Reign atop NSC Prairie should continue

North Chicago's Michael Simpson leaps in front of several Lane Tech players during a summer league game at Zion-Benton.
(Josh Peckler/News-Sun)

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ZION -- Talent, alone, does not a basketball team make.

The North Chicago Warhawks varsity boys basketball team is using the summer to sharpen its basketball IQ, as well as its physical-game skills.

"We're testing our kids on paper with situational basketball questions during camps," said assistant coach Thomas Coleman at the most recent Zion-Benton Shootout on Saturday. "Everybody's responding great. And the leaders on the team are taking the newcomers under their wing and explaining what smart basketball is."

Despite losing three key players from last season's 25-5 team, the Warhawks program is at a point where they are reloading, not rebuilding. Coach Gerald "King" Coleman's team ran roughshod over North Suburban Conference Prairie Division competition last season, going a perfect 12-0, then won the regional and sectional Class 3A crowns before finally bowing to eventual state champion Marshall in the super sectionals.

Leading rebounder Kentrall Wilson, D.J. Henning and Patrick Terrell, all double-digit scorers, have graduated.

Returning is the guard tandem of leading scorer Keith Ford (15.4 ppg) and DeShawn Chambliss (9.1 ppg) who both will be starting their fourth year on the varsity and third in the starting lineup.

The highly touted freshman class of two years ago (25-1) are juniors, and coming up the path is last year's freshman group, which also registered a dominant record.

Thomas Coleman said that, like last year, the upcoming version of the Warhawks will be replete with fleet-footed guards.

"To be honest, I think we're going to be even quicker at all five spots this coming year," said the assistant coach, adding that North Chicago will again go at least 10 deep, and play a fast-break, pressing style of ball.

Because the Warhawks play so many, they have a lot of varsity experience coming back, including 6-foot-5 Joshua Wright; Blake Collins; junior Steven Conner; Chris Bryant; and junior Mike Simpson. North Chicago is 4-0 in the very rugged College of Lake County summer league on Tuesdays. On Saturday, the Warhawks were missing Collins, Conner and Chambliss due to football commitments, but registered solid wins in their first two games before running into the buzz saw that is Zion-Benton in the final game of the day, a 65-45 loss.

Simpson, a small-but-quick guard who has demonstrated new-found maturity and confidence this summer, was a bright spot in the loss to the defending IHSA Class 4A runners-up, scoring in double digits and handling the ball with aplomb. Sophomore Darius Allen and Wright also played well.

Coach Thomas Coleman named senior Cameron Scott, junior transfer Demetrios Starks and sophomore Maurice Gordon as others who could see significant court time this coming season.

It's questionable whether Simpson's freshman brother, Aaron Simpson, a highly-touted guard, will be on the varsity to start the season, but could be brought up later in the year.

Going unbeaten in the Prairie and advancing deep in the state tournament like last season are two goals set by the Warhawks for this year. Both seem very reachable.

ZION-BENTON SHOOTOUT

SATURDAY'S AREA RESULTS

• Zion-Benton 3-1 -- beat: Vernon Hlls, Leyden & North Chicago; lost to Lane Tech.

• Vernon Hills 1-2 -- beat Lane Tech; lost to Leyden & Zion-Benton.

• North Chicago 2-1-- beat Lane Tech & Leyden; lost to Zion-Benton.

JOSH PECKLER•JPECKLER@SCN1.COM

Junior Michael Simpson, shown wheeling and dealing in the paint during action Saturday at Zion-Benton High, is emerging this summer as a quality point guard for North Chicago.

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