SBLive All-Illinois Boys Basketball 2023: Jeremy Fears Jr., Dai Dai Ames, Brock Harding among headliners

POY Fears returned home for memorial senior season

Player of the Year

Jeremy Fears Jr.

Joliet West, senior, guard

Returned to his hometown from prep school for final season and averaged 19 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals per game. Michigan State signee also selected for prestigious McDonald's All-America Game.  

Coach of the Year

Jim Thomas, Downers Grove North

Led Trojans to a 32-5 record and fourth-place finish in Class 4A. Downers Grove North's memorable postseason run included victories over Proviso East, Young, Hinsdale Central and Kenwood.

SBLIVE ILLINOIS ALL-STATE BOYS BASKETBALL TEAMS

First Team

Darrin "Dai Dai" Ames | Kenwood | Guard | Sr.

Kansas State recruit averaged 21.4 points, 4.3 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game.

Cole Certa | Bloomington Central Catholic | Guard | Jr.

Notre Dame commit led Saints to a runner-up finish in Class 2A while averaging 26.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.

Cameron Christie | Rolling Meadows | Guard | Sr.

Minnesota recruit averaged 25 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists per game.

DeAndre Craig | Mount Carmel | Guard | Sr.

Denver recruit averaged 18 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals per game.

Owen Freeman | Moline | Center | Sr.

A 6-foot-11 Iowa recruit formed a potent 1-2 punch with Brock Harding to lead Moline to the Class 4A championship. Averaged 17.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.8 blocked shots and 2.4 assists per game.

Brock Harding | Moline | Guard | Sr.

Headed to Iowa like his teammate, Freeman, Harding had a remarkable senior campaign where he led Moline to the Class 4A title while averaging 18.3 points, 6.8 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game.

Morez Johnson | St. Rita | Center | Jr.

Illinois commit averaged 18 points, 11 rebounds and 2 blocked shots per game.

Macaleab Rich | East St. Louis | Guard | Sr.

Kansas State recruit led the Flyers to third place in Class 3A while averaging 20 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.

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Second Team

Mekhi Cooper | Bolingbrook | Guard | Sr.

Miami (Ohio) recruit averaged 19.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 4.4 apg, 3.1 spg.

Dalen Davis | Young | Guard | Sr,

Princeton recruit averaged 18 ppg, 5 apg, 4 rpg.

Jake Fiegen | New Trier | Guard | Sr.

Cornell recruit averaged 20 ppg, 7 rpg and 3 apg and shot 40% on 3-pointers.

Jalen Griffith | Simeon | Guard | Sr.

Jacksonville recruit led Wolverines to second in Class 3A in coach Robert Smith's final season. averaged 14.9 ppg, 7.1 apg, 2.1 rpg, 2.0 spg.

Ahmad Henderson | Brother Rice | Guard | Sr,

Niagara recruit averaged 16 ppg, 5 apg, 4 rpg.

Ty Pence | St. Joseph-Ogden | Guard | Sr.

Illinois State recruit. 26.6 ppg, 7 rpg, 2 apg, 1.9 spg.

Drew Scharnowski | Burlington Central | Forward | Sr.

Belmont recruit averaged 23.1 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 3.2 apg, 2.4 bpg.

Danny Stephens | Augusta Southeastern | Guard/Forward | Sr.

Missouri recruit averaged 29 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 2.1 spg, 1.1 bpg.

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Third Team

Jurrell Baldwin | Hyde Park | Forward | Jr.

Averaged 19 ppg, 13 rpg, 3 bpg.

Jeremiah Fears | Joliet West | Guard | Soph.

Teamed with brother, Jeremy Jr., and averaged 16 ppg, 5 rpg, 4 apg, 2 spg.

Zach Hawkinson | Sacred Heart-Griffin | Guard/Forward | Sr.

North Georgia recruit averaged 16.8 ppg, 9.8 rpg.

Nojus Indrusaitis | St. Rita | Guard | Jr.

Iowa State commit averaged 17 ppg, 4 rpg.

Daniel Johnson | Young | Forward | Sr.

Averaged 19 ppg, 9 rpg, 3 apg.

Cooper Koch | Peoria Notre Dame | Forward | Jr.

Iowa commit averaged 18.6 ppg, 8 rpg, 3.5 apg, 2.2 spg. Shot 40% on 3-pointers and 85% from the foul line.

Miles Rubin | Simeon | Guard/Forward | Sr.

Loyola recruit averaged 10.3 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 3.7 bpg.

Jack Stanton | Downers Grove North | Guard | Jr.

Averaged 16 ppg, 4 rpg, 2 apg, 2 spg and shot 42% on 3-pointers.

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