SUMMER HEATED THEM UP
Expect some sizzle from these lesser-known players who elevated themselves during the offseason
The last time local high school basketball fans saw Christopher Kirkpatrick, the 6-2 guard was leading New Trier to a third-place finish in the Class 4A state finals in Champaign in March, having earlier drilled a dramatic three-pointer at the buzzer to beat Glenbrook North in the sectional title game.
As a sophomore, Kirkpatrick led the Trevians with 15 points per game while connecting on a whopping 90 three-pointers.
But an elbow injury in April halted his rise this spring, resulting in college coaches missing out on seeing him during the May “live” period. After also sitting out the high-profile Riverside-Brookfield Shootout, Kirkpatrick returned in late June and enjoyed quite a four-week run that helped put his name back on the radar.
“I stayed locked in the whole time, and once I got up to speed, I felt great out there,” Kirkpatrick said of his return. “Being out for close to two months was horrible. It sucked not being on the court. Makes you realize how much I play basketball and how much I love the game. I kept my habits and routines and used the time to work on different parts of my game.”
Kirkpatrick, whose skill, savvy and three-point numbers put him among the City/Suburban Hoops Report’s top 10 prospects in the junior class, impressed again in July while playing with Fundamental U on the Under Armour Rise circuit, picking up offers from Loyola, Wisconsin-Green Bay, New Orleans, UIC, Toledo and Brown. He also has been hearing from Northwestern, Wisconsin, Harvard, Princeton and Arizona State.
Besides Kirkpatrick, here are a few other unsung stars of the summer who are expected to build off their
strong offseasons — both on the floor this winter and in recruiting.
Aidan Bardic, Stevenson
The heady, 6-2 point guard understands his position, having put together a rocksolid junior season in which he averaged 14 points and four assists. But few envisioned the Division I interest and offers he would attract this summer.
As an orchestrator for both Stevenson and his Breakaway travel team, Bardic was selected to participate in the Under Armour Rise Underrated Showcase in North Carolina and received Division I offers from Denver and the Citadel, along with Division II offers from Rollins and Michigan Tech.
Bryce Wegrzyn, Libertyville
The versatile Wegrzyn showed steady improvement over his sophomore season with the Wildcats, averaging an impressive 17 points and eight rebounds. Late in the season, he scored a career-high 33 points in a 65-64 win over Waukegan — a prelude to the even bigger impression he made this summer with his Fundamental U team.
Wegrzyn can move his legit 6-8 frame while scoring in a variety of ways — including a three-point shot after spacing the floor. He made 25 threes as a sophomore as he became a more comfortable shooter.
Kassidy Nelson, Simeon
There isn’t a more under-the-radar player in the Simeon program than Nelson, a 6-5 shooting guard. But whether it was with the Wolverines or with the Meanstreets 16U team in July, he consistently has made an impact as a big, physical, improving perimeter player.
Nelson played a key role for coach Tim Flowers as a sophomore, regularly scoring in double figures. Look for him to be more pronounced and consistent as a junior.
Derek Bishop, Mundelein
Bishop, a big-bodied 6-2 guard, attracted attention as a freshman and has been an overlooked but productive player since. This past season, he pumped in more than 20 points per game for the Mustangs without much fanfare.
It was more of the same this summer for Bishop as he made key plays and was a consistent bucket for his travel team, Young & Reckless. He’s set for a big senior year as a small-school recruiting target.