School: St. Charles North
2018-19 record: 14-18 (5-9 in DuKane)
Postseason results: Lost to Rockford East in Class 4A sectional semifinals.
Players to watch: Center Connor Linke was a breakout player this offseason as the 6-foot-9 big man committed to Bradley. Linke is a strong pick-and-roll big man with good timing on defense. Seniors Luke Scheffers and Christian Czerniak form one of the area's better backcourts as both of them hold Division II offers and acclaim. The trio all looked strong this summer as St. Charles North played well during June.
Why they're in the power rankings: This ranking could be a bit aggressive for a team coming off a 14-win season. But the North Stars have the inside-outside talent to compete with most teams in the area. Linke has emerged as a premier big man while the backcourt provides leadership and skill. This is a team that played Bloom close this summer among a number of other strong June performances. St. Charles North has a high ceiling this season.
Did you know? Last season's regional title was only the third in program history for St. Charles North as expectations will be to match that and go further next season. The North Stars also only have one 20-win season (2009) in program history as they also shoot for that win mark.