Herald-News 2012-13 All-Area Boys Basketball Team
By Dick Goss dgoss@stmedianetwork.com March 20, 2013 9:16PM
Juozas Balciunas, of Lemont
Article Extras
Updated: April 22, 2013 6:06AM
Here is the Herald-News 2012-13 All Area Boys Basketsball Team.
Juozas Balciunas
School: Lemont
Year: Senior
Ht./Position: 6-1/Guard
Numbers: 19.9 ppg, 5.0 apg, 3.2 spg, 63-of-154 three-point shooting, 90-of-126 free throws.
Notable: All-South Suburban Blue, IBCA 3A/4A All-State third team, team MVP second straight year, Lincoln-Way Holiday Classic MVP, Romeoville Christmas Classic MVP, led area 3A/4A players in three-pointers made.
Coach Rick Runaas: “Juozas is one of the greatest players in Lemont history. He led teams to back-to-back seasons of 25 and 24 wins. He is an outstanding leader and competitor.”
Miles Boykin
School: Providence
Year: Sophomore
Ht./Position: 6-5/Forward
Numbers: 13.3 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.3 spg, .538 field-goal shooting.
Notable: All-Catholic League South, IBCA 3A/4A All-State special mention, also a standout receiver in football, Two blocks shy of a triple-double in regional final.
Coach Tim Trendel: “While competing in the Catholic League South, a league with phenomenal athletes who play above the rim, Miles played above most of them. To average a double-double in that league with those athletes is an outstanding accomplishment.”
Morris Dunnigan
School: Joliet West
Year: Senior
Ht./Position: 6-2/Guard
Numbers: 17.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 3.0 apg, 2.0 spg, .460 field-goal shooting, .333 three-pointers, .656 free throws.
Notable: All-Pontiac Holiday Tournament, MVP of Joliet West Thanksgiving Tournament, All-SouthWest Suburban Blue, IBCA 3A/4A All-State third team. Will play at Vincennes.
Coach Luke Yaklich: “Morris had an incredible high school career. He established himself as one of the top guards in Illinois over the course of his three years of varsity ball. He overcame an ACL injury his sophomore year.”
Jalen Heath
School: Joliet Central
Year: Senior
Ht./Position: 6-foot/Guard
Numbers: 16.1 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.3 apg, 2.1 spg.
Notable: Team captain and MVP, All-SouthWest Suburban Blue, IBCA 3A/4A All-State special mention.
Coach Jeff Corcoran: “Jalen has been a tremendous asset to the program and exceeded any and all expectations we had for him this year. He is a leader and role model for all our kids by his commitment to the program and unselfish approach to the team. He carried us on his back a good portion of the season.”
Jake Hogen
School: Minooka
Year: Senior
Ht./Position: 6-3/Guard-Forward
Numbers: 12.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.5 apg, 2.1 spg, 73-of-102 free-throw shooting.
Notable: All-Southwest Prairie, all-WJOL Thanksgiving Tournament, all-Galesburg MLK Tournament, four-year varsity player, three-year starter, surpassed 1,000 career points, weighing college offers.
Coach Scott Tanaka: “Jake was our team captain his junior and senior seasons. He is a huge reason we had back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1990.”
Aaron Jordan
School: Plainfield East
Year: Sophomore
Ht./Position: 6-3/Guard
Numbers: 15.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.5 spg, 47 percent field goals, area-best .496 three-pointers (59-of-119), 87-of-109 free throws.
Notable: All-Southwest Prairie, IBCA All-State special mention, all-St. Charles East Thanksgiving Tournament, all-Pekin Holiday Tournament, offensive and team MVP, captain as a sophomore
Coach Branden Adkins: “Aaron is a fantastic scorer. Every night he had to face our opponents’ best defender. Many times teams would adjust their strategies just to try to stop him. He is only reaching the beginning of his potential. His stock is rising. He is a great player.”
Kevin Kozan
School: Providence
Year: Senior
Ht./Position: 6-1/Guard
Numbers: 20.3 ppg (23.3 in Catholic League), 3.6 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.3 spg, .320 three-point percentage, .658 free throws.
Notable: IBCA All-State third team, three-year varsity starter, Catholic League South Player of the Year, finished career with nearly 1,400 points, may play lower Division I or D-II.
Coach Tim Trendel: “Kevin this year constantly drew the focus of other teams’ game plans and he still scored 20 points per game. He always has the ball in his hands, rarely turns it over and is as tenacious a defender as they come. He has long-range accuracy on his shot.”
Ben Moore
School: Bolingbrook
Year: Senior
Ht./Position: 6-8/Forward
Numbers: 16 ppg, 10 rpg, 2.8 bpg, 3.0 apg, 2.0 spg, area-best 63 percent field-goal shooting.
Notable: NABC All-State as a junior, IBCA All-State second team, Associated Press 4A All-State honorable mention, All-SouthWest Suburban Blue, three career triple-doubles, two with blocks and one with assists. Will play at SMU, 25-plus D-I scholarship offers.
Coach Rob Brost: “Ben affects the game in all areas. He is an honor roll student, model citizen and one of the most humble kids you will find. He is the best player I have coached.”
Darrin Myers
School: Minooka
Year: Senior
Ht./Position: 6-2/Guard
Numbers: 13.8 ppg, 2.2 apg, 1.0 spg, 95-of-137 free-throw shooting.
Notable: All-Southwest Prairie, three-year varsity player and two-year starter, will play college basketball
Coach Scott Tanaka: “Darrin was a huge reason we had back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1990. He scored in double figures in every single Southwest Prairie Conference game.”
Prentiss Nixon
School: Bolingbrook
Year: Sophomore
Ht./Position: 6-foot/Guard
Numbers: 14.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.0 apg, 2.0 spg.
Notable: Generally considered a top-five player in Class of 2015, all-SouthWest Suburban Blue, IBCA 3A/4A All-State special mention, topped 20 points nine times.
Coach Rob Brost: “Prentiss is a great shooter, plays with high energy and is a team leader. He is being recruited by several Big Ten teams and already has two high major scholarship offers.”
Dan O’Leary
School: Wilmington
Year: Senior
Ht./Position: 6-2/Guard-Forward
Numbers: 20.5 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.7 spg, 0.7 bpg, 138-of-198 free-throw shooting.
Notable: IBCA 1A/2A All-State fourth team, area scoring and rebounding leader, all-Interstate Eight and all-I-8 Tournament, All-Route 17 Classic, All-Plano Christmas Tournament (tourney leader in points and PARS), had 17 double-doubles, a 1,000-point scorer in two varsity seasons
Coach Matt Hines: “Dan can hurt opponents in so many ways. He was our No. 1 option on offense, opponents knew that and he still put up those numbers. He will go down as one of the greatest Wildcats ever to put on the jersey.”
Ben Ortiz
School: Morris
Year: Senior
Ht./Position: 6-4/Forward
Numbers: 14.9 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.8 apg.
Notable: Unanimous All-Northern Illinois Big 12, all-Coal City Thanksgiving Tournament, all-Plano Christmas Tournament.
Coach Joe Blumberg: “Ben is a gym rat who improved tremendously through his own offseason work. He was a match-up problem for opponents, as he could hit the three and score around the rim. While we were able to tread water while he was out a month with sickness, we missed his rebounding, consistent scoring and leadership skills.”
Ryan Peter
School: Joliet Catholic
Year: Senior
Ht./Position: 6-3/Forward
Numbers: 12.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.4 spg, .427 field-goal shooting, 60-of-157 three-pointers.
Notable: All-East Suburban Catholic honorable mention, standout first baseman in baseball.
Coach Joe Gura: “Ryan was a two-year captain and without question the most valuable player on the team the last two years. He understood we are in a building process and helped tremendously with younger players on varsity. He is what an All-Area player should be.”
Trevor Stumpe
School: Plainfield North
Year: Sophomore
Ht./Position: 6-4/Forward
Numbers: 15.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.0 spg, 46 percent field goals, .372 three-pointers, 100-of-121 free throws.
Notable: IBCA 3A/4A All-State special mention, all-Southwest Prairie, all-Tournament at Plainfield North Round Robin, attracting college interest; already receiving scholarship offer from UIC.
Coach Nick DiForti: “Trevor is an exceptional player who continues to develop. His game continues to evolve into that of an overall good offensive player.”
Logan Velasquez
School: Plainfield Central
Year: Junior
Ht./Position: 6-5/Forward-Center
Numbers: 12.6 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 1.8 apg, 55 percent from field, 47 percent three-pointers.
Notable: All-Southwest Prairie, second in school history for rebounds in a season (266), all-WJOL Thanksgiving Tournament, all-Romeoville Christmas Classic.
Coach Steve Lamberti: “Logan is a perfect example of a high school basketball player. He works hard every day to make himself and his teammates better. To average nearly a double-double and make all-conference as a junior is a great feat, and he is only going to get better.”
Hayden Witt
School: Lincoln-Way West
Year: Junior
Ht./Position: 6-5/Forward
Numbers: 18.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.0 bpg, .473 field-goal shooting.
Notable: All-SouthWest Suburban Red, IBCA 3A/4A all-State special mention, all-Medieval Classic, all-Lincoln-Way Central pre-Christmas tournament, scored more than 30 points four times.
Coach John White: “Hayden was a star this season. He constantly got doubled-teamed. He played all five spots during the season. He was a force on the glass and played a lot of point guard when our senior point guard, Luke Horvath, went down at the end on the season with an injury.”
