Romeoville Live: Teddy’s Saturday AM Takeaways

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Another Big [player_tooltip player_id='1157352' first='Jaylan' last='McElroy'] Performance Leads DePaul Over Hyde Park</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1157352' first='Jaylan' last='McElroy'] had a terrific start against Hyde Park. He scored the Rams first eight points and used a mix of excellent positioning and strength in the post to get to the rim. He continued to make an impact on offense in the opening half with a difficult second-chance bucket to go along with several tough drives to the hoop. On the defensive end, he created nothing but problems for [player_tooltip player_id='1373451' first='Jurrell' last='Baldwin'] and forced him to take very tough shots on the floor. He also moved his feet well and prevented Baldwin and others from breaking past him. Later in the game, I saw the playmaking side of him. Finding open teammates in transition to push the lead to nearly 20. He finished the early morning slate with 15 points in a 57-39 win. McElroy has already had an outstanding weekend before this too. He scored 21 points and hit the game winning free throws Saturday to beat St. Laurence</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1545133' first='Makai' last='Kvamme'] is an Excellent Facilitator</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In addition to McElroy, another DePaul Prep player who really caught my attention was [player_tooltip player_id='1545133' first='Makai' last='Kvamme']. The 2025 Point Guard isn't exactly known for his scoring abilities. But he does so much on the floor to make his team and the people around him better. Against Hyde Park, Kvamme started the game with several big assists, which allowed his teammates to get involved and make big plays. He also changes direction well with the ball and caused challenges for opposing defenders. Defensively, he picked off a pass and took it the other way in transition in the first half. He also communicates well and makes quick lateral movements on the floor.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Proviso West Has Underrated Talent</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Proviso West gave Kankakee a tough battle from the opening tip. One of their first standout prospects is Tremaine Allen. The 2025 Forward was a force on the defensive end with his long arms and excellent footwork. He had several key blocks in the opening half while also snagging tough rebounds on both ends of the floor. Allen's second half was no different. Accumulating more blocked shots and snagging big time rebounds. Another player, Brandale Steward is a quick point guard with a confident burst to the hoop and solid vision. He was also a big problem defensively by blocking off lanes and moving his feet well laterally. Later in the game, he showed some range as he buried a corner three. Drake Washington also hit some late shots to make this an exciting game. He's another prospect who moves well off the ball and can score in a variety of ways.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Another Look at Kankakee</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I wanted to look at Kankakee again after they put on a big time performance against Lincoln-Way East Friday afternoon. Proviso West gave Kankakee a tough battle to start. But the offensive play from [player_tooltip player_id='1464072' first='Larenz' last='Walters'] gave them an early advantage. He scored 13 points in the first half and picked up buckets in a variety of ways. He continued to create shots in many spaces on the floor while also getting to the line and scoring through contact. Damonte May also stepped up and showed plenty of confidence attacking the rim and breaking off defenders. Towards the end of the game, the defense was making big plays. They forced a handful of turnovers in a tight game late while communicating and spacing well on the floor. Walters hit two free throws late to help secure a 38-37 win for the Kays.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Defense Big For Joliet West</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Tigers had a big first half defensively and held Hillcrest to only 11 points. There were contributions from a handful of players on that end who read passes, forced tough shots, and created transition opportunities. On the offensive end. 2026 Transfer [player_tooltip player_id='1845363' first='Rajan' last='Roberts'] hit a variety of shots both from behind the arc and inside. He's a crafty floor-general who also flashed his potential as a play maker. Dishing out assists in a variety of ways. [player_tooltip player_id='1404027' first='Drew' last='King'], a 6'9” big man, is a physical presence down low. He moves well around the floor and takes advantage of the frame he displays to snag tough rebounds, block shots, and get to the hoop. They held Hillcrest to just 29 points in an 11-point win.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Lincoln-Way East Beats Bradley-Bourbonnais</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I ended the morning watching Lincoln-Way East against Bradley-Bourbonnais. 6'10” C [player_tooltip player_id='1545117' first='Nick' last='Allen'] took advantage of his size early on and showed a wide range of skills with the ball. He began the game with a driving layup and followed it up with a reverse layup on the baseline and an and-one floater. He also showed he can get his teammates involved if a scoring option isn't available. Lincoln-Way East used consistent shooting from [player_tooltip player_id='1598647' first='Aidan' last='Nilsson'] to stay in it as he buried three triples in a row late in the first half. In addition, 2026 G [player_tooltip player_id='1552436' first='Karson' last='Thomas'] used exceptional strength to get to the rim while also showing some range with a triple. 6'4” Wing [player_tooltip player_id='1766467' first='Brendan' last='Sanders'] was a consistent threat on offense too. Scoring from all three levels and using his long arms to make an impact defensively too. Lincoln-Way won 59-50 with [player_tooltip player_id='1598647' first='Aidan' last='Nilsson'] scoring 15 points off the bench.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->