Last Year’s Record: 13-16 overall, 3-10 in the North Suburban Conference.

Last Year’s Highlights: The Scouts reached the Regional final before falling last season. 

Top Returning Scouts: Leading Lake Forest this year will be senior Thomas Durrett, senior John Hayes and junior Carter Bass.

Leading Newcomers: New to the Lake Forest team in 2011 are guards Ben Simpson and George Quall, both juniors, along with 6-foot-6 freshman forward Evan Boudreaux.

Season Opener: Lake Forest begins play with the Niles West Tournament. The opener is at 6 p.m. Monday (Nov. 21) against Hersey, followed by Niles West (7:30 p.m. Nov. 23), Glenbrook North (3:30 p.m. Nov. 25) and Chicago Kelly (noon Nov. 26).

Season Outlook: With a solid corps of veterans along with juniors who played for the North Suburban Conference (NSC) sophomore champs, the Scouts are a “very experienced team with a lot of depth,” according to coach Phil LaScala. The Scouts will also be bigger than they have been in past year, featuring six players 6-foot-4 or taller, including senior Creighton Titus (6-9), junior Sam Downey (6-8), senior Jonathon Sirus (6-6), Boudreaux, junior Luke Turelli (6-5) and Durrett (6-4). LaScala considers the team’s rugged schedule and a strong NSC — both North Chicago and Warren went downstate last year — as its biggest challenges. He also sees the stiff competition strengthening the team when playoff time rolls around.