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Boys basketball: Tri-Cities all-area team

By David Oberhelman

doberhelman@dailyherald.com

Jack Callaghan, St. Charles North

Others may score more but for two seasons this 6-foot-3 senior forward has been known as the "glue guy" for St. Charles North. A three-year varsity player and two-year starter, Callaghan is a student of basketball as well as a fan of the game; North Stars coach Tom Poulin called him "a thinker," and said the two will discuss the game's greats of any era. On the court Callaghan can shoot, set up a score, rebound, defend and do the little things. All-conference in the Upstate Eight River Division, Callaghan averaged 10.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.5 steals, and made 76 percent of his free throws. Shining in big games, he recorded double-doubles against St. Charles East and Larkin. "He makes his teammates better," Poulin said. "He's all about winning and he'll do whatever it takes to win."

Canaan Coffey, Batavia

The 6-foot-2 guard was the rare Batavia junior team captain. "He is a leader not only by how he talks in practice but more by his actions," said Bulldogs coach Jim Nazos. "He does not have bad practices, he does not have bad days." A hot Coffey earned all-tournament at York, twice making six 3-point baskets and setting the tournament record with 22 3-pointers. Overall Coffey averaged 14.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists. He made 80 3-point shots and 75 of 90 free throws, 83 percent. He scored 27 points with six 3s against West Aurora. The all-Upstate Eight River selection developed his floor game from perimeter to paint and took a team-high 8 offensive charges. "He's evolved into arguably our best defensive player," Nazos said. "He kind of has taken on the identity of guarding the other team's best."

Cole Gentry, St. Charles East

The 5-foot-11 senior point guard is honorary co-captain of the Daily Herald 2014-15 Tri-Cities All-Area Boys Basketball Team. Penetrating opposing defenses and passing to a teammate for a shot or scoring himself, Cole Gentry is acknowledged as one of if not the most exciting players in Kane County. Controlling the ball as if on a string, he averaged 4.8 assists and 18.3 points a game. Gentry's 56 percent shooting included a wondrous 50 percent from 3-point range, and he also made 78 percent of his free throws. On the defensive end he compiled 2.4 steals per game. The Upstate Eight River Division MVP, Gentry was named all-tourney at St. Charles East and the DeKalb tourney MVP. He has scholarship offers from Furman and Maryland-Baltimore County, among other Division 1 interest. "He's phenomenal in every aspect," said Saints coach Patrick Woods.

Jordan Glasgow, Marmion

Indicating Jordan Glasgow's value to his team, Marmion initially went 8-0 with him at point guard after coach Joe Currie made that move. Entering the playoffs the muscular 6-foot-1 senior guard ranked fifth all-time at Marmion with 1,097 points, and in a program-high 87 games also was first in steals and third in assists. This season the three-year starter, Buffalo Grove all-tournament pick and Cadets co-captain averaged 14.7 points, 3.5 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 2.4 steals while making 31 3-pointers, doing a lot of everything on Marmion's first conference championship team since 1975. Currently considering college football walk-on offers, Glasgow is fast, physical, quick, displays great body control and will never, ever quit. "He's got tremendous work ethic, and he never takes time off whether it's a practice or a game in terms of how hard he plays," Currie said.

Roland Griffin, West Aurora

The athletic, broad-shouldered, 6-foot-6 forward will bring a lot to Illinois State next fall, committing there last summer over offers from Northern Illinois and George Washington. "The fact that he can score inside and outside is very much a plus for him," said West Aurora coach Gordie Kerkman. All-conference in the DuPage Valley as a junior and in the Upstate Eight Valley this season after serving as the Blackhawks' sixth man as a sophomore, Griffin started the season all-tourney at Rock Island and was Second Team at Pontiac. He averaged 16.7 points and 7.5 rebounds, shooting 52 percent from the floor and 74 percent from the foul line. "He can score, he can rebound, he's a good passer, a good ballhandler, a very good defender," Kerkman said. "I don't know if you can ask much more than that."

Marquis Howard, West Aurora

"He's got to be one of our better 3-point shooters," West Aurora coach Gordie Kerkman said about the Blackhawks' 5-foot-8 senior guard, Marquis Howard. It's one of the understatements of the season. Hitting his 3s at better than 46 percent, Howard entered the playoffs with 74 of them, 3 off Jontrell Walker's program record set last season. In an 82-64 win over South Elgin that gave Kerkman his 800th career win, Howard's quick release equaled 14 3-pointers, second all-time in Illinois. Howard's 46 points that game nearly doubled his prior high of 26 against Glenbard East and ranks second all-time at West Aurora to Bill Small's 53 points in a 1959 game. Averaging 13.8 points and 1.8 steals, the all-Upstate Eight Valley pick also plays good defense and can handle the ball. "He can play the game," Kerkman said.

Jake Ludwig, St. Charles North

Pontiac Holiday Tournament First Team selections are special players. Senior guard Jake Ludwig was one after leading the tournament in assists and finishing third in scoring average. Two years as a St. Charles North starter and three years on varsity, the two-time Upstate Eight River Division all-conference guard also earned all-tourney at St. Charles East. Leading his team in most categories, the 6-foot-1 senior averaged 16.4 points, 5.2 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 2 steals. He made 57 percent of his 2-point shots, 78 percent of his free throws. Ludwig matched his career high of 28 points against West Chicago and beat St. Charles East on an overtime 3. "He's one of the best we've had come through here," said North Stars coach Tom Poulin. "In my opinion, I don't think anybody is more valuable to their team in the area."

Nate Navigato, Geneva

The 6-foot-7 senior swingman is honorary co-captain of the Daily Herald 2014-15 Tri-Cities All-Area Boys Basketball Team. Choosing Buffalo from among 10 scholarship offers, in his three varsity seasons Navigato broke Geneva's 54-year-old career scoring record. This season he averaged 19.7 points on 61 percent shooting inside the 3-point line and 41 percent on 3s, 5.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2 steals. He is a three-time Upstate Eight River Division all-conference pick, also all-tournament at East Aurora and the MVP at Moline after a 33-point game. Navigato will cap his career as the Vikings' all-time leader in scoring, 3-point baskets, assists, steals, blocked shots and top-four in rebounds. Entering the Class 4A regional finals he had played in 72 victories. "He's one of those unique kids that's very gifted in many areas of the game," said Vikings coach Phil Ralston.

Loudon Vollbrecht, Geneva

At 6 feet, 8 inches and around 300 pounds, one might expect a bull-in-a-china-shop game out of Geneva center Loudon Vollbrecht. Yet the junior - who has a basketball offer by Northern Kentucky to go with vast interest as a football offensive lineman - has the athleticism to go with his power. Using nimble feet in the lane, Vollbrecht can easily leap to stuff it one-handed or convert a two-handed dunk in transition. Alternately, he's got the size and strength to pull down a rebound with opponents clinging all over him. All-Upstate Eight River Division and gentle off the court while tenacious on it, Vollbrecht led Geneva in blocked shots while averaging 6.2 rebounds and 11.3 points on 59 percent shooting from the floor. "He really is such a gifted, gifted athlete," Geneva coach Phil Ralston said. "A high-character kid, too."

Mick Vyzral, St. Charles East

The six 3-point baskets Mick Vyzral drained in St. Charles East's 76-67 win over Riverside-Brookfield are the tip of the iceberg. Though highly accurate with his 41 percent shooting from the arc, the 6-foot-5 senior forward and team co-captain led the Saints in rebounding, was third in assists and first in taking charges. A two-year starter and all-Upstate Eight River Division pick this season, Vyzral averaged 10.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2 steals. He scored a career-high 24 points with 14 rebounds in the Saints' 78-75 overtime loss at St. Charles North and hit three 3s with 20 first-quarter points against West Chicago before Saints coach Patrick Woods called off the dogs. Vyzral screens well, shoots with confidence and smartly uses his body to create space. "He's a game performer," Woods said. "He's ready to go when that whistle sounds."

2014-15 Boys Basketball All-area roster

Player School Pos. Yr.

Jack Callaghan St. Charles North F Sr.

Canaan Coffey Batavia G Jr.

*Cole Gentry St. Charles East PG Sr.

Jordan Glasgow Marmion PG Sr.

Roland Griffin West Aurora F Sr.

Marquis Howard West Aurora G Sr.

Jake Ludwig St. Charles North G Sr.

*Nate Navigato Geneva G-F Sr.

Loudon Vollbrecht Geneva C Jr.

Mick Vyzral St. Charles East F Sr.

* - Honorary captains

Special mentionJake Asquini, St. Charles East, G, sr.; Brett Czerak, Aurora Central Catholic, G, so.; Jake Esp, Marmion, F, sr.; R.D. Lutze, Aurora Christian, F, jr.; Chasen Peez, Batavia, C, sr.

Honorable mentionRyan David, Kaneland, F, jr.; Evan DiLeonardi, St. Charles East, G, jr.; Matt Dunn, West Aurora, PG, sr.; Bennett Fuzak, Geneva, F, jr.; Tommy Koth, West Aurora, F, sr.; Mario May, Aurora Central Catholic, F, sr.; Mikey Schroeder, St. Charles North, G, jr.; Zach Singer, Aurora Christian, F, sr.; Pace Temple, Geneva, G, sr.; Dylan Vaca, Kaneland, G, jr.

Starting fiveCole Gentry, PG, St. Charles East; Jake Ludwig, G, St. Charles North; Nate Navigato, G-F, Geneva; Roland Griffin, F, West Aurora; Loudon Vollbrecht, C, Geneva

Past captains1998: Eric Dodson, St. Charles

1999: P.J. Fleck, Kaneland

2000: Pete Schmit, St. Charles

2001: Eric Regan, St. Charles East

2002: Brian Schmit, St. Charles East

2003: Dan Izzo, St. Charles East

2004: Shaun Pruitt, West Aurora

2005: T.J. Marion, West Aurora

2006: T.J. Marion, West Aurora

2007: Nick Fruendt, Batavia

2008: Nick Fruendt, Batavia

2009: Jeremy D'Amico, Geneva

2010: Dave Dudzinski, Kaneland

2011: Kendall Stephens, St. Charles East

2012: Juwan Starks, West Aurora

2013: Josh McAuley, West Aurora

2014: Jontrell Walker, West Aurora

The winnersConference champions

Geneva, Marmion, St. Charles East

The futureTeams to watch in 2015-16

Aurora Central Catholic, Aurora Christian, Geneva, Kaneland,

St. Charles North, West Aurora

- All-area selections and capsules by Dave Oberhelman

Canaan Coffey
Cole Gentry
Jordan Glasgow
Roland Griffin
Marquis Howard
Jake Ludwig
Nate Navigato
Loudon Vollbrecht
Mick Vyzral
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