Two Division I players graduated.
Three key returning players, including a pair of starters, will get a late start after playing for the football team.
The schedule is as tough as ever.
But while the Fenwick High School boys basketball team will probably regress from last year’s historic season, expectations remain high.
 “We’re pretty excited about where the program is,” Fenwick coach Rick Malnati said. “It seems like we can generate a little more enthusiasm every year.
“It’s a great situation. A lot of kids want to play for Fenwick and we’ve got a lot of great kids.”
Indeed, the Friars have soared since Malnati took over the program in 2013. Fenwick is 72-19 in his three seasons, including a phenomenal 28-3 last winter, which equaled the 1997-98 team, which made the state quarterfinals under former coach John Quinn, as the best in school history.
But guard Mike Smith, the Illinois Mr. Basketball runner-up, has moved on to Columbia. Gone, too, is forward Mike Ballard, now at Wisconsin.
They will be sorely missed, as will, at least temporarily, Jacob Keller, Mike O’Laughlin and Jack Henige, who are starring for the Fenwick football team. Those three might not be ready for the start of the season.
“We’re going to start the season without them,” Malnati said. “Those are three of our bigger kids.
“We don’t look intimidating coming off of a bus without them. We look like a seventh-grade team.”
The Friars, of course, won’t play like seventh-graders, but they probably won’t reach last year’s win total.
“Last year we hit the ground running because we had so many returning starters,” Malnati said. “This year it’s an entirely different team.
“We hope to get better every game. I think we’ll be better at the end of the season than we are at the start and we’ll see what we can do in the state tournament.”
Fenwick reached the Class 3A sectional final last year before losing to St. Joseph. The Friars will host the sectional this season and could go as far or farther than last year.
That’s because this team’s rotation figures to be deeper than last year and still will have outstanding leadership in the 6-foot-3 Keller and 6-5 swingman Jamal Nixon, both of whom were All-Catholic League selections last winter.
Keller, who has a couple Division I offers, is a terrific athlete who quarterbacked the football team this fall. He averaged 10.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.9 steals last year.
Malnati expects him to take over the primary ball-handling duties from Smith.
“Last year we played five guards but three of them had point guard skills,” Malnati noted. “Jacob was one of them.
“His game has really expanded since last year. His shooting is much better and his leadership is great.”
Keller will be the rare Fenwick athlete that gets to “quarterback” two different sports.
“The football coaches have been really pleased with his leadership,” Malnati said. “He gets to places (on the court) where it’s hard to get to, with his great handle and he’s a big point guard.”
Malnati also has a great leader in the post in Nixon, who just signed with Minnesota State. The rugged Nixon averaged 7.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists while shooting 53 percent from the floor.
Given his size, Nixon is most useful down low, but he can be a match-up nightmare on the wing and can handle the ball well.
“I told him he’s going to be the best post player in the state,” Malnati said with a chuckle. “We believe he can do some damage”
Nixon, a four-year varsity player, has stood out because he can play multiple positions. That will continue.
“He’s going to continue to be versatile,” Malnati said. “He’s a natural back-to-the-basket player. His body is looking great. He’s got bounce and a lot of strength. He’ll be tough to handle.
 “But he’s a good passer and he can shoot it with range.”
Nixon’s final prep season will be bittersweet for Malnati, who arrived at Fenwick at the same time as Nixon.
“It will be hard to see him go,” Malnati said. “He’s such a tremendous kid.
“He came in with me my first year at Fenwick and played varsity as a freshman. He’s been a great leader.”
Keller and Nixon will lead a deeper but more inexperienced team than last year. Junior guard AJ Nixon, who missed significant time with injuries last season, is the only other player with significant varsity playing time.
Henige, a 6-5 senior forward, and senior guard Mike Fiorito, who has aspirations of playing Division III basketball, were reserves last season.
“Last year we basically played seven guys,” Malnati said. “This year it will be more like nine. We have a variety of kids that can do a variety of different things.”
The 6-5 O’Laughlin, a star receiver on the football team, figures to play a prominent role and has a high ceiling as a shooting guard or forward. Junior guards Bill Bruce and Sam Daniels add hustle, while 5-10 sophomore Demari Nixon and 6-1 freshman guard D.J. Steward also figure in the mix.
Don’t forget about AJ Nixon, who brings plenty of intangibles.
“He can put it on the ground and get to the rim,” Malnati said. “He plays with a lot of fire.”
The Friars will need it against a tough schedule that includes Simeon, Oak Park and River Forest, Proviso East and Marian Catholic as well as the Proviso West Holiday Tournament.
They might not win 28 games again, but Malnati hopes the Friars will be battle tested enough to make a longer run in the playoffs.
“We’re hosting the sectional this year, which we’re excited about,” he said. “We want to defend our home court.”
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