Simeon’s weekend sweep over a pair of out-of-state foes, particularly Imhotep Charter, a nationally-ranked powerhouse out of Philadelphia, is another example of coach Robert Smith’s often overlooked impact on the state’s premier program.
There has always been an abundance of talent at Simeon in Smith’s 19 years as head coach. While Smith has won big with Division I players, including a couple of generational high school talents in Derrick Rose and Jabari Parker, he’s also shown to be a coach who has a unique way of keeping good and great teams all on the same page.
Smith understands and thrives in managing talent. He keeps egos and all different personalities in check. He massages any potential friction when it pops up among a team full of individual talent. Whether fans — or even other coaches — want to believe it, that part of coaching is an art and not for everyone.
When talking with a head coach of another high-profile team in the Chicago area recently, he stated, “I now have a total appreciation for what Rob Smith has done as a coach. You don’t truly understand how he’s done it until you see it for yourself.”
What the coach was emphasizing in that discussion is the challenge of being in charge of a loaded roster and maximizing its talent. With the outside distractions that come with coaching high-profile players, it’s not easy. Smith has consistently passed that test with flying colors over the past two decades.
Smith has also been a coach who has won when he’s not supposed to.
After winning back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007, Smith lost all five senior starters and still reached a state championship game in 2008, losing to Marshall to finish second in the state.
The 2010 state title came when everyone wrote the Wolverines off in February when they suffered their ninth defeat and Brandon Spearman was the team’s only double-figure scorer.
There have also been wins like this past Saturday over Imhotep, the No. 8 team in the country who, on paper, had more individual talent. Smith’s Wolverines have regularly knocked off bigger, more talented national heavyweights.
Simeon wasn’t supposed to beat mighty Oak Hill Academy, the No. 1 ranked team in the country, in 2007. They were underdogs in 2015 before taking down Bishop Gorman and 6-10 Chase Jeter and 6-11 Stephen Zimmerman, two of the top 15 prospects in the country.
And this season’s No. 1 ranked Simeon team is even better than anyone expected.
Smith, who is seeking his seventh state championship in his final season as head coach, is closing in on another milestone: 500 wins. A victory over No. 3 Kenwood in a showdown Tuesday night would be win No. 495.
DJ Douglas steps up
It sure didn’t take long for Yorkville Christian to churn out another mega-scoring, record-setting guard.
Jaden Schutt departed for Duke after leading the Mustangs to a Class 1A state title last season and scoring over 2,000 points in his career.
Now senior David “DJ” Douglas is putting up a whopping 33 points a game following his school record 56-point explosion in last week’s win over Ottawa Marquette. He’s made 62 three-pointers and made a living at the line (11 attempts a game) while shooting 89%.
Douglas averaged what now seems to be a modest 21.5 points a game in four Thanksgiving tournament games. Since then he’s averaged just under 40 points a game.
Douglas was a double-figure scorer as a junior for the state championship team. But he was the lone contributor to return this season. He’s making the most of his senior season. The 6-4 guard is a scholarship-caliber player and one of the better uncommitted prospects remaining in the senior class. He’s a deadly catch-and-shoot threat from the three-point line but has progressed nicely as an all-around scorer and threat with the ball in his hands.
The shooter
After watching months of club basketball in the offseason and the first half of this 2022-23 season, I’ve seen enough: Cole Certa of Bloomington Central Catholic is the state’s best shooter.
And with several early commitments, including the trio of Morez Johnson, James Brown and Nojus Indrusaitis at St. Rita, the junior guard is also the best uncommitted Class of 2024 prospect in Illinois.
Certa is still a very slender 6-5, but he’s gained some weight and strength that has enabled him to become a more complete scorer and player.
With offensive outbursts of 47, 38 and 37 points already this season, he’s shown to be more than just a shooter. The shot is pure and soft out of the hand and he boasts unlimited range beyond the three-point line. But he’s able to score the basketball in a variety of ways.
Certa is already a hot commodity among local programs. Loyola, Southern Illinois, Bradley and Illinois State all offered last summer. But Big Ten teams Northwestern and Penn State have jumped in with offers since.
