Fox Valley Conference Valley Division champs. Entering the postseason this week, the 6-foot-2 guard was averaging a team-best 15 points per game along with 4 rebounds and 1.6 assists. A 34-percent 3-point shooter (25 of 74), Orange is even more deadly driving to the hoop. The resulting fouls have led to 126 made free throws in 147 attempts (85.7 percent). "He's what makes us go," Jacobs coach Jim Roberts said. "He's what's made our program go for the last several years."

Dillon Rejman Westminster ChristianOne of the top 3-point shooters in the area, this 6-foot-1 junior entered sectional play averaging 12.8 points per game, largely by connecting on 79 of 180 attempts from 3-point range (43.9 percent). The area's leading free-throw deadeye has made 41 of 46 attempts (89.1 percent). More than just a shooter, the point guard owns a 3:1 assist-to-turnover ration. The all-around threat averages 4.8 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 2.3 steals. "How blessed I am to have a 3-point shooter who can knock down 43 percent of his shots and doesn't force things," Westminster Christian coach Bruce Firchau said. "He has great vision you can't teach. He's very unusual. Hitting that many threes and having that many assists is a good combo."

Charles Sanders LarkinA full-time varsity starter for the first time, Larkin's offensive trigger man developed the right balance between finding his own shot and finding others as his senior season progressed. The 6-foot guard enters Friday's regional title game averaging 6.8 points and 4.1 assists per game to go along with 3.4 rebounds and 2.4 steals. Defensively, Sanders can and has guarded every kind of opponent, ranging from 5-foot-11 Morgan Park point guard Marcus LoVett, Jr., to 6-7 Geneva senior Nate Navigato. "It doesn't matter who you ask him to guard," Larkin coach Deryn Carter said. "He'll never step down from a challenge. The reason we're playing better the last six weeks is he's learned to be a better teammate and used his skills to make other teammates better."

Matt Smith South ElginThis two-time All-area selection enjoyed another strong season despite missing 6 games due to injury. A 6-foot junior point guard who can score, Smith already has an offer from one Mid-American Conference school with interest from other programs expected to peak toward the end of the upcoming AAU season. He reached 1,100 career points in his third varsity season. A 40-percent shooter from the field and a 30-percent shooter from 3-point range, Smith averaged 14.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.8 steals per game. His 52 turnovers were the lowest total among the South Elgin guard rotation. "He really led the team from a ballhandling standpoint," South Elgin coach Matt Petersen said. "There were times when he was off the floor we were a totally different team offensively. He'll have an even better season next year."

2014-15 All-area roster

Player School Pos. Yr.

Connor Boesch Huntley F Sr.

Matt Bridges Hampshire F Sr.

Sam Carani Westminster Christian F Sr.

Kelvin Cortez-Harvey St. Edward G So.

Ryan DiCanio Bartlett G Sr.

Nick Duffy St. Edward F Sr.

Ryan Fitzgerald Burllington Central F/C Jr.

Joe French St. Edward G Sr.

Zach Geske Crystal Lake South G Sr.

Jason Gregoire Cary-Grove G Sr.

Cameron Krutwig Jacobs C So.

Kenton Mack Jacobs G Sr.

Daniel McFadden Larkin F Sr.

Christian Negron Larkin F So.

*Chrishawn Orange Jacobs G Sr.

Dillon Rejman Westminster Christian G Jr.

Charles Sanders Larkin G Sr.

Matt Smith South Elgin G Jr.

* - Honorary captain

Honorable mentionBartlett - Jason Hasenberg (Jr., F), Robby Jimenez (Jr., F), Tyler Pauletti (Jr., G)

Burlington Central - Drew Wiss (Sr., G), Stefan Jochum (Sr., G)

Crystal Lake South - Tyler Baker (Sr., G), Kyle Bartusch (Sr., F)

Dundee-Crown - Sam Buckley (Sr., G), Kiwaun Seals (Sr., G)

Elgin - Lavion Baldwin (Jr., F), Desmond Douglas (Jr., G)

Elgin Academy - Dietrich Robinson (Jr., G)

Hampshire - Brennen Woods (So., F)

Harvest Christian Academy - Noah Fox (Sr., F)

Huntley - David Cruz (Sr., G)

Jacobs - Cory Boeckh (Sr., G), Matt Bindi (Sr., F)

Larkin - Tanner Gardon (Sr., F)

St. Edward - Gino Domel (Sr., G)

South Elgin - Anthony Lynch (Fr., G)

Streamwood - Brendon Marton (Fr., F)

Westminster Christian - Robert Kleczynski (Sr., F)

Captains Honor Roll1995-96 - Muamer Karamovic (St. Edward)

1996-97 - Kevin Jarm (Elgin)

1997-98 - Sean Harrington (Elgin)

1998-99 - Sean Harrington (Elgin) and T.J. Sportsman (Burlington Central)

1999-2000 - Marcus Smallwood (Elgin) and Marcus Howard (Elgin)

2000-01 - Jason Kalsow (Huntley) and Pat Kalamatas (Huntley)

2001-02 - Anthony Maestranzi (Bartlett)

2002-03 - Eric Vierneisel (Jacobs)

2003-04 - Eric Vierneisel (Jacobs) and Phil Wallace (Crystal Lake South)

2004-05 - Ryan Brown (Crystal Lake South) and Kas Wleklinski (Burlington Central)

2005-06 - Dayvon Ellis (Larkin) and Sam Lynch (Dundee-Crown)

2006-07 - Johnny Moran (Jacobs) and Cully Payne (Burlington Central)

2007-08 - Johnny Moran (Jacobs) and Mike McCurdy (Burlington Central)

2008-09 - Conrad Krutwig (Jacobs) and Marc Little (Bartlett)

2009-10 - Tommy Childs (South Elgin) and Luke Labedzki (Bartlett)

2010-11 - Kory Brown (Elgin)

2011-12 - Kory Brown (Elgin)

2012-13 - Arie Williams (Elgin)

2013-14 - Amanze Egekeze (Huntley)

2014-15 - Chrishawn Orange (Jacobs)

All-area selections and capsules by Jerry Fitzpatrick

Matt Bridges
Sam Carani
Kelvin Cortez-Harvey
Ryan DiCanio
Nick Duffy
Ryan Fitzgerald
Joe French
Zach Geske
Jason Gregoire
Cameron Krutwig
Kenton Mack
Daniel McFadden
Christian Negron
Chrishawn Orange
Dillon Rejman
Charles Sanders
Matt Smith
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