It's WAND's "All-Time 5"! Which local high school has the best all-time, all-star lineup of basketball players from any era, together on one court in a tournament of 33 teams? Tune in every Wednesday at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. through March 18 as Gordon Voit announces a new group of seeds in the bracket!
53 pages. 12,000 words (and counting). Countless conversations, messages, box scores, All-State lists and school records. Now that Gordon Voit's research packet has been compiled, we begin the fun. (Quick reminder: It's not who was the best player in high school, or who had the best stats. It's which player (at his peak) would help the team stay competitive against the Lanphiers and Lincolns of the tournament who have All-Americans up and down the lineup.)
NUMBER 20: ST. TERESA BULLDOGS
(5) St. Teresa vs. (4) TBA
SG - Rodney Walker (New Mexico State, overseas) 6-3, 1991 MC POY, 5th points 1,328, 16-5 best season NMSU, led team to NCAA Tournament; Electric dunker who put up 33 ppg as a senior at St. Teresa and had 52 points in one game; Class of 1991
G/F - Christian Williams (Iowa, Indiana State) 6-6; All-State, 1,587 1st points, Led Bulldogs to runner-up in Class 2A; Unselfish and defense-oriented, recently named Missouri Valley Player of the Week; Class of 2015
F - Ed Boehm (Illinois State football) 6-3, Rare 2x MC POY 1967 + 1968, 1,349 pts; Class of 1968
F - Steve Langhauser (Illinois baseball) 6-7, 1982 MC POY, 25 ppg, 12 rpg, 6 apg senior; 1,218 points; Class of 1982
PF - John Leurck (Marquette) 6-7, 4-4 rpg best season MU; 12th points 1,175; State Team 1985-86; Dunker and stifling defense; Class of 1987
Bench
F - Nick Sanford (Elmhurst) 6-5, 2010 MC POY, 1,273 points, 18-10 rpg senior; Super-Sectional 2010; Class of 2010
F - Mike McElroy (Danville Area CC) 1981 MC POY
(Correction: I confused Mike McElroys in the video. My apologies. - GV)
F - Shane Overocker (DuPage football) 6-0, 1,264 pts; All-State football and MC POY
SF - Ryan McShea (Millikin) 6-2 (2004 MC POY)
Dave Fisher, 1,443 pts; Class of 1973
PF - Brennan McElroy (UIndy, overseas) 6-7, developed at UIndy and turned it into pro contracts overseas
SG – Isaiah Bond (Monmouth) 6-1, 1,466 2nd pts, IBCA 2nd Team All-State; Class of 2018
F - Sid Tucker (Quincy) 6-4, 1,305 pts, State team in early 50s
F – Lee Gaffigan, 6-3, 18-11-3 bpg
G - Tony Lents (SLU/Millikin) 5-8, Basketball and baseball star, 1,250 points; Class of 1957
G - Adam McCoy (Aurora) 6-3, 1,127 points; 15 ppg D3; 37 points vs. St. Bede December 2000; Class of 2001
F – Shawn Overocker (Temple football) First Team All-Macon County; 1990s
Larry Young, 1,068 points; Class of 1962
Bryan Smith, 1,064 points; Class of 1980
Jerry Hise, 1,043 points; Class of 1954
G – Nate Wilks, 5-6, 1,251 points, 16-6 apg senior; Second Team All-MC; Class of 1997
G - Matt Chitwood, 6-0, 18 ppg senior, First Team All-Macon County; Class of 1992
G - Eric Dabner (Lincoln U. track) 6-0, Special Mention All-Macon County; Class of 1991
PG - Regan Smith, First Team All-Macon County, floor general for 1986 State team; Class of 1987
F - Jim Stewart, First Team All-Macon County, forward for 1986 State team; Class of 1986
F - Quintin Jarrett, 6-3, First Team All-Macon County, 17 ppg, 12 rpg senior season; Class of 1994
(Did we miss a player? Email gordon.voit@wandtv.com so we can update the roster! Thanks for your help in making this special project complete. If you submit a name for consideration, please remember to include height, position, graduation year, college destination as well as a list of accolades. Please also remember that this is a fun hypothetical basketball project.)
Overview: This is one of those situations where the difference between the bench and starters is a tossup in spots and would be determined by pre-tournament practices. Since we can’t sort them out on an actual court, the deciding factor has to be accolades, and size where applicable. That means Boehm gets the nod for his rare two-time Macon County POY awards over the four that won it once. No offense intended towards the other highly deserving members of the roster. Someone has to get the spots.
Upside of roster: Versatile guards Rodney Walker and Christian Williams are a dangerous backcourt duo that adds serious Division-I juice to this lineup, as does John Leurck. His leaping ability at 6-7 and Marquette-caliber skills will be essential to the Bulldogs’ success. Langhauser had one of the most dominant senior seasons in school history (1982 MC POY) and adds size at 6-foot-7 as well. Depth is key to this roster: Boehm's spot could have been taken by up to 10 others. Dave Fisher put up 1,443 points before there was a 3-point line! But again, size and college production matters because this is a pro-caliber tournament so 6-7 pieces like Leurck and Langhauser are at a premium.
Downside of roster: There really is no glaring weakness on this roster. As we get into No. 5 seed territory and above this will be a consistent theme. These teams are just really, really good all around. I suppose one critique of this team, if you had to find one, is that Rodney Walker is the only player who put up big scoring numbers at the Division-I level. That's what separates the Bulldogs from, say, the No. 4 seeds and above. They all have multiple players who put up double figures in major college basketball.
Highlights of bench: Any of those first half dozen off the bench have similar accolades and would get a chance for significant minutes. Some have the MC POY tag, some don’t but are higher on the points list (Isaiah Bond) or in terms of ability (6-foot-7 overseas forward Brennan McElroy) for example. But I mean, you can throw a rock and hit a legend. Hise, Smith, Young, Tucker (1,305 points in 1950s!) just to name a few. Having four MC POYs to add to the mix is pretty special.
Best season: The 2014-15 team made it furthest at State: second place in Class 2A (four-class system). I'm sure you could build an argument that the 1953 (one-class) and 1986 (two-class) State teams were better if you highlight the right numbers, but I think they're in a three-way given their different eras and different strengths.
Enrollment: 242 (2020)
GOAT: Rodney Walker. Was dominant at every level, from 33 points per game as a senior at St. Teresa to leading a team (New Mexico State) to the NCAA Tournament to a decade-long professional career overseas.
Music: 80s synth pop. Much of the Bulldogs' best talent came from the Nike-jumpsuit-and-Tom-Cruise-sunglasses Era.
Controversial decision: As discussed above, there are 10 other players you could argue belong in the starting lineup. Boehm is a rare two-time MC POY so that gives him the nod. (Quick reminder: It's not who was the best player in high school, or who had the best stats. It's which player (at his peak) would help St. Teresa stay competitive against the Lanphiers and Lincolns of the tournament who have All-Americans up and down the lineup.)
ALL-TIME 5 OVERVIEW
WHAT: A competition to see who has the best all-time all-star squad of any high school basketball program in the 217 area code.
WHEN: February 5 - March 18 (Phase 1)
March 18 until the NCAA Final Four in April (Phase 2)
HOW: Gordon Voit will release four more teams every single Wednesday night, two during the 6 p.m. show and two during the 10 p.m. show. This is Phase 1. Phase 2 consists of a bracket challenge pitting the teams against each other in a simulated tournament.
RELEASING THE TEAMS
February 5: The 8 seeds
No. 33: Mt. Pulaski (Play-in game)
No. 32: Okaw Valley (Bethany-Findlay) (Play-in game)
February 12: The 7 seeds
February 19: The 6 seeds
February 26: The 5 seeds
No. 20: St. Teresa
No. 19: Mattoon
No. 18: Sacred Heart-Griffin
No. 17: Taylorville
March 4: The 4 seeds
No. 16: TBA (6 p.m. show)
No. 15: TBA (6 p.m. show)
No. 14: TBA (10 p.m. show)
No. 13: TBA (10 p.m. show)
