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Loyola’s Miles Boland (11) goes to the basket against New Trier’s Peter Kanellos (3). | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

All the scores from around the area.

Please send scores and corrections to [email protected]

Saturday, November 27, 2021

NON CONFERENCE

Austin vs. Manley, 5:00

Dyett at McNamara, 2:30

Grace Christian at Wilmington, 3:30

Hope Academy at Hansberry, 12:00

Steinmetz at ITW-Speer, 12:00

Watseka at Clifton Central, 7:00

ASHTON-FRANKLIN CENTER

LaMoille vs. Leland, 6:00

Polo vs. Ashton-Franklin-Center, 7:30

Hiawatha vs. Durand, 6:00

Amboy vs. Midland, 7:30

BATAVIA

Raby vs. Providence-St. Mel, 6:00

Waubonsie Valley vs. Batavia, 7:30

BOYLAN

Freeport vs. Richwoods, 3:00

Marshall vs. Rockford Lutheran, 4:30

Boylan vs. St. Charles North, 6:00

CALVARY (NORMAL)

DePue vs. Cornerstone Christian, 11:00

Donovan vs. TBA

Lowpoint-Washburn vs. TBA

CLEMENTE

Phoenix vs. Foreman, 1:00

Mather vs. Clemente, 2:30

Solorio vs. Catalyst-Maria, 4:00

Lincoln Park vs. UIC, 5:30

COAL CITY / MANTENO

at Coal City

Coal City vs. Manteno, 6:00

Gardner-So. Wilmington / Serena vs. Peotone, 7:3

Gardner-So. Wilmington / Serena vs. IC Catholic, 6

Morris vs. Beecher, 7:30

COLLIERSVILLE (TN)

Simeon vs. Houston County (TN), 2:00

Simeon vs. Colliersville (TN), 5:00

CRYSTAL LAKE CENTRAL

Belvidere North vs. Grayslake Central, 11:30

Hampshire vs. Hononegah, 1:00

Crystal Lake Central vs. Barrington, 2:30

DECATUR

Eisenhower (Decatur) vs. Bolingbrook (JV), 1:00

Springfield Southeast vs. Peoria Central, 2:30

Manual vs. MacArthur, 6:00

Thornton vs, Bolingbrook, 7:30

DWIGHT / WOODLAND

at Woodland

Earlville vs. Ridgeview, 1:30

Grant Park vs. Woodland, 3:00

Dwight vs. St. Bede, 4:30

Momence vs. Flanagan-Cornell, 6:00

EL PASO-GRIDLEY

East Peoria vs. Olympia, 5:30

Roanoke-Benson vs. El Paso-Gridley, 7:00

FENTON

Maine West vs. Waukegan, 2:30

Timothy Christian vs. Fenton, 4:00

Fremd vs. Montini, 5:30

Rolling Meadows vs. Wheaton-Warr. South, 7:00

GALESBURG

Dunlap vs. Madison, 9:30

Madison vs. Limestone, 1:30

Moline vs. Dunlap, 3:00

Galesburg vs. Limestone, 7:30

GENESEO

Rock Falls vs. Kewanee, 10:30

Kewanee vs. Rockridge, 1:30

Princeton vs. Rock Falls, 4:30

Rockridge vs. Geneseo, 7:30

GIBSON CITY-MELVIN-SIBLEY

Hoopeston vs. Fisher. 1:00

Tri-Point vs. Armstrong-Potomac, 2:30

Lexington vs. Gibson City-MS, 4:00

Prairie Central vs. Iroquois West, 5:30

GRANT / MUNDELEIN

at Grant

Schurz vs. Lakes, 11:00

Grant vs. Mundelein, 12:30

North Lawndale vs. Deerfield, 2:00

Carmel vs. Warren, 3:30

LOYOLA / NEW TRIER

at Loyola

Round Lake vs. Butler, 10:30

Bulls vs. Lake Zurich, 12:00

St. Ignatius vs. Loyola, 1:30

Lake Forest vs. New Trier, 3:00

NORTHRIDGE

Amundsen vs. Wheeling, 4:00

Vernon Hills vs. Northridge, 5:30

OREGON

Christian Life vs. BYE, 11:00

Morrison vs. Hinckley-Big Rock, 11:00

Oregon vs. North Boone, 12:30

Pecatonica vs. Newman, 12:30

Milledgeville vs. Aquin, 2:00

Rockford Christian vs. South Beloit, 2:00

11th Place, 4:00

9th Place, 4:00

7th Place, 5:30

5th Place, 5:30

Third Place, 7:00

Championship, 7:00

OTTAWA

Seventh Place, 1:00

Fifth Place, 2:30

Third Place, 4:00

Championship, 5:30

PALATINE

Cary-Grove vs. Elk Grove, 10:30

Hersey vs. Jacobs, 12:00

Palatine vs. York, 1:45

Stevenson vs. Glenbrook South, 3:15

PEKIN

Marion at Notre Dame (Peoria), 12:00

Plano at Pekin, 4:00

Marion at Morton (IL), 6:45

QUINCY

Lake Forest Acad-Org vs. Miller Career (MO), 5:30

St. Mary’s (MO) vs. Quincy, 7:00

RIDGEWOOD

Maine East vs. Ridgewood, 10:00

Leyden vs. Hinsdale South, 11:30

Taft vs. Highland Park, 1:00

Naperville Central vs. Schaumburg, 1:00

RIVERSIDE-BROOKFIELD

Seventh Place, 12:00

Fifth Place, 1:30

Third Place, 3:00

Championship, 4:30

ROCK ISLAND

Canton vs. Rock Island, 10:30

Brooks vs. Collinsville, 12:30

Canton vs. Collinsville, 5:30

Brooks vs. Rock Island, 7:00

ROCKFORD

at Jefferson

Auburn vs. North Chicago, 10:00

Harlem vs. East St. Louis, 11:30

Clark vs. Jefferson, 1:30

East St. Louis vs. Guilford, 3:30

Jefferson vs. Perspectives-MSA, 5:00

at Rockford East

Guilford vs. DRW, 12:00

Perspectives-MSA vs. Rockford East, 1:30

North Chicago vs. Harlem, 3:00

DRW vs. Bogan, 4:30

Rockford East vs. Larkin, 6:00

ROWVA-WILLIAMSFIELD

Henry-Senachwine vs. ROWVA-Williamsfield, 1:00

Henry-Senachwine vs. Galva, 4:00

ST. CHARLES EAST

Marmion vs. South Elgin, 2:30

St. Charles East vs. Plainfield East, 4:00

Westinghouse vs. Benet, 5:30

Willowbrook vs. Proviso East, 7:00

ST. VIATOR

Streamwood vs. Libertyville, 1:30

Evanston vs. St. Viator, 3:00

SENECA

Mendota vs. St. Anne, 12:00

Newark vs. Herscher, 6:00

Seneca vs. Somonauk, 7:30

STAGG

Plainfield South vs. Nazareth, 1:00

Argo vs. Stagg, 2:30

SYCAMORE

Sycamore vs. Sandwich, 3:00

Sterling vs. Rochelle, 4:30

Belvidere vs. Yorkville, 6:00

Dundee-Crown vs. Burlington Central, 7:30

WASHINGTON (IL)

Joliet West vs. Denmark-Olar (SC), 8:30

Kankakee vs. Metamora, 2:30

Tinley Park vs. Urbana, 4:00

Yorkville Christian vs, Lanphier, 5:30

St. Rita vs. Vashon (MO), 7:00

WESTMINSTER CHRISTIAN

Cristo Rey-St. Martin vs. Indian Creek, 2:30

Horizon-Southwest vs. Elgin, 4:00

Westminster Christian vs. Genoa-Kingston, 5:30

Walther Christian vs. St. Edward, 7:00

WETHERSFIELD

Bureau Valley vs. Putnam County, 3:30

Stark County vs. Elmwood, 5:00

Wethersfield vs. Annawan, 6:30

Charlotte (FL) vs. East Moline, 8:00

WHEATON ACADEMY

Lake Park vs. Francis Parker, 2:15

Plainfield North vs. Metea Valley, 4:00

St. Francis vs. Wheaton Academy, 5:45

Downers Grove North vs. Bartlett, 7:30

WJOL / ST. FRANCIS UNIVERSITY

Fifth Place, 11:45

Third Place, 1:30

Championship, 3:15

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Bret Bielema and the Illini are a national-best 9-2, along with Penn State and Washington, to the under this season, according to VegasInsider.com. | David Berding/Getty Images

Illini have lulled opponents into low-scoring games, and that pattern will continue Saturday against Northwestern.

LAS VEGAS — Nothing had marked coach Bret Bielema as an under maven at Wisconsin or Arkansas, but that’s the theme of his first season at Illinois.

The Illini have lulled foes into low-scoring games and are a national-best 9-2, along with Penn State and Washington, to the under this season, according to VegasInsider.com.

A clue might have been defensive coordinator Ryan Walters, who, in that role, spearheaded Missouri going 15-7 to the under the last two seasons, including 10-2 in 2019.

Saturday at Memorial Stadium, the Illini are favored to snap a six-game skid to Northwestern. In Vegas, money has moved Illinois from a four-point favorite to a 6 1/2 -point favorite, while the total has nudged from 44.5 to 43.5.

A lack of scoring, and another under, is in the chilly, mostly cloudy forecast.

Five of the last six Northwestern games have finished under their totals, and the Wildcats have sputtered on the road. They’re 0-5 away from home and have scored only five touchdowns in their last four road games.

For Illinois, the Maryland and Minnesota games finished more than 20 points under their totals, Purdue more than 30 and Charlotte and Wisconsin by more than two touchdowns apiece.

Anyone with the prescience to bet under in every Illinois game is ahead 6.8 units this season. To those who typically wager $100 (or $110 to win $100) a game, that’s a return of $680 thanks to these quicksand games.

THE LOMBARDI LAW

Northern Illinois football reaffirmed an invaluable gambling lesson this week.

Caveat emptor.

A day or two before Western Michigan played at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb on Tuesday night, most Vegas shops had the Broncos favored by 3 1/2 or four points.

That alone should have sounded alarms for anyone thinking the Huskies were the better team, especially at home, and should have been favored.

“Always assume,” Long Island handicapper Tom Barton says, “the books didn’t make a mistake.”

In the few hours before kickoff, that line climbed to five, six, 6 1/2 and, finally, seven. Huskies quarterback Rocky Lombardi did not play, which was announced shortly before kickoff. NIU lost 42-21.

NIU had been 8-3 and had locked up the MAC West Division at 6-1. To the Huskies, the game was meaningless.

They had been a dependable investment for bettors, their 7-3-1 record against the spread among the best in Division I football. That dropped to 7-4-1.

The 6-3, 228-pound Lombardi is special. In strafing Kent State for 532 yards on Nov. 3, he became the first NIU quarterback to break the 500-yard barrier.

He has taken some big hits in his career, including a targeting-ruled blast at Kent State. Coach Thomas Hammock had every reason to keep him out of harm’s way Tuesday.

Next Saturday at Ford Field in Detroit, NIU will play the winner of Saturday’s Miami-Kent State game for the league championship. That victor will play the Conference USA champ in the Bahamas Bowl in Nassau on Dec. 17.

NIU, 0-6 in its last six bowl games, needs Lombardi for — hopefully — two more big ones. The Huskies are a wise wager, as long as it’s absolutely certain that Lombardi will play.

NEW-WRINKLE RAMBLERS

DePaul didn’t produce many double takes when its first four games sailed over their totals.

But Loyola?

The Blue Demons and Ramblers began the week 4-0 to the over. Those games crushed their total figures, too, DePaul’s by an average of 17.5 points, Loyola’s by 11.3 points.

So next Saturday’s late-afternoon clash between Loyola and DePaul at Wintrust Arena deserves some hype.

These are not the ultra-deliberate Ramblers of coach Porter Moser, who zipped to Oklahoma, and star center Cameron Krutwig, who’s playing pro ball in Belgium.

Last season, none of Loyola’s last 15 regular-season foes hit 60 points, and two of those games went to overtime. In the Missouri Valley and NCAA tournaments, none of the Ramblers’ six opponents scored more than 65.

Already this season, they’ve yielded 77 points to Florida Gulf Coast. No matter because Loyola, which entered the week averaging 91, scored 89.

An unusual ballroom-type setting and always-pesky Michigan State doomed a closing total of 143 from the sloppy start Wednesday in the Bahamas, where the Spartans beat the Ramblers 63-61.

That, however, will prove to be an anomaly.

Drew Valentine, 30, elevated to Loyola’s top post when Moser left, had his charges leading the country in effective field-goal percentage, at 63.4, at the start of the week.

This Loyola iteration plays quicker, takes utmost care of the ball and has several marksmen. Guards Lucas Williamson and Marquise Kennedy have keyed an attack that features forwards Aher Uguak and Ryan Schwieger.

Guard Javon Freeman-Liberty, a Valparaiso transfer, and small forward David Jones have been dynamic for DePaul.

The Ramblers, 9-30 lifetime against the Blue Demons, had lost 14 in a row to DePaul before winning 69-61 at Allstate Arena in December 2012, their last meeting.

Ken Pomeroy — purveyor of such sharp college basketball statistics that many sportsbook operators employ them, along with BetCris odds out of Costa Rica — projects Loyola to beat DePaul 76-70. A 146 total.

The way these two have been playing, though, even if bookies post a line that ekes to 150, it might be smart to bet over, relax and enjoy some high-octane hometown hoops.

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The Fire hope Ezra Hendrickson does better than predecessors such as Frank Yallop, seen here with former owner Andrew Hauptman.

The Fire haven’t had a truly successful coach since 2009, when Denis Hamlett’s contract wasn’t renewed.

When they take the field in February, the Fire will be playing for new coach Ezra Hendrickson. They hope this time they finally will have gotten it right and hired a leader who can bring them back to contention.

Of course, the Fire thought that about their last handful of hires.

Since then-owner Andrew Hauptman didn’t renew Denis Hamlett’s contract after the Fire lost in the Eastern Conference finals in 2009, the team has been caught in the wilderness. Different visions and personalities have come and gone, but the results have stayed mostly the same.

Here’s how the Fire’s four full-time coaches between Hamlett and Raphael Wicky fared. They expect Hendrickson to do better:

Carlos de los Cobos

Brought in to replace Hamlett, de los Cobos had no Major League Soccer experience after spending most of his career in Mexico. And it showed.

With a roster in transition, the Fire went 9-12-9 in 2010 and missed the playoffs. They started 1-4-6 in 2011 before de los Cobos was shown the door.

Frank Klopas

Then the Fire’s technical director, Klopas replaced de los Cobos and kept the job through the end of the 2013 season. There were some bright spots, such as the playoff berth in 2012 and Mike Magee’s MVP season in 2013, but Hauptman didn’t see enough progress.

Days after the 2013 season ended, Klopas and president of soccer operations Javier Leon were out.

”There have been many highlights over these years, but I think now is an appropriate time to make a transition to new leadership,” Hauptman said in a news release after Klopas and Leon left. ”Of course, making this team compete for championships on a consistent basis is our first priority.”

Frank Yallop

The Fire snagged former MLS Cup champion Yallop as coach and director of soccer. Given his strong resume, the hire was somewhat surprising and well-received.

”I have faith in his history in building incredible team spirit with all the clubs he’s been with,” Hauptman said when he introduced Yallop. ”He has an impressive depth of experience, and that’s exactly what the club needs.”

After the 2014 team set an MLS record with 18 ties, Yallop signed designated players David Accam, Kennedy Igboananike and Shaun Maloney. Only Accam made an impact, and Yallop was axed in September 2015 with the Fire on their way to the worst record in MLS.

Veljko Paunovic

When Yallop was sacked, the Fire brought in well-traveled executive Nelson Rodriguez to rebuild the franchise. He eventually hired Paunovic, who had led Serbia to the under-20 World Cup title in 2015 but had no experience coaching in club soccer.

”I see the Chicago Fire as a hurt lion ready to unleash all its power,” Paunovic said when he was hired.

Despite spending a lot of Hauptman’s money and the arrival of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Paunovic and Rodriguez combined to make the playoffs only once (2017).

When Joe Mansueto bought out Hauptman in September 2019, it felt like only a matter of time before Paunovic would be fired. He was let go two months later.

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Richaun Holmes, who graduated from Lockport in 2011, has gone from a player without a Division I scholarship to an NBA player with a $46 million contract. | Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

These five local players had success in high school, but no one predicted their rise to NBA stardom.

Rags-to-riches stories, we love them in sports.

For all the high school basketball players we recognize early on as future superstars, we can’t forget the others whom no one expected to enjoy NBA fortunes.

The development of prospects comes at different times, often from the least-expected places. When you consider where these players are now, their humble basketball beginnings are a big part of their individual stories.

First, there must be some criteria when ranking five of the best rags-to-riches stories in recent memory.

There is plenty to consider, including the combination of NBA impact and how improbable of an NBA future the player had in high school.

Some rules: No NBA first-rounders allowed. Each player had to have played multiple years or signed at least one multiyear contract with guaranteed money. There are no NBA cups-of-coffee players allowed.

This list includes a pair of players from the Class of 2014 in Illinois — Stagg’s Max Strus and West Chicago’s John Konchar — who weren’t ranked anywhere near the top of a class that included Jahlil Okafor, Cliff Alexander and Tyler Ulis.

We get started with what is arguably the biggest rags-to-riches story on the list: Lockport’s Richaun Holmes. From where Holmes came from as a player and prospect to where he is now stands out above any other current player’s road to the NBA.

Richaun Holmes, Lockport

(Sacramento Kings)

Road to the NBA: In a span of 10 years, Holmes, who graduated from Lockport in 2011, has gone from a player without a Division I scholarship — and little college interest, period — to an NBA player signing a $46 million contract.

Holmes was an afterthought coming out of high school. In an absolutely loaded class that featured Anthony Davis at the top, Holmes was the City/Suburban Hoops Report’s 87th ranked player in the Class of 2011 — and that was after he was ranked outside the top 100 entering his senior year.

The players ranked in the 80s? Those are Division III prospects.

Holmes was a terrific student with a 29 ACT but was relegated to the junior-college route. He didn’t even sign with a Division I junior college. Instead, he became a star at Division II JC Moraine Valley, where he averaged 19.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 5.3 blocks.

He then signed with Bowling Green and became the only player in program history with 1,000 points, 600 rebounds and 200 blocks, and he accomplished that feat in just three seasons.

The 76ers took Holmes in the second round with the 37th pick in the 2015 draft.

NBA career: Since being drafted in the second round, where so many NBA dreams still don’t materialize, Holmes has carved out quite a career. The 27-year-old put up his biggest numbers last season with the Kings, averaging 14.2 points and 8.3 rebounds as a full-time starter. He spent three years in Philadelphia and one with Phoenix before finding a fit and home in Sacramento.

In six NBA seasons, he has averaged 9.5 points and 8.3 rebounds. But this season, he’s clearly off to the best start of his career, averaging 14.1 points and 11 rebounds, shooting nearly 70% from the field.

Current contract: Holmes just signed a four-year deal for just over $46 million with the Kings. That dwarfs the $15 million he made in his first six years in the NBA.

Robert Covington, Proviso West

(Portland Trail Blazers)

Road to the NBA: After a solid senior season at Proviso West, where he averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds, Covington was still a well-kept secret in 2009. He was the City/Suburban Hoops Report’s 20th-ranked prospect, yet he flew under the radar and signed with Tennessee State.

Covington was an immediate star in the Ohio Valley Conference. He blossomed early and finished his career as Tennessee State’s seventh all-time leading scorer (1,749 points) and rebounder (876).

NBA career: After going undrafted in 2013, Covington played on the Rockets’ Summer League team and ultimately signed a multiyear contract. The 6-8 forward spent the majority of that first season in the NBA Developmental League but was waived by the Rockets. He then signed a four-year contract with the 76ers.

Now Covington is an NBA veteran who has been a double-figure scorer throughout his eight-year career. His career averages are 12.1 points and 5.9 rebounds, and he has been a legit three-point shooting threat (1,062 career three-pointers).

This season, Covington is averaging 6.8 points and 4.8 rebounds and still is a threat from three-point range.

Current contract: Although he has been moved in trades, Covington is in the final year of a four-year contract worth just under $47 million. He already has made more than $53 million in his career.

Alfonzo McKinnie, Marshall

(Free Agent)

Road to the NBA: This is a long and incredible road to the NBA, one that no one could have imagined, even during his college years.

The little-known McKinnie was scooped up by Eastern Illinois after a relatively quiet high school career, which started at Curie and ended playing as a senior at Marshall.

After two seasons at EIU, where he averaged 10.2 points and seven rebounds as a sophomore, he transferred to Wisconsin-Green Bay.

While at UW-Green Bay, McKinnie suffered injuries and setbacks, twice tearing his meniscus. He played just nine games as a redshirt junior and then averaged an underwhelming eight points in 21 minutes as a senior. McKinnie finished his college career averaging 7.2 points.

McKinnie went undrafted in the 2015 draft. With options limited, the 6-7 forward headed overseas to join a semipro team in Luxembourg’s second division that played in middle school gymnasiums. He then signed with a Mexican team, Rayos de Hermosillo, in 2016.

McKinnie then paid for his own tryout with the Windy City Bulls. He made the team and in the 2016-17 season became a G League All-Star.

NBA career: The Raptors gave McKinnie a shot in 2017. He floated between the Raptors and the franchise’s G League affiliate. He did appear in 14 NBA games in his debut season but played sparingly.

After being cut by the Raptors, McKinnie signed with the Warriors. Following an impressive Summer League, McKinnie grabbed the final roster spot that season for the two-time defending NBA champions. He ultimately became a key member of the second team, playing in 72 games and averaging 14 minutes.

McKinnie was instrumental in the Warriors’ playoff run that ultimately ended with a 2019 NBA Finals loss to the Raptors.

The Cavaliers eventually signed McKinnie to a multiyear contract. He played 40 games for the Cavaliers in the 2019-20 season, averaging 15 minutes in 40 games, before being traded to the Lakers. He played in 39 games for the Lakers last season.

McKinnie’s career NBA numbers: four points and 2.4 rebounds a game.

Current contract: After his two-year contract ended last season, McKinnie’s total NBA earnings have topped $6 million over four seasons. He’s now playing for Capitanes de Ciudad de Mexico, a pro team based in Mexico City that is a member of the NBA G League.

John Konchar, West Chicago

(Memphis Grizzlies)

Road to the NBA: The 6-5 Konchar was an absolute unknown entering his senior year of high school — at least to any college coaches or basketball fans outside the western suburbs. Then he put up monster numbers as a senior.

Konchar did it all, averaging 28.9 points, 14.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists while still not receiving the fanfare he deserved. He finished as the school’s all-time leading scorer and had a 47-point, 24-rebound game against Bartlett.

Konchar’s options were Division II Lewis and Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne.

He went the Division I route, redshirted as a freshman and then continued posting eye-popping numbers during his four-year career.

Konchar became the only player in NCAA Division I since 1992-93 with two seasons of 450 points, 200 rebounds, 150 assists and 60 steals. In four seasons at IPFW, Konchar’s all-around numbers were staggering: 2,065 points, 1,150 rebounds, 554 assists and 272 steals.

NBA career: Despite the massive numbers in college, Konchar was not considered a bona fide NBA prospect. He went undrafted in the 2019 draft. After starting his first season in the G League, Konchar latched on with the Grizzlies on a two-way deal. He certainly made the most of the opportunity.

Konchar played in 19 games as a rookie, and then last season he averaged 13 minutes in 43 games while averaging 4.3 points, ultimately signing an extension with the Grizzlies. He’s playing 14 minutes a game this season, averaging 2.8 points and three rebounds.

Current contract: Konchar signed a multiyear deal with the Grizzlies a year ago, a contract that pays him $9 million through the 2023-24 season.

Max Strus, Stagg

(Miami Heat)

Road to the NBA: The road Strus has traveled from the preps to the pros has been about as unconventional as they come.

The 6-6 Strus was a late-blooming high school player who grew nine inches between his sophomore and senior years. He had a solid high school career but was just starting to blossom as a player when his senior year ended at Stagg.

The recruitment of Strus was slow, particularly at the Division I level. He ultimately signed at Division II Lewis, where older brother Marty Strus had played. Strus was an instant-impact player as a freshman and burst onto the national Division II scene as a star his sophomore year, scoring 52 points in a game and averaging 20.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists.

Strus transferred to DePaul after his sophomore year. As a senior, he averaged 20.1 points and 5.9 rebounds, and he finished his two-year Blue Demons career with 1,226 points.

NBA career: After going undrafted in the 2019 draft, Strus landed a spot on the Celtics’ Summer League team. It was productive, and he signed a two-way deal with the Celtics but was cut before the start of the season.

Strus signed with the Bulls and saw his first NBA action in the 2019-20 season, appearing in two games.

While playing in a G League game that season for the Windy City Bulls, Strus tore his ACL.

He signed a training camp contract with the Heat, and last season, he played in 39 games, averaging 13 minutes and 6.1 points. This season, his minutes are up to 18 a game. Strus is averaging 5.6 points and shooting 35 percent from the three-point line.

Current contract: Strus signed a two-year contract in August for $3.5 million.

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Leonard Taylor #11 of the Cincinnati Bearcats runs the ball after a catch as JD Bertrand #27 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish hangs on for the tackle during the second half at Notre Dame Stadium on October 2, 2021 in South Bend, Indiana. | Michael Hickey/Getty Images

His 86 tackles are nearly double Isaiah Foskey’s total as the Irish’s No. 2 tackler.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Former Notre Dame linebacker Drue Tranquill used to gross out his teammates by snacking on raw avocados during film sessions.

JD Bertrand, Tranquill’s positional heir and the Irish’s leading tackler by a mile this season, has taken healthy eating a step further with his love of zucchini.

”JD eats, like, really, really healthy,” said defensive lineman Isaiah Foskey, his teammate and housemate. ”He eats a lot of zucchini. He puts some seasoning on it. That’s about it. JD likes those types of snacks.”

It seems to be working for Bertrand, a redshirt sophomore from suburban Atlanta. As 10-1 Notre Dame heads west to face Stanford in the regular-season finale Saturday, Bertrand just seems to be getting stronger.

His 86 tackles are nearly double Foskey’s total as the Irish’s No. 2 tackler. He has yet to grab an interception, something coach Brian Kelly teased him about during a 55-0 blowout last Saturday of Georgia Tech, but Bertrand’s productivity and commitment continues to impress his teammates.

”JD Bertrand might be the hardest worker on the team,” rover Jack Kiser said. ”I’m best friends with JD. If anybody deserves what’s happened to them, it’s JD. It’s no surprise in the locker room.”

When projected starter Marist Liufau suffered a season-ending knee injury during fall camp, it opened the door for Bertrand to

assume a much larger role. He opened the season with back-to-back 11-tackle games and continues to lead the way for a deep, talented linebacker group.

He also maintains a prominent role on coverage units as Notre Dame leans on its starters to keep its special teams among the best in the country. After missing only a handful of snaps in the first month of the season, Bertrand has been spelled for a series or two each week since the Irish’s bye.

With a long break coming after Saturday and a clean X-ray on his back, look for Bertrand to be indispensable against a Stanford program that recruited him heavily out of Blessed Trinity Catholic High School in

Roswell, Georgia.

Bertrand, a four-star recruit, won’t say who finished second for him, but he does allow ”it was kind of a mix between Stanford, Wisconsin and Florida, when it came down to it.”

Having played against Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton in high school and having known him since playing on the same AAU basketball team with him through elementary school, Bertrand ultimately opted to join him on the trek north with the Class of 2019.

”I’ve known Kyle and his family since first grade,” Bertrand said. ”He used to not be that tall. He used to be a smaller dude and a little point guard, but he grew tremendously.”

While Bertrand’s emergence has helped the Irish withstand Hamilton’s injury

absence in the last month, he is quick to credit older brother John Michael Bertrand with keeping him grounded.

A standout left-hander on the Notre Dame baseball team that reached the Super Regionals, the elder Bertrand made an immediate impact as a graduate transfer from Furman. He is working toward his MBA and preparing for a sixth season of college baseball.

”He’s just a good person to lean on, even after a game,” Bertrand said. ”I’m a perfectionist, so I remember a lot more of the bad plays than the good plays. He’ll sit there and [say]: ‘All right, tell me what you did well, tell me what you need to do better and tell me what you learned.’ ”

Bertrand has admitted to texting his brother before media interviews and been advised to stick to certain topics. The

maturity and success of the Bertrand brothers has been one of the stories of this calendar year at Notre Dame.

”Toward the end, you could just feel his confidence,” JD Bertrand said. ”Going into the game, every game, I knew he was just

going to do his thing and he knew he was

going to do his thing. It’s been awesome, just being able to go to school here and being able to see each other and help each other.”

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One person was killed and five others were wounded in citywide shootings Friday. | Sun-Times file photo

The fatal attack occurred in Gresham on the South Side.

One person was killed and five others were wounded in shootings in Chicago Friday.

A woman was fatally shot inside her home in Gresham on the South Side. Artilia Cunningham, 25, was in the front room of her home in the 7600 block of South May Street when someone fired shots through a window about 1:45 a.m., Chicago police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said. She was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center and pronounced dead, police said.
In nonfatal attacks, a man, 27, was standing on a sidewalk about 10:55 p.m. in the 12400 block of South Parnell Avenue when he was struck by gunfire, police said. He was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was in critical condition, police said.
About 10 minutes earlier, an 18-year-old man was riding his bicycle in the 1000 block of North Leclaire Avenue when he was robbed of his phone at gunpoint and shot shortly after, police said. He was taken to the University of Chicago, where he was in critical condition, police said.
Another man, 46, was standing on the sidewalk in the first block of North Lockwood Avenue about 4:30 p.m. when he was shot in both of his legs, police said. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where his condition was stabilized, police said.
About half an hour later, a 20-year-old man was sitting on a porch in the 5800 block of South Carpenter Street when a dark-colored vehicle pulled up and someone inside opened fire, police said. The man was struck in the abdomen and was taken to the University of Chicago, where he was in good condition, police said.

One other person was wounded by gunfire in Chicago Friday.

A teen was among 10 wounded in citywide shootings Thursday.

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