All-Area First Team
JEFF BECK
Dundee-Crown, 6-foot-1, senior, guard
• HIGHLIGHTS: Beck saved the best for last in his three-year varsity career. The 2009 Courier-News Player of the Year helped guide the Chargers to a fourth-place finish in Class 4A and a school-record 24 wins. He led D-C with 17.2 points, 2.5 assists and 1.6 steals and was the team's second-leading rebounder with 5.6 boards per game. Beck, who set a single-season school record with 532 points, was also an All-Fox Valley Conference honoree and IBCA Class 3A/4A All-State third-team selection. He is receiving interest from a number of Division III programs and plans on continuing his playing career.
• Huber's guidance keyed D-C's success
• All-Area Second Team
• All-Area Third Team
• All-Area Honorable Mention
• QUOTE: "Jeff just accepted the fact that he was our go-to guy this year," D-C coach Lance Huber said. "He wanted that responsibility and he kind of took it upon himself to take big shots, to get the big rebound and make the big play."
CONRAD KRUTWIG
Jacobs, 6-foot-5, senior, center
• HIGHLIGHTS: No area player matched Krutwig's scoring production this season as he averaged 21.4 points. The All-Fox Valley Conference honoree also grabbed 9.0 rebounds, dished out 2.3 assists and blocked 1.8 shots per game. Krutwig, who was named to the IBCA Class 3A/4A All-State third team, will play for Division I South Dakota next year. He finishes his four-year varsity career with 1,505 points.
• QUOTE: "Conrad was a hard, hard worker," Jacobs coach Jim Hinkle said. "He got that Division I scholarship and he did it because of his perseverance in the classroom and on the court. His work ethic is what got him what he has. He really put in the energy and the effort. He played every possession hard and we're going to miss him."
MARC LITTLE
Bartlett, 5-foot-10, senior, guard
• HIGHLIGHTS: Few opponents could keep up with Little, the most explosive point guard in the area. He led the Hawks with 21.1 points per game and led the area with 5.3 assists and 2.8 steals per contest. Little was a unanimous All-Upstate Eight Conference honoree, marking the second straight year he gained recognition from the league. He was also an IBCA Class 3A/4A All-State fourth-team selection. Little has drawn interest from Eastern Illinois, Illinois-Chicago, Evansville and Loyola.
• QUOTE: "Marc is a special ballplayer and a kid like that doesn't come around very often for any program," Bartlett coach Jim Wolfsmith said. "This year Marc was asked to do a lot more. The bulk of it was running the team and providing us with whatever we needed on that given day."
NICK NEARI
St. Charles North, 6-foot-3, senior, guard
• HIGHLIGHTS: Neari raised his game to another level during his third varsity season, helping guide the North Stars to a regional championship and a school record 22 wins. The unanimous All-Upstate Eight Conference honoree led North with 14.3 points, 4.0 assists and 2.3 steals per game. He also grabbed 4.3 rebounds per contest. An IBCA Class 3A/4A All-State honorable mention choice, Neari is contemplating offers from several Division III colleges.
• QUOTE: "Nick really excelled in his role this year," North coach Tom Poulin said. "We leaned on him heavily throughout the season and definitely down the stretch. I think Nick impacted the game on both ends of the court as much as anyone in our area."
KEVIN SENECHALLE
St. Charles East, 6-foot-7, senior, forward
• HIGHLIGHTS: Senechalle raised his game to a new level in his third varsity season. The unanimous All-Upstate Eight Conference honoree averaged a team-best 19.9 points and pulled down an area-best 11 rebounds per game. Senechalle, who started 80 out of 87 games for the Saints the past three years, also earned IBCA Class 3A/4A All-State fourth-team honors. He will play at Division II Wisconsin-Parkside next year.
• QUOTE: "We were very lucky to have him in our program for four years," East coach Brian Clodi said. "The progression that he had from his sophomore year to his senior year was unbelievable. He had a phenomenal year, shot the ball well and all the awards are well deserved. The kid worked his butt off during his four-year career."
-- Compiled by Erik Jacobsen
