High school basketball: Young’s Daniel Johnson dominates, Hinsdale Central emerges, holidays deliver

There are very few uncommitted Division I senior prospects remaining on the board. But the state’s best one, Young’s Daniel Johnson, only enhanced his stock over the holidays.

Johnson was sensational in Young’s semifinal win over St. Rita at the Proviso West Holiday Tournament. He scored 25 points and looked the part of a smooth scorer playing with a ton of confidence.

He followed it up with a team-high 16 points and six rebounds in the 58-55 title game victory over Kenwood.

The 6-6 Johnson was still efficient while being a marked man. In those two massive wins over teams ranked in the top five, Johnson was 15 of 28 from the field with five three-pointers. He averaged 21.5 points and seven rebounds in the four tournament wins.

After an up-and-down summer during the evaluation periods, Johnson, the Proviso West Holiday Tournament MVP, is playing the best basketball of his career. He has taken a big step forward with his consistency and production while playing the part of a bonafide mid-major prospect.

As a result, the tandem of point guard Dalen Davis and Johnson has Young right back as city and state contenders once again.

While there is still a lot of basketball to be played, if Young were to get through what will be a very challenging sectional, it’s likely either Kenwood or St. Rita will be waiting for the Dolphins in the UIC super-sectional in March.

Hinsdale Central emerges

The West Suburban Silver, dominated by Glenbard West a year ago, was expected to be a two-team race featuring Lyons and Downers Grove North. Both Lyons and Downers Grove North have lived up to the preseason expectations thus far, going a combined 23-2 to start the season.

But after what transpired over the holidays, might Hinsdale Central be ready to join them?

Fresh off winning their own Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic for the first time, coach Nick Latorre’s team heads into the new year with a full head of steam and boiling over in confidence. Hinsdale Central is a different team than it was just a month ago.

Led by tournament MVP Ben Oosterbaan, the Red Devils knocked off ranked Oswego East, a team it fell to by 10 points over Thanksgiving. The tournament run included wins over Homewood-Flossmoor and Marian Catholic as the 6-4 Oosterbaan, a Michigan baseball recruit, averaged 21.3 points and 7.8 rebounds.

Hinsdale Central will get a shot at Lyons Jan. 20.

Holiday success story

This holiday basketball season packed a punch.

The crowds at each stop over the final couple of days were lively, filling gyms at the State Farm Classic, Big Dipper, Pontiac, Proviso West and York tournaments.

There was a star player in Cameron Christie who dazzled and impressed while leading his team to five wins in five days at York.

The top uncommitted seniors, the aforementioned Johnson and Simeon’s Jalen Griffith, did everything in their power to garner more college interest while leading their teams; they both won tournament awards and titles.

There was an emotional sendoff for Robert Smith who won a tournament title in his final year coaching in Pontiac — Simeon’s “second home.”

Chicago area teams made deep runs in traditional tournaments across the state. Mount Carmel beat highly-regarded Moline to win at Pekin. Lincoln-Way East rolled to a championship in Effingham and returned 14-1. Both Evanston and Romeoville reached title games at Centralia and the State Farm Classic in Bloomington, respectively, where they finished second.

And there were surprises, upsets and statements from unlikely sources. Hello, Hinsdale Central, Libertyville and Grayslake Central.

This past week has certainly set a tone for what should be as intriguing of a final two months of high school basketball as we’ve had in Illinois in years.

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