Read about the other teams coming to the Shootout here.
Each Monday, we'll introduce a team participating in the IlliniHQ Shootout at the Hall presented by State Farm Insurance, our annual boys' basketball extravaganza which this year takes place Dec. 12 at the Assembly Hall. Today: Glenbrook North High School, home of Dave Weber, brother of Illinois coach Bruce Weber
Here's the scoop:
Glenbrook North
City: Northbrook
Enrollment: 2,139
Nickname: Spartans
Shootout appearance: First
Three things to know about Glenbrook North, courtesy staff writer Paul Klee:
1.
Playing in the Shootout at the Hall figures to be a big moment for most of the teams in the field. But that's especially true for Glenbrook North. Austin Weber, a 6-foot-4 senior, is a nephew of Illinois coach Bruce Weber. "It's really exciting for us to be able to do this, especially for my son in his senior year to play in Assembly Hall. It's kind of special for our family," said Spartans coach Dave Weber, Bruce's brother. "He's (Austin) really close with Bruce. And Bruce's daughter is a senior in high school (at Centennial), so they've grown up together. Austin spent a lot of time down there in Champaign. Bruce is really good to him. We're really looking forward to it."
2.
Regardless of its family ties, you'll want to check out Glenbrook North simply because the Spartans will be one of the best teams in the field. Glenbrook North won 23 games last year and has reached the Elite Eight four times in the last seven seasons. Dave Weber said this team could be as strong as any in the program's history, including the Jon Scheyer-led Spartans that won a state championship in 2005. "I think this, on paper, could be one of the best teams that this school has had," said Weber, who enters his 15th season as coach. "This team has the makings of a team that could make a run like that. But a lot of things have to go your way."
3.
Glenbrook North is led by Alex Dragicevich, a 6-6 senior committed to Notre Dame. The swingman should be on the short list of Mr. Basketball candidates in 2009-10. "I always say he's one of the toughest matchups in the state for people to contain," Weber said. Austin Weber took a visit to Wayne State last week, and his father said he likely would land at the Division II level. Weber defended UI freshman Brandon Paul last season, holding the Gurnee Warren star to four points in the second half of Glenbrook North's 70-62 win. "Brandon was killing us (with 14 points at halftime)," Dave Weber said. "Austin's a good defender. He's solid and he knows how to guard people. He did a nice job this summer on the kid from (Chicago) Mount Carmel, Tracy Abrams. He shut him down pretty good."
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