Henricksen: Previewing R-B Shootout, state’s best prep hoops summer event

The high school coaches will all tell you summer results don’t mean a thing. And they really don’t.

But they will also tell you this: The early summer action their teams get at the always strong Riverside-Brookfield Shootout each June sets the tone.

With so many top teams and players on hand at R-B, it’s an easy read for coaches –– and players –– in letting them know how far they still have to go before the season tips off in November. The early competition exposes the warts and what needs to be worked on.

While Michael O’Brien of the Sun-Times profiled the rise of the R-B Shootout earlier this week, here is a quick snapshot of this weekend’s event.

Where: Riverside-Brookfield High School

When: Saturday, June 4 and Sunday, June 5

Time: Games begin Saturday at 8 a.m. and run throughout the day on six courts with the final game tipping off at 5:00 p.m. Bracket play begins Sunday at 8:00 a.m. Championship bracket play starts at 10:30 a.m., with the title game set for 2:30 p.m.

Who: 40 teams from the city and suburbs.

Top 10 teams

Curie

Simeon

Morgan Park

Evanston

Young

Joliet West

Hillcrest

Stevenson

Kenwood

Marian Catholic

Top 10 players

Xavier Castaneda, 5-10, PG, Young (Jr.)

Ayo Dosunmu, 6-3, PG, Morgan Park (Jr.)

Nojel Eastern, 6-5, PG/2G, Evanston (Sr.)

Marcus Garrett, 6-1, PG/2G, Hillcrest (Sr.)

Evan Gilyard, 5-9, PG, Simeon (Sr.)

Talen Horton-Tucker, 6-4, WF, Simeon (Jr.)

Elijah Joiner, 6-2, PG/2G, Curie (Sr.)

Cameron Krutwig, 6-8, PF, Jacobs (Sr.)

Christian Negron, 6-6, PF, Larkin (Sr.)

Justin Smith, 6-6, WF, Stevenson (Sr.)

10 seniors ready to shine

Jimmy Sotos, 6-3, PG, Conant

Teyvion Kirk, 6-2, PG, Joliet West

Jaylan Catledge, 6-4, WF, Richards

Lucas Williamson, 6-4, WF, Young

Cameron Bowles, 6-5, WF, Homewood-Flossmoor

Cam Gross, 6-5, WF, Oak Park-River Forest

Jalen Clanton, 5-11, PG/2G, Riverside-Brookfield

Ramar Evans, 6-2, PG, Loyola Academy

Jacob Keller, 6-2, PG/2G/WF, Fenwick

T.J. Clifford, 6-5, PF, Downers Grove South

Young ones to watch

Marquise Walker, 5-10, PG, St. Joseph

Kejuan Clements, 6-0, PG, Simeon

Perry Cowan, 6-4, 2G/WF, DePaul College Prep

Isaac Stanback, 6-3, WF, Hillcrest

Five Saturday pool play games of intrigue and why

▪ Evanston vs. Conant, 8 a.m.

Arguably the best team outside the top 10 listed above is Conant, led by rising senior guard Jimmy Sotos and 6-7 junior Ryan Davis. The best team in the Mid-Suburban League gets a crack at Evanston and Nojel Eastern in this early morning battle.

▪ Hillcrest vs. Downers Grove South, 8 a.m.

Hillcrest won 23 games and Downers South won 21 last season. Both return a bundle of talent. Hillcrest is led by senior guard Marcus Garrett and sophomore Isaac Stanback, while DGS returns the senior tandem of Denis Alibegovic and T.J. Clifford.

▪ Marian Catholic vs. Jacobs, 12 noon

Although Marian Catholic took a slight hit with the loss to T.J. Smith, who is transferring to a prep school and reclassifying to the Class of 2018, the Spartans will still be an East Suburban Catholic Conference favorite. Jacobs boasts the Cameron Krutwig and returns a ton from a regional title team.

▪ Morgan Park vs. Oak Park-River Forest, 12 noon

After playing behind POY Charlie Moore for a year and following a breakout spring on the AAU circuit, Ayo Dosunmu, the top Class of 2018 prospect in the Chicago area, is set to shine. Meanwhile, OPRF returns Cam Gross and Jared Scott.

▪ Kenwood vs. St. Joseph, 12 noon

These two teams lost their big-named stars –– gone are St. Joe’s Nick Rakocevic (USC) and Kenwood’s Nick Robinson (St. Joseph) –– but have a surplus of young talent stockpiled. It will be interesting to see where these two teams stand after those big personnel losses. But both should be preseason top 25 teams when the season begins.