Chicago Herald-American

Of all the high school superstars I've covered in the past 28 years, none has handled the intoxicating effects of celebrity better than Glenbrook North's Jon Scheyer. And I know that as a reporter I almost always get them on their best behavior. But even considering that, I know enough about Jon to know he's the real deal.

So it's great to see that Scheyer is making an impact at Duke, where he was the Most Valuable Player of the ACC tournament two weeks ago. Jon backed that up with two solid games in the first and second rounds of the tournament last weekend, including a miraculous save of a ball going out of bounds with Duke protecting a three-point lead against Texas in the final 20 seconds, a play that seems destined to live in Blue Devil lore. It exemplified the reason why Scheyer always seems able to do more than is expected: besides being a good shooter and a hustler, he can think on his feet. (If he improves his one-on-one defense there's no telling how far it will take him.)

But from my perspective, no matter what he accomplishes in the NCAA tournament with Duke, it will never top his greatest achievement: carrying Glenbrook North to the Class AA state championship in 2005. Winning the NCAA title might become the greatest moment in his athletic life. But winning that state title will always be his greatest accomplishment.

I don't think you can give enough respect to what Scheyer and Glenbrook North did in 2005. Winning the large-school state tournament in Illinois with five white (and Jewish or half-Jewish) starters from Northbrook? That's pretty tough to top. And while it was a great team effort and obviously well-coached, you also can't understate the job Scheyer did in elevating that team to championship status. Nobody else on that team has played higher than Division III basketball in college.

As I wrote in a 2006 column on Scheyer in the Sun-Times:

"With the final chapter to an illustrious career still to be written, Scheyer rates with the best ever in Illinois, in a class with Aguirre, Isiah Thomas, Glen Grunwald and Quinn Buckner on the all-time list.

But how high? I can't say Scheyer is better than Thomas, Aguirre, Kevin Garnett or Cazzie Russell. Or more spectacular than Ronnie Fields. And as a leader, Peoria Manual's Sergio McClain and Buckner have won more state titles.

But there is one category where Scheyer is No. 1: He is the all-time MVP -- the most valuable player in modern state-tournament history. We've seen plenty of MVP performances over the years from special players who seemingly willed their team to victory -- Morgan Park's Levi Cobb, Proviso East's Jamal Robinson, Manual's McClain and Young's Quentin Richardson among them. But none was more singularly instrumental in carrying his team to the pinnacle than Scheyer.

Not only is he a complete player -- a shooter, scorer, rebounder, ballhandler, shot-blocker, screener, defender and a good free-throw shooter to boot. But he had the biggest load to carry -- many of his teammates won't play college basketball at any level. Of last year's championship team, Sean Wallis is playing at Division III Washington University; Matt Gold is a student at Michigan State; current seniors Zach Kelly and Jon Radke are getting mostly Division III interest; sixth man Malick Valliani is playing at a junior college. Talk about looks being deceiving -- the lanky kid from the northern suburbs with a pool in his backyard is the ultimate warrior."

Here is a clip of the big save against Texas. As great as it was, it's still way down on the list for Jon Scheyer:

A tip of the cap to Sean Wallis

The same weekend that Jon Scheyer was the MVP of the ACC tournament, former Glenbrook North teammate Sean Wallis of Washington University was the MVP of the Division III sectional in Wheaton. And while Scheyer was helping Duke reach the Sweet 16 last weekend, Wallis was leading Wash U. to its second consecutive Division III national championship. 

If there was another player Glenbrook North couldn't have won without in 2005, it was Sean Wallis, a heady, steady, sure-handed point guard. Wallis missed most of the 2007-08 championship season at Wash U. with an injury, but was a vital component this year. In fact, he was named to the Division III All-American team and is a candidate for the Bob Cousy award given to the player voted th nation's top collegiate point guard. (Wallis currently is in third place).

Wallis had 16 points and 10 assists -- including a few of familiar back-door variety from his Glenbrook North days -- in Washington's victory over Richard Stockton College in the D-III national championship game. And Zach Kelly, who teamed with Wallis and Scheyer on the 2005 state championship team, also started on Washington's national championship team. Kelly had three points and six rebounds in the title game.

Update on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 at 11:37PM by Mark Potash

Click this link for a Yahoo.com feature on Jon Scheyer. Note the graphic, which illustrates how Scheyer's production has improved since moving from shooting guard to point guard 10 days ago.