With the IHSA boys basketball season beginning this week, it's time to take a look at the preseason All-Area team.
Since college basketball compiles a preseason All-American team, we thought it might be fun to make a preaseason All-Area team.
The list is filled with a lot of talented players as individual and team success is factored into the discussion. This list will obviously look far different when the postseason version comes out, but this is a good group of players to keep track of during the 2016-17 season.
FIRST TEAM
Ayo Dosunmu, Morgan Park junior guard -- The state's top junior is Morgan Park's go-to guy this season. The 6-foot-3 Dosunmu can handle the ball, distribute, score and is one of the city's premier perimeter defenders.
Nojel Eastern, Evanston senior guard -- Recently committed to Purdue, the 6-foot-5 guard averaged 14.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. Eastern was a finalist for the USA Basketball U17 world championship team this summer.
Justin Smith, Stevenson senior wing -- Committed to Indiana, the 6-foot-7 Smith is one of the area's most prolific scorers. Smith put up 17 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game as a junior while shooting 52.2 percent from the field.
Alonzo Verge, Thornton senior guard -- Returning to Illinois for his senior season is this high-scoring guard. At Willowbrook as a sophomore, Verge averaged 23 points, five rebounds and three assists per game as he's potentially the area's best scorer. Also the area's top uncommitted player.
Cameron Krutwig, Jacobs senior center -- The Loyola commit is a strong interior presence at both ends for the Golden Eagles as he's skilled and productive. As a junior, the 6-foot-9 Krutwig averaged 17.7 points, 12.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.6 blocks per game while shooting 65 percent from the floor.
SECOND TEAM
Evan Gilyard, Simeon senior guard -- The UTEP commit should get more of a chance to put up points this season as he averaged 13.5 points and 3.2 assists per game. Gilyard is also one of the area's best three-point shooters at 49 percent from the field.
Teyvion Kirk, Joliet West senior guard -- Coming off of a strong summer, this Drake commit makes an impact on both ends of the floor. The 6-foot-3 Kirk put up 12.5 points, 4.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game as a junior and was an All-Southwest Suburban Blue selection.
Demarius Jacobs, Uplift senior guard -- One of the city's best players, the 6-foot-3 Jacobs averaged 19 points, six rebounds and four assists last season. Jacobs is committed to Southern Illinois.
Elijah Joiner, Curie senior guard -- A state champion with Curie last season, the Tulsa commit averaged 11.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 49 percent from the floor and 36 percent from three-point range.
Nana Akenten, Bolingbrook senior forward -- The Nebraska commit had a strong junior year, putting up 12.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game as he shot 46 percent from the field. The 6-foot-6 Akenten is also one of the area's best dunkers.
THIRD TEAM
Jimmy Sotos, Conant senior guard -- After leading Conant to Supersectional play in Class 4A, this Bucknell commit is back for his senior season. The 6-foot-2 Sotos put up 156 points and 4.5 assists while shooting 47 percent from the field.
Jacob Keller, Fenwick senior guard -- Also the quarterback of Fenwick's Class 8A semifinal team, the 6-foot-4 Keller is a Division I prospect in basketball. Keller averaged 10.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.9 steals per game while shooting 54 percent from the field as a junior.
P.J. Pipes, Lemont senior guard -- This underrated senior guard is committed to Wisconsin-Green Bay as Pipes put up 20 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game last season. If this All-South Suburban Blue selection can get more assists, he could be a sleeper Player of the Year candidate.
Marco Pettinato, Lincoln-Way West senior guard -- The leader of a surprising Class 3A finalist last season, Pettinato was one of the area's best scorers last season as he averaged 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game as a junior. Without Jon Marotta, Pettinato could score in bunches.
Manny Patterson, North Lawndale senior center -- One of the area's best big men should get more of a spotlight on him with Nick Robinson and Zion Morgan both moving on. A varsity player since he was a freshman, Patterson is a dynamic talent on both ends of the floor.