Area teams get summer basketball work in at Braidwood Shootout

BRAIDWOOD − Plenty of summer action took place Wednesday and Thursday as 32 boys basketball teams took part in the Braidwood Shootout, with many seeing their first game action of the summer as they look to set the tone for the 2025-26 season.

Across Reed-Custer High School, Middle School and the adjoining field house, four courts saw constant game play over the two-day event.

Bishop McNamara looks to follow up Sweet 16 season

Bishop McNamara, like most teams at the shootout, heads into the summer looking to fill the gaps left by recently graduated seniors. After reaching the Sweet 16 a season ago, the Fightin’ Irish will be without seven seniors, including three starters in Willie Felton, Trey Provost and Cole Czako.

But a healthy group of battle-tested players return, including starters in guard Karter Krutsinger and forward Callaghan O’Connor. O’Connor will be back for his fourth season starting for the Irish, leading a sizable senior class that, despite not playing together much at the high school level yet, had plenty of time together on the state champion eighth grade team in 2022.

“Consistently, we haven’t played together since eighth grade,” O’Connor said. “It’s really fun getting back out there with my fellow seniors. It’s fun to play in the summer too, because there’s no pressure. You’re just trying to win, play well and have fun.”

New coach brings on new era for Seneca

This summer is shaping up to be an important one for the Fighting Irish of Seneca, as well. These Irish have a new head coach in Nathaniel Meiss, coming off a 16-year stint at El Paso-Gridley.

They will also be without prolific point guard and the program’s all-time leading scorer Paxton Giertz, who graduated last month.

“We’ve got some guys with experience, but they’ve played off of Paxton Giertz,” Meiss said. “I think that’s a learning process. Whenever you lose a really good player, especially a really good point guard, it’s a reset for everyone.”

With Meiss being on the job for just over a month, he and the team are in the process of adjusting to each other. Despite that, he said he likes what he’s seen.

Plenty of gaps to fill for Woodland

Seneca placed first in the Tri-County Conference last season. The conference’s third-place team, Woodland, is coming off consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 2010 and 2011. The team’s lone returning starter, Nolan Price, said he likes what the team has shown so far this summer.

“We’re moving the ball really well and we look really good,” he said. “We have a few younger guys, and we’ve got to shape them into the varsity level. Once that happens, we’ll be pretty good.”

Wilmington looks to gain summer experience

Wilmington also is coming off consecutive winning seasons for the first time in over a decade and third-place conference finish in the Illinois Central Eight Conference.

Head coach Doug Krop said events like the Braidwood Shootout can be helpful for teams looking to expose themselves to different types of opponents.

“Some of these teams we’re playing are different styles than we might see in conference, so it’s good to come here and play other people,” he said. “We’re just trying to get everyone a little more acclimated to each other and just some more experience.”

Momence to lean on seniors for bounce-back year

Momence got off to a strong start last season before finishing at 10-17 overall. Experienced returners D’Angelo Hundley and Erick Castillo will lead a six-player senior class as Momence looks to bounce back from consecutive sub-.500 seasons.

“I’m excited for my senior year,” Castillo said. “I feel like we’re all excited. We’ve got to finish [the summer] strong and I think we’re all ready for the season to come.”

Beecher searching for offseason growth

Beecher finished last season 18-13 overall and third in the River Valley Conference standings. Incoming senior Dominick DeFrank said the team has their aim on getting back above the 20-win mark.

“I’m looking forward to watching the whole team grow and get better during the summer,” he said. “Just do better than we did last year and keep holding that high standard that we have for ourselves.”