Week 8: NW Chicago Standout Performers

Another week brought a pair of matchups northwest of the city that delivered excitement, ranked talent, and several prospects continuing to fly under the radar. Tuesday featured a Mid-Suburban East battle with Schaumburg hosting Buffalo Grove in a game that stayed competitive for all four quarters, before Schaumburg pulled away for a 63–57 victory. Wednesday shifted a bit further north to the Fox Valley, where McHenry traveled to Crystal Lake South and the Gators maintained control throughout in a 59–51 win. In this first installment, we'll highlight the prospects who turned in major performances.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Results</h2>   Buffalo Grove 57   Schaumburg 63   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   McHenry 51   Crystal Lake South 59   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />    A 6'6" W/F above-the-rim finisher with athletic leaping ability who consistently plays with high motor. Battled [player_tooltip player_id='2323618' first='Alex' last='Sirbu'] in the paint despite giving up size, competing physically on both ends. Showed comfort operating in two-man actions with his guards and flashed touch on bounce passes in the half court. Brings strong effort traits—dives on the floor, embraces contact, and plays through physicality. Provides rim protection for the Saxons, using timing and verticality to impact shots. A senior leader who routinely flirts with a double-double. Finished with 12 points against Buffalo Grove.     A true interior presence who consistently produces double-double numbers. Against Schaumburg, Sirbu showed his value on both ends, battling relentlessly on the glass and establishing himself in the paint. Faced frequent double teams and displayed the strength and composure to score through contact, draw fouls, or kick the ball out to open teammates. Showed craft with his footwork, including a smooth post spin that resulted in an and-one finish. Sets impactful screens with his strong frame, creating advantages for guards. Finished with a hard-fought 14 points and 10 rebounds. Also stands at 6'9" instead of the mentioned 6'6".     Showed a strong understanding of how to attack Crystal Lake South's 1–3–1 zone, consistently cutting to the middle to provide a reliable outlet. From there, he made sound decisions—dishing to the post or passing out when guards dug down. Used his size effectively to back down defenders and finish, while also flashing skill with a spin move on a drive that resulted in a finish through contact. His length stood out defensively, staying vertical at the rim and recording timely blocks. Active on the glass on both ends, corralling multiple rebounds and providing consistent effort on the offensive boards. Knocked down a deep wing three and later connected on another in the fourth quarter to cut CLS's lead to six.    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">3 2027's for CLS Score 19 Each</h2>    Provided strong energy and athletic impact, opening the game with a wing three and consistently playing with grit and hustle. Willing to put his body on the floor and make effort plays. Flashed creativity off the bounce, including a hop-step finish and athletic scores at the rim. Effective cutter in the half court, finding open gaps in the defense. Notably plays above the rim, converting on a pair of alley-oops—one a controlled finish and another a strong two-handed dunk in the fourth quarter off a setup from Trivellini. A junior who also contributes on the glass and isn't afraid to mix it up inside.     The primary offensive option for the Gators, Trivellini is a natural shooting guard who can also shift into a lead-guard role and get others involved. Against McHenry, he was crucial in breaking down the Warriors' 3–2 zone, consistently attacking off the dribble and driving past closeouts. Showed touch as a finisher with floaters, runners, and soft finishes off the glass, while also converting on mid-range stop-and-pop jumpers. Applied constant pressure inside the zone, forcing defensive rotations and capitalizing on openings. In transition, he changes speeds well, puts defenders on their heels, and quickly turns advantages into points.     Was consistently impactful and active, making plays in a variety of ways. In the first quarter, jumped an inbounds pass for a steal and finished with a breakaway dunk, then added another transition dunk just before the buzzer. Connected on three triples in the game, knocking down timely shots to help extend the lead. The standout moment came in the third quarter with a powerful follow-up dunk that energized the gym. Throughout the night, Stowasser found ways to influence the game, maintain momentum, and stay involved on both ends, seemingly always around the ball.

Another week brought a pair of matchups northwest of the city that delivered excitement, ranked talent, and several prospects continuing to fly under the radar. Tuesday featured a Mid-Suburban East battle with Schaumburg hosting Buffalo Grove in a game that stayed competitive for all four quarters, before Schaumburg pulled away for a 63–57 victory. Wednesday shifted a bit further north to the Fox Valley, where McHenry traveled to Crystal Lake South and the Gators maintained control throughout in a 59–51 win. In this first installment, we'll highlight the prospects who turned in major performances.