Crane basketball is ready to play the role of the overlooked sleeper, both in the city and throughout the state in Class 2A.
“We feel like we can compete for a city and state title,” said coach Mekiel Posey, whose team lost to Christ the King in the regional last year. “That’s what we believe. Our guard play will be better and we have our key guys now with experience.”
Jamier Montgomery, a smooth 6-1 scoring guard, is one of the more talented players in the junior class, while 6-5 senior Brad Blackmon is a legit difference-maker with his size and length. Simond Chambliss is the third returning starter.
Posey also welcomes three transfers: 5-11 junior guard JR Swift from Proviso East, 6-6 Julian O’Neal from Simeon and 6-4 Evan Harris from Naperville Central.
Crane is headed to the Pekin Holiday Tournament in December and will square off with Kenwood in January in preparation for a potential city playoff run and the Class 2A state tournament.
Here are six other sleepers outside the Super 25 ready to surprise and climb into the rankings at some point this season.
Lockport
Anyone paying attention to summer basketball — really close attention — saw a Lockport team that looked the part of one that could do some damage this winter.
The Porters did win 19 games last season. And it’s a year away from possibly being a preseason top 25 team. But this year’s Lockport team should surpass last year’s win total and likely creep into the Super 25 rankings at some point.
The junior trio of playmaking point guard Nathan Munson and twin brothers Nedas Venckus and Nojus Venckus, two active and athletic 6-2 wings, will provide firepower for coach Dave Wilson. Then there are a host of 6-4 seniors filling valuable roles.
Lyons
A talented Lyons team should be able to take advantage of the perennially strong West Suburban Silver taking a slight dip this season.
After winning 26 games and regional titles in back-to-back seasons in 2021-22 and 2022-23, the Lions went a combined 26-33 the past two seasons. Look for coach Tom Sloan’s team to inch back above the 20-win marker this season.
When it comes to skill, size and talent, Lyons is in great shape. That starts with bringing back guard Owen Carroll and 6-5 junior Timmy Sloan and 6-5 sophomore Grant Smith taking big steps forward.
Stevenson
The North Suburban Conference is going to be a bear. Warren and Waukegan are ranked in the preseason top 10 and favored in the league. But people forget Stevenson won a share of the conference title last season.
There isn’t a ton of experience returning. But the Patriots have the ease of knowing a veteran and productive backcourt returns in seniors Rocco Pagliocca (12.7 ppg) and Donny Williams (11.5 ppg).
St. Patrick
The final season of basketball in the East Suburban Catholic Conference will prominently feature two teams ranked among the top four teams in the preseason — Benet and Marist.
But don’t forget about the team that finished third in the state in Class 3A. There will be a seismic shift as far as where the production will come from compared to last season.
St. Patrick lost its perimeter punch to graduation, but coach Mike Bailey has an impressive 1-2 punch inside with 6-7 senior RJ McPartlin and 6-7 junior Omar Ajanovic. They are both significantly improved and fresh off solid summers where they opened eyes.
How quickly perimeter players like point guard Steven Quach, shooters Jimmy Czeslawski and Joe Costanzo and last year’s sixth man, Maurice Neeley, acclimate themselves to bigger roles will determine if St. Pat’s can return to Champaign.
Palatine
Coach Eric Millstone’s team followed up the 2024 magical run, when the Pirates were the surprise of the year with a fourth-place finish in Class 4A that season, with a 19-win campaign a year ago.
The new landscape of the Mid-Suburban League will make it interesting — all the top teams and programs are together in one division — but the Pirates have five of their top seven players back.
Illinois football recruit, 6-4, 270-pound behemoth Tony Balanganayi, returns as an all-conference performer after averaging 14.4 points and 8.2 rebounds a game as a junior. Three-year starting guard Darrin Dick, 6-4 athlete Abram Williams, 6-5 junior Brady May and a healthy Will Santiago also return.
Hersey
Veteran coach Bob Widlowski begins his second season in charge. That alone should pay dividends for a talent-filled program looking to make a push in what is a pretty stacked and very competitive Mid-Suburban League West.
Charlie Pomis, who put up 16.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists last season, is a terrific starting point. He provides athleticism and fills the stat sheet. The 6-3 senior guard is one of several versatile players for veteran coach Bob Widlowski. Logan Luxem is another returning starter for a team that won 23 games a year ago.