Jaeden King of St. Xavier gets ready to score one of his 39 points against Trinity Christian College on Nov. 30. Photo by Jeff Vorva
Local Hoops Wrap: Transfers shining for Saint Xavier in early going
By Jeff Vorva
Staff Writer
The transfer portal is turning college athletics upside down, and Saint Xavier men’s basketball coach Robert Ford is enjoying it.
And taking advantage of it.
Jaeden King came to SXU in 2021 after transferring from NCAA Division II Tiffin University. Prior to that he played at Western Illinois.
He is the Cougars’ top scorer this year, averaging 20.8 points per game, and had a career-high 39 in a 95-79 victory over Trinity Christian on Nov. 30.
The top five scorers on the Cougars roster are transfers from either junior colleges or four-year schools.
“This is the trend and the way things are going, and I’ve kind of embraced it,” Ford said. “I’ve had stops as a [junior college] coach and Division II coach. I’ve been recruiting transfers and I’ve had transfers and people recruiting my guys, so I know what to look for with guys coming from good programs and coaches that I respect giving good recommendations.
“You do your due diligence, and you go from there. It’s working out for us so far.”
Through 11 games, the Cougars were 8-3 with a 6-1 mark in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference.
King, a 6-foot-6 senior guard with a year of eligibility after this season, went wild against Trinity (3-5, 1-4), hitting four 3-pointers early in the game and closing the game with two slam dunks.
“Last year, he had a rough go with an ankle injury,” Ford said of King. “He had a good summer working on his game, came in focused this season and it’s paying off.”
Trinity’s trio of Troy Glover (24 points), Michael Wright Jr. (23) and John Cison (21) led the Trolls.
“[King] had a career night and I give all the credit to him — he played well,” TCC coach Jason Hawkins said. “We have to tighten up our defense. We played hard and our effort was there we just have to play better defensively.”
Moraine Valley women’s basketball coach Delwyn Jones was presented with an award on Thursday for earning a spot in the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Photo by Jeff Vorva
MVCC’s Jones joins Hall
Moraine Valley Community College women’s coach Delwyn Jones was named to the 2023 class of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
“I want to thank the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association for not only honoring me but more importantly for looking at the junior college level,” Jones said. “A lot of times organizations don’t value the juco level and there is a very good basketball here.”
This is Jones’ 23rd season with the Cyclones and has racked up more than 400 victories and led the team to two National Junior College Athletic Association tournament appearances.
Former Richards star player Dwyane Wade was also named to the Hall.
Sandburg and Oak Lawn play with the Chicago skyline in the background on Saturday at the 167 N. Green St. facility in the city. Photo courtesy of Sandburg High School
Sky scraping
The Sandburg and Oak Lawn girls basketball teams played a neutral-site game on Saturday on the 17th-floor of the 167 N. Green St. office tower in Chicago’s Fulton Market district.
The Eagles won the non-conference matchup, 47-39. The game was played on a court with one side of the gym enclosed in windows and offering a view of the Chicago skyline.
Juliana Paddock led the Eagles (5-2) with 15 points while Josie Canellis added 12 and Noor Ali seven.
Rose Salvagio scored 12 points for Oak Lawn (2-4). Teagan Krzystof added 10.
Climbing steep Hill
Fresh off an impressive victory over Mount Carmel to win the Spartan-Ram Classic, Oak Lawn took on the Association Press’s No. 5 Class 3A team in the state, Hillcrest, in a South Suburban Conference crossover game.
The Spartans (5-1) were within seven points of the Hawks heading into the fourth quarter but fell, 69-53.
Corey Lee led Oak Lawn with 15 points and Xavier Sulaiman had 14.
Mark the calendar
In the AP’s girls’ rankings, Nazareth was ranked first in Class 3A and Benet was ranked first in Class 4A.
Both powerhouses are in the East Suburban Catholic Conference. Their league showdown opens the 2023 portion of the schedule in style with a Jan. 4 meeting in LaGrange Park.
Last year, the Roadrunners finished second in the state in Class 3A.
Local News
Sorry, we couldn't find any posts. Please try a different search.
Neighbors
As state continues to inventory lead pipes, full replacement deadlines are decades away
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois Clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com Lead pipes in public water systems and drinking fixtures have been banned in new construction since 1986, when Congress amended the Safe Drinking Water Act, but they are still in use across the U.S. and in Illinois. The presence of lead pipes has persisted due in part to…
Capitol Briefs: State unveils report on racial disparities among homeless populations
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com Tackling homelessness requires addressing racial injustice, according to a new report commissioned by the state’s Office to Prevent and End Homelessness. The report found that Black people are eight times more likely to experience homelessness than white people. Remedying this disparity, according to the report, would require “long-term…
Flooding is Illinois’ Most Threatening Natural Disaster. Are We Prepared?
by Meredith Newman, Illinois Answers Project April 16, 2024 This story was originally published by the Illinois Answers Project. The electricity in Mary Buchanan’s home in West Garfield Park was not working – again. The outage lasted four days, starting just after a crew dug up her front lawn to install a check valve in…
Bears pitch $3.2B stadium plan, but Pritzker still ‘skeptical’ despite team’s $2B pledge
By DILPREET RAJU & JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com The Chicago Bears laid out a $3.2 billion plan for a new domed stadium on Chicago’s lakefront on Wednesday afternoon, painting pictures of future Super Bowls and other major public events while pinning their hopes on yet-to-be-had conversations with the governor and lawmakers. The Bears…
Regulators weigh future of gas industry in Illinois, while clamping down on Chicago utility
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – Natural gas is fueling a fight between consumer advocates, a powerful utility company and the state. Amid competing advertising campaigns, accusations of mismanagement and state decarbonization efforts, the Illinois Commerce Commission is starting a process that will shape how the state regulates the increasingly controversial industry. …
Komatsu mining truck named 2024 ‘coolest thing made in Illinois’
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois Clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A mining truck manufactured by Komatsu was crowned the winner of the 2024 “Makers Madness” contest, earning the title of “the coolest thing made in Illinois” at the Governor’s Mansion Wednesday. The truck was one of more than 200 entries in the 5th annual contest hosted…
Giannoulias calls for disclosure of lobbyist contracts
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – For decades, lobbyists in the Illinois Statehouse have been required to report how much they spend wining, dining and entertaining lawmakers. Currently, though, there is no law requiring lobbyists to disclose how much they are paid by corporations, industry groups or other special interest organizations. That…
Illinois Senate advances changes to state’s biometric privacy law after business groups split
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – It’s been more than a year since the Illinois Supreme Court “respectfully suggest(ed)” state lawmakers clarify a law that’s led to several multi-million-dollar settlements with tech companies over the collection of Illinoisans’ biometric data. On Thursday, a bipartisan majority in the Illinois Senate did just that,…
Illinoisans can now get documents notarized online
By ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com Illinoisans who need a notary public can now access those services online through a new “E-Notary” portal launched by the secretary of state’s office. This process is one of the latest initiatives of Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’ ongoing effort to modernize the office and its services. Notaries…
Prairie Band Potawatomi becomes 1st federally recognized tribe in Illinois
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com Nearly 200 years after Native Americans were forced out of Illinois, the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation has become the first federally recognized tribal nation in the state after a decision from the U.S. Department of the Interior last week. The move represents the first victory in the tribe’s…