Perhaps the most productive, no-named player in the area is Plainfield North’s Jeffrey Fleming.
The 6-4 senior has been putting up some whopping numbers all season, averaging 21 points and 10 rebounds a game while chipping in two steals and two assists a game. He was a first-team all-tournament selection at Pontiac in December where he led the tournament in scoring and was second in rebounding.
Fleming, who has already surpassed 1,000 career points, is the program’s all-time leading rebounder.
He plays bigger than his size and his offensive prowess is unique, showcasing a variety of ways of scoring. He’s a strong finisher at the basket while having a mid-range, pull-up game to go with it. He’s capable of dropping in a three and he lives at the free-throw line where he’s shooting 83 percent.
Catholic White talk
Almost all of the Catholic League talk this season has been centered on the big, bad Blue Division. There have been six teams from the Catholic League Blue ranked at some point this season, including four currently: Mount Carmel, DePaul Prep, Brother Rice and Loyola.
But over in the Catholic League’s White Division, a pair of teams are quietly building their case and poised to grab their own headlines in the coming weeks.
St. Laurence and Wheaton St. Francis are on a collision course. They are both unbeaten in league play and will be among the top seeds in the Hinsdale South Sectional next month. Both will host regionals and should be in a position to avoid playing Mount Carmel, a heavy sectional favorite, in a regional title game.
St. Laurence possessed the most firepower in the league coming into the season and was favored. The Vikings, however, started the season slow, played better in the second half and have ground through a difficult non-conference schedule.
Coach Byron Burt has relied on three double-figure scorers in junior guard Zerrick Johnson (15.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg), Denver recruit Josh Pickett (14.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg) and Brad Stratton (12.2 ppg).
St. Francis, meanwhile, is making a push, thanks to the arrival of transfer Kelton McEwen. He arrived from Bartlett after three highly productive seasons there. The senior guard is averaging just over 16 points a game and chipping in six rebounds, three assists and three steals a game.
What appears to be the game of the year in the Catholic League White isn’t until Feb. 9 when St. Francis travels to St. Laurence.
Ian Miletic rolling on
The breakout season of Ian Miletic of Rolling Meadows has added more steam.
The 6-7 forward emerged as one of the City/Suburban Hoops Report’s handful of top prospects in the Class of 2025, thanks to an impressive early-season showing. While Miami-Ohio offered in December, the recruiting interest has quickly jumped a level. Miletic has become the hottest name in recruiting circles the past couple of weeks among players in the Class of 2025.
Marquette coach Shaka Smart and Illinois coach Brad Underwood came to watch Miletic recently and extended offers. Purdue, Northwestern, Minnesota and Notre Dame have been involved and either have been in to see him or are coming shorty to evaluate.
Miletic is averaging 20 points and 11 rebounds a game. With his size and sneaky athleticism, it’s been Miletic’s confidence and, particularly his shooting, that has taken his game to new heights. Through the Mustangs’ 17-7 start, he’s shooting a red-hot 49 percent (65 of 131) from the three-point line.