Scouting Palatine boys basketball

Palatine

Coach: Eric Millstone (third year, 14-39)

Last year: 10-17, 3-7 (fifth in West)

Key losses: Nat Pearson (G, 7.9 ppg), Mykyta Cheshko (F, 7.6 ppg, 17 3s, Roosevelt), Kyle Held (C, 3.5 ppg), Tommy Galvan (G, 9.9 ppg, 52 3s), Tommy Johlie (G, 2.6 ppg), Jake Velinski (G), 2.7 ppg), Chad Bobbit (F); junior Michael Orris (all-area G, 9.3 ppg, transferred to Crete-Monee)

Top returnees: Seniors Jim Smearman (6-0, F), Egan Malley (5-11, G), Jeremy Driggers (6-1, F), Chris Harris (5-9, Sr.); junior Peter Bony (5-10, G)

Newcomers: Juniors Kurt Becker (6-0, G), Tom Hauert (6-2, F), Julian Turner (6-3, F), Prentiss Brooks (6-1, F), John Millin (6-3, F), Austin Marrison (6-1, G), Kevin Knoeppel (6-2, F), Kyle Chisholm (5-10, G), Steven Boos (5-7, G), Jake Walker (6-2, F), Kevin O’Shea (6-2, F), Tommy Laabs (5-8, G); sophomore Josh Baldus (6-5, C)

Outlook: It figured to be a building process early and now it will be even more so with seven players getting late starts from the football team’s quarterfinal run. “Hopefully the success will carry from one sport to the next,” Millstone said. “It’s new for us and a good problem to have. We’ll do it case by case and give each kid the time he needs because we want them fresh and ready to go.” Millstone said it also opened up opportunities for other players such as Bony, who played a little bit last year, Millin and Marrison. “We could easily play nine to 11 kids,” Millstone said. “Depth won’t be an issue. It’s a matter of finding the right five guys night in and night out.” The football returnees include Becker at the point, Baldus inside, Malley and Smearman, whose time was limited by injuries last year. “The nice thing about not having anybody coming back is we’ll learn a lot of things on the fly,” Millstone said. “We’ll be an equal-opportunity offense and see who steps up and settles into a role.”