Summer basketball notebook: Class of 2025 rises to the occasion

Well done, Class of 2025.

The group of players in this class truly rose to the occasion. They took advantage of the two weekends in June and elevated the class.

Maybe it’s not the strongest at the top –– at least in comparison to past classes in Illinois –– but there is absolutely more Division I depth than expected, with many players pushing their profile to a new level.

With multiple offers as proof, there were several players considered borderline Division I prospects who came out of June as bonafide Division I scholarship players. Others had established themselves as low-major Division I prospects who emerged as must-have recruits among mid-major coaches.

At the very least, many players built some momentum heading into July when they go back to playing with their club travel teams. Hopefully, more interest and offers will follow.

The state has really struggled in recent years to get back to a comfortable number of 30 Division I prospects in a class. We will see if it materializes but the Class of 2025 is in better shape to possibly push well past 30 Division I prospects.

It’s been a while, but remember, 40-plus Division I players in a class — with some very fruitful years of 50-plus players –– was the norm here in Illinois.

Here is a post-June notebook full of thoughts and observations.

■ There are now four players in the Class of 2025 who have committed to Division I programs, the latest being Jayden “JD” Daniels of Homeowood-Flossmoor. The 5-10 point guard committed to Kent State this week. There has been a long line of south suburban guards over the past decade or two who have thrived in the Mid-American Conference.

■ The City/Suburban Hoops Report did all it could during the regular season to raise the more-than-deserved profile of Waubonsie Valley’s Tyreek Coleman, calling the 6-2 guard the breakout prospect in the class during his junior season. The climb in the eyes of others, however, was a bit slower than expected, including from college coaches.

In that regard, Coleman has turned the corner. He’s no longer a secret to anyone. After a bit of quiet spring on the travel basketball circuit, Coleman had the ball in his hands with the Warriors and helped himself immensely with some big June moments.

When Coleman shows his dynamic play in larger doses –– it can fade into the background at times –– there is no question he’s a bonafide, must-have mid-major prospect with upside. When you factor in that high ceiling the talented Coleman possesses, he is going to be a hot commodity in the coming month.

■ While we are on the topic of Waubonsie Valley, Moses Wilson, who provided plenty of flashes as a junior, is making a significant jump.

There has always been some electric bounce off the floor for the rangy Wilson. But he’s more than just a lengthy athlete. The engagement and activity level can be off the charts at times, and his slashing is quite a half-court skill. The 6-5 wing, who made the move to the Illinois Wolves in July, is a legit scholarship player who is in the process of opening Division I doors.

■ Simeon as a sleeper? Simeon players as sleepers? The sleeper label is not something that’s been attached to Simeon basketball over the years. However, keep an eye on the Wolverines this year after an uncharacteristic 17-14 season and, specifically, seniors Lorenzo Shields and Julien Doyle. They all impressed at times.

■ A Simeon player who isn’t a sleeper is junior Andre Tyler. He’s been hyped plenty since entering high school. All the 6-4 wing has done this past month is show the wide range of physical attributes and tools he possesses while rising in the Class of 2026 player rankings. When Tyler is locked in and laser-focused with ideal body language, he brings about as much talent and upside as anyone in the class.

■ We will see how it all materializes, but Whitney Young’s blend of experience and youth should morph into something much better than the young, inexperienced version we saw in 2023-24.

There are star attractions in the headlining trio of veteran senior Antonio Munoz, junior guard Marquis Clark and sophomore Howard Williams, but the supporting cast seems to be built in a way where you could really see things come together. Whether it’s senior Damajay Richardson, juniors Patrick Irvin and Alijah Little or high-upside sophomore Caden Crudup, the Dolphins are constructed much differently than a year ago.

■ DeAndre Craig (Denver) and Angelo Ciaravino (Northwestern) have been stars the past four years for Mount Carmel –– Craig in the Class of 2023 and Ciaravino in the Class of 2024. They were part of a lot of winning, helping the Caravan to a combined 87 wins the past three years. Ciaravino led his team to a state runner-up finish in Class 3A this past season.

But coach Phil Segroves might have the most underrated 1-2 punch in the Chicago area returning.

What the perimeter tandem of Grant Best and Cameron Thomas showed in June should concern Chicago Catholic League foes. Even without a ton of fanfare surrounding them, Best and Thomas are going to be an absolute handful this season.

Best is the returning jack-of-all-trades player you appreciate for all that he does to help a team win. He earned a scholarship from Denver and has plenty of Division I programs intrigued. Thomas, meanwhile, is a bucket-getting guard with a next-level jump shot who is locked in right now as a primary scoring option. He averaged 22.5 points a game in eight “live” period games in June.

■ A senior in the class who deserves a little more attention is Lake Forest’s Hudson Scroggins. The 6-7 forward just gets better and more impactful. The little-known Scroggins continues to generate more interest. If he can show the ability to knock down perimeter shots in July with Fundamental U on the travel circuit? That’s the final hurdle.

■ It’s been great to see others finally waking up to a few players in the state who should have been pumped by the masses well before this summer, namely LeShawn Stowers of Peoria Central. Stowers is a Hoops Report favorite in the class. Thankfully the days of the big 6-3 guard being overlooked are over.

■ There is no need to start any Player of the Year debate in the middle of June. But there will be a serious open forum throughout the winter months as several candidacies build. It was wide open last year, and it looks to be even more wide open this season.

■ Metamora’s Matthew Zobrist is about to put together a monster senior season. He’s oozing with confidence as the go-to player for the Redbirds. The 6-4 shooter just recently committed to Bradley, which is a real recruiting coup for coach Brian Wardle.

■ It’s just summer basketball, but it’s impossible to ignore how DePaul Prep looked in June. With the talent and experience, along with the recent high level of winning that’s taken place in coach Tom Kleinschmidt’s program, the potential is there to be the best DePaul Prep team yet.

■ Staying on topic … It was a terrific month of June for DePaul Prep’s Makai Kvamme. The savvy and poised point guard opened eyes all month.

■ Junior guard Jamson Coulter of Rich is a fun, fun player.

■ It was a tough break for Riverside-Brookfield’s Cameron Mercer. He was in the midst of playing so well in a matchup with Peoria Manual and Dietrich Richardson. Mercer had scored 15 points in just one half when he went down writhing in pain. The end result wasn’t the worst-case scenario –– it was a badly sprained ankle rather than a break –– but it’s one that kept him out of the remaining R-B games and the entire second “live” weekend. Fortunately, he’s just a junior and will have plenty of time to be seen after sitting out 4-6 weeks.

■ A new name on the radar emerged in the Class of 2026. Joliet West added quite a talent in 6-6 Ethan Hillsman, a move-in from Tennessee. Hillsman, who will only get better as he becomes more acclimated and comfortable with the Tigers, forms a potent long, athletic tandem with 6-5 Zion Gross.

■ New Trier’s Colby Smith has been fixture as a quality role player with the Trevians while winning a whole lot of games in recent years. The 6-3 guard, however, is playing the best basketball of his career right now. That’s a great sign for a New Trier team that returns plenty, including ringleader Christopher Kirkpatrick.

■ A group of other seniors who don’t receive a whole lot of attention but are ready for significant senior years: Oak Lawn’s Donte Montgomery, Warren’s Javerion Banks, Wheaton-Warrenville South’s Luca Carbonaro, Addison Trail’s Luke Smith, Niles North’s Hunter Gawron, Lemont’s Matas Gaidekuvicius and Glenbrook South’s Anestis Hadjistamoulou.

■ The growing list of talented young players is exciting. The biggest names have produced, gobbled up headlines and remain star attractions. (Thank you, Davion Thompson, Jaxson Davis and Devin Cleveland of Bolingbrook, Warren and Kenwood, respectively.)

But the next wave of players coming into high school made their debut last month, including some promising freshmen who will undoubtedly make their presence felt at the varsity level sooner than later.

Neuqua Valley’s Cole Kelly garnered some early headlines in the spring. But more freshmen continue to pop up, including Lincoln Park’s Alvin Robinson, Bolingbrook’s Brady Pettigrew, Thornton’s DeAndre Higgs, West Aurora’s Ethan Vahl and the Metamora combo of Kayden Turner and Sam Koch.