Area duo to play at Lake Forest

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Dundee-Crown guard Jeff Beck and McHenry center Chris Madson started talking about the possibility around the last month of the basketball season.

The two became friends last summer playing with the Illinois Magic, and when they were being recruited by several of the same NCAA Division III schools, they talked about going somewhere and becoming teammates.

D-III Lake Forest College will be the beneficiary of the package deal. Beck and Madson told Foresters coach Chris Conger last week they would be coming to play for him.

Beck, the Northwest Herald Player of the Year, and Madson, an All-Area first-team selection, plan on rooming together at Lake Forest.

Beck averaged 17.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists while helping the Chargers to the IHSA Class 4A Boys Basketball State Tournament.

D-C was the first Fox Valley Conference boys team to make it to state.

Madson averaged 15.2 points and 13.3 rebounds a game for the Warriors, who had their third winning season in 21 years and won their first regional since 1978.

“We had talked about how it would be cool if we would play together,” Beck said. “They have about 12 freshmen, but we talked to the coach, and he thought we’d have an opportunity to contribute right away.”

Beck (6-foot-1) will be a point guard, while Lake Forest will use Madson
(6-5) as a power forward.

Both players were being recruited by Lake Forest, Beloit and St. Norbert. Beck and Madson both said the proximity of Lake Forest was a factor in the school’s favor.