New Year's Resolutions

Always operating in a quiet fashion, Simeon's 6'6" do everything forward
has let his play do the talking for 7-3 Simeon after upsetting West Aurora.

Team/Player/Coach	Resolution	Explanation
Richard McBride	Have Patience	His Springfield Lanphier ball club has struggled out of the blocks with a 7-5 mark (after going 32-2 last year with a second place Class AA finish). Most recently, the Lions got blown out of the water by Limestone for fifth place at Pekin. Struggling to stay at .500, McBride won't have those worries next year when he joins the red-hot Illini.
Jimmie Miles	Thank the IHSA	After transferring from Homewood Christian to Rich Central after classes began this year, the IHSA initially ruled Miles ineligible. Since challenging it, the decision has been overturned. After joining the Olympians, they have gone 4-1 with a third place trophy from the Big Dipper.
Robinson	Pack Its Bags	With a 15-0 record the Maroons are the consensus No. 1 Class A team and all signs are pointing for them to have a repeat appearance in Peoria at the Elite Eight in March.
Bob Darling & Mike Flaherty	Thank Pekin for Hospitality	Both coaches joined the Pekin Holiday Tournament this year and enjoyed the experience so much, they are certain to make a return trip. Flaherty led Thornridge to the title, while Darling helped guide Peoria Richwoods to second place.
Gary Meyer	Retire More Often	Since announcing his retirement for after this season, his Blazing Trojans have started the year 11-2 with a second place finish at the Big Dipper. Without any "superstars" this year, Coach Meyer's team has far surpassed the mark of last year's squad with a boat full of Division I talent.
Travon Wiley	Lead State in Scoring (... three years in a row?)	The 5'10" sophomore is keeping the scoreboard operators at Class A Lovejoy in Southern Illinois hard at work. To the tune of 30 points per game, he has the highest average in Illinois.
Peoria Central	Thank Rival Schools	The Lions are off to an 11-1 start, with the only blemish coming from Limestone, and it wouldn't have all been possible if Shaun Livingston and Brandon Lee wouldn't have transferred from fellow Mid-State 6 schools Peoria Central and Peoria Manual, respectively.
Springfield Southeast	Give Ty a Hug	The Spartans have struggled (fifth place at Bloomington), since losing their star point guard Ty Johnson, a 5'11" senior, with a dislocated shoulder. Averaging 16 points, five assists and four steals a game, Johnson is expected back in 4-5 weeks.
Justin Cerasoli & Shaun Pruitt	Get Well Soon	West Aurora lost to a Simeon team that shouldn't have beat them in the finals at Pontiac. Without its star juniors, Cerasoli and Pruitt, the Blackhawks may see a few more bumps in the road until they get back.
Normal Community	Keep Doing What its Doing	The Ironmen have shown strong resistance against some of the state's best, with a Bloomington showing that produced wins over Rockford Boylan, Springfield Southeast and St. Rita, before falling to undefeated Thornwood in the finals.
Jonathan Blakley	Ditch the Crutches	Evanston, while facing a tough schedule, has slipped to a 7-4 record without the presence of the big fella in the middle. The 6'7" senior is expected back in three weeks.
Von Steuben	Win Some Games	The much-hyped Panthers have struggled, but have faced the toughest schedule in the state. With Red North Conference games coming up, filling up the win column shouldn't be a problem for young Von Steuben (4-6), which recently won the consolation title at Proviso West.
Thornwood	Drink Milk	The Thunderbirds are undefeated (12-0), but may have trouble matching up with taller teams down the stretch. Their tallest starter, Maurice Montgomery, is only 6'3" and he plays on the perimeter.
Crane	Keep Everyone Eligible	The undefeated Cougars are easily one of the state's most talented teams, but have had trouble keeping everyone on the court whether it be academic or disciplinary problems.
St. Rita	Get Everything to Click	Easier said than done, the Mustangs (8-5) struggled to a fourth place finish at Bloomington with losses to Lincoln and Normal. With three Division I players and an all-senior starting lineup something needs to happen, and quick.
Simeon	Let Everyone Know We're for Real	Led by 6'6" senior DaShawn Walker (pictured), Simeon (7-3) won the Pontiac Tournament by defeating West Aurora, but it wasn't any fluke. While West Aurora is missing two starters, Simeon is no joke after nearly topping Crane, 74-67, on Thursday. Junior Calvin Brock, a 6'5" wing forward, has stepped up his play big time after coming off the bench for the Wolverines earlier this season.