While the number of referees in Illinois has declined in nearly every year since 2012, a trend accelerated by the pandemic, at the same time, the IHSA has seen substantial growth in the number of referees ages 17-19 over the past decade

The Hazelett family will impact multiple Kankakee sports this year. Father, Ed, is the new football coach while son, EJ, is an Indiana state basketball commit.

While the Land of Lincoln has its share of Bulldogs, Eagles, Tigers and other standard nicknames, we also have some more unusual prep mascots. Here are the stories behind some of the most interesting ones

Oswego East senior guard Mason Lockett, one of the state's top prospects in the Class of 2026, made his verbal commitment to DePaul on Sunday.

Kankakee basketball star Lincoln Williams was alongside Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo in a shoe commercial for Nike's newly-released Giannis Freak 7's.

Riverside-Brookfield senior forward Colin Cimino is on the right track toward a promising future in hoops. He gained valuable experience last season for the Bulldogs, carving his teeth on the varsity with several starts in the second half.

Glenbard West senior Josh Abushanab showcased his improved game during the spring and summer, and now appears poised to take the next step to lead the Hilltoppers

Woodland's Nick Plesko has committed to continue his education at Monmouth College and his basketball career with the Fighting Scots.

Tim Lowry, a 1969 Yorkville graduate and boys basketball scorekeeper since 1999, is being remembered as a "Yorkville Fox, through and through" who was loved by everybody. Lowry died on July 16 at the age of 73. "It's going to be different without him."

Downers Grove North junior Colin Doyle is set to make his mark another sport this season. An established pitcher in baseball with next-level potential, the 6-foot-6 Doyle is looking to make waves in basketball. He was one of the Trojans' standouts during the June period.

Glenbard East senior guard Michael Nee is one of several experienced returners from last year's Upstate Eight Conference and regional champs. After an impressive 27-2 June, the Rams are ready to make noise this coming season.

Ethan Vahl and his coach both agree that his first instinct is to pass the ball. But Vahl can also fill it up. The Oswego rising sophomore guard provided the latest evidence to that effect with a 40-point game the last weekend of June at the Romeoville Live Summer Shootout.

Mason Lockett did not get the maximum opportunity last season to showcase himself as one of Illinois’ top prospects in the Class of 2026. He’s back now, however. That’s good news for Oswego East.

Lemont's boys basketball team will feature an entirely new starting five this season, with big graduation losses and the transfer of Gabe Sularski. But the team, led by senior guard Ryan Crane and junior guard Zane Schneider, has shown progress this summer.

Kaneland senior Freddy Hassan, who led the basketball team to 31 straight wins and their first sectional title since 1982 and took second place in the high jump at the boys track and field state meet, is the Kane County Chronicle 2024-25 Male Athlete of the Year.

Braydon Porter and Joey Jakstys’ assimilation to varsity basketball last season at Yorkville was gradual, but the two talented rising sophomores appear primed to lead the Foxes after putting their their names on the map with their performances at June live events.

Benet 7-foot senior center Colin Stack hopes to lead the Redwings to a second straight Class 4A state championship this season and collect numerous Division I offers along the way. Stack is up to five offers after an impressive June.

Check out some photos from the past year of Davon Grant, 2025 Daily Chronicle Boys Athlete of the Year.

Gabe Sularski transferred from Benet to Lemont last season. The top-rated boys basketball prospect in Illinois for 2026 is now transferring to Layton Christian Academy in Utah

Recent Seneca High School graduate Sebastian Deering has committed to continue his education at Aurora University and his basketball career at the NCAA Division III level with the Spartans.

Former Harvest Christian Academy boys basketball coach Lafeyette Bell has been named the new coach at Marian Central. Bell led Harvest Christian to 21 wins and a Class 1A regional championship in 2024.

After a fourth straight 20-win season and graduation of the winningest class in school history, DeKalb is officially in rebuild mode. The Barbs have spent the summer breaking in a new group of underclassmen.

Sycamore's boys basketball team, which is coming off its best record since 2001-02, has dedicated this summer to chasing another dominant season.

Yorkville Christian guard Jayden Riley is enjoying a breakout summer, with up to six scholarship offers after his performances at Riverside-Brookfield and Romeoville. Riley, last year's Record Newspapers Player of the Year, has set lofty goals for his senior season.

Jeremy Fears Jr., a Joliet West alum and current Michigan State basketball star, threw out the ceremonial first pitch Friday at the Chicago White Sox game against the San Francisco Giants. Fears is a part of local NIL initiative funded by the White Sox.

Here is a look back at the top boys basketball players in the Sauk Valley area for the 2024-25 season.

As an encore to a stellar junior season when he scored more points than any Dixon player, Darius Harrington obliterated his own scoring record on his way to taking over the top spot on the Dukes’ all-time scoring list. He is the 2024-25 SVM Player of the Year.

Jeremiah Fears, who spent the first two years of his high school career playing for Joliet West, was a star for Oklahoma last year and will now play alongside Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy. Fears was selected seventh overall in Wednesday's NBA Draft by the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Sycamore boys basketball team took on Marmion Friday in the DeKalb Live summer tournament at DeKalb High School.

The DeKalb boys basketball team took on Streamwood Friday in the DeKalb Live summer boys basketball tournament at the high school.

The 32-team Morris Boys Shootout, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, has been canceled due to the expected heat

Rick Peterson resigned as boys basketball coach at Marian Central after one season and was officially named the Alden-Hebron coach this week. Peterson previously coached the Giants for three years.

The IHSA on Tuesday announced that the boys and girls basketball state tournaments will change their format, reverting to a similar schedule used when the single-weekend format was introduced in 2022 until 2024.

Reed-Custer High School was the site of the Braidwood Shootout on Wednesday and Thursday, where 32 teams faced off for a little summer basketball action.

After back-to-back 20-win seasons, the Indian Creek boys basketball team is ready to push things to the next level. Whether that’s a regional title, a Little 10 championship or more, the players know the groundwork starts in the summer.

Hinckley-Big Rock will return most of its rotation next season, losing only two starters from last year Little 10 and regional champion squad to graduation. Those two players combined to average 38.4 points, 16.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game.

Bishop McNamara’s Trinity Davis, Kankakee’s TaLeah Turner, Bradley-Bourbonnais’ Nick Allen, Watseka’s Megan Martin and Reed-Custer’s Jacob Reardon all participated in the IBCA All-Star Games on Pontiac in Saturday.

The Hinckley-Big Rock and Indian Creek boys basketball teams met Monday night in a summer basketball matchup.

The Hiawatha boys basketball team is coming of its winningest season since 2003-04. The Hawks are hoping to build off their 10 wins and change the program's reputation led by double-double machine Aidan Cooper.

Former McHenry boys basketball coach Tim Paddock has been named the new coach at Woodstock North. He has not coached since stepping down at McHenry in 2017.

ESPN on Monday releases a revised projection for the 2025 NBA Draft, now forecasting Joliet native Jeremiah Fears as a top-five selection

Wheaton North's volleyball team won a three-set thriller over Prospect to take the Fremd Invite title on Saturday.

Benet senior guard Blake Fagbemi, who helped lead the Redwings to the first state championship in school history in March, announced on Wednesday that he will continue his playing career at Illinois.

Peyton Wyatt, previously the associate head coach of the Elmhurst University men’s basketball team, has been named the new head boys basketball coach at Timothy Christian.

Jimmy Roberts was already a longtime teacher and basketball coach at Algonquin's Jacobs High School when he decided to take on a new role, as girls flag football coach for the newly formed team.

Lincoln-Way East's Rich Kolimas taught English and coached the boys basketball team for 23 years. Now, he's putting away the playbook while leaving the door open for future opportunities in the classroom

After leading the Putnam County girls basketball program for 10 years, Jared Sale is taking over the PC boys program.

Eastland's Adam Awender was named MVP of the boys game after scoring 33 points at the Jim Shaw All-Star Classic on Sunday. Morrison's Camryn Veltrop scored 20 points in the girls game.

Seneca High School on Monday announced the hiring of Nathaniel Meiss as the Fighting Irish's next head varsity boys basketball coach.

Luke Yaklich was the head coach at Joliet West from 2007-2013 before heading to the collegiate level. After four years as the head coach at UIC, Yaklich is now returning to the high school level as the coach for Lincoln-Way East.