Growing up in Stevenson’s district, Aidan Albrecht watched players step into significant roles year after year in one of Lake County’s most successful boys basketball programs. Taking part in that annual rite of passage this season, the 6-foot-3 senior forward wonders how the years could pass by so quickly. “It’s crazy to think I was watching it happen for a long time from the same stands that people are watching me from,” Albrecht said. “All the feeder kids know my name now, and they’re always asking for high-fives after games. “It’s really cool because only five people in the school get to start, and I’m really appreciative to be a part of the Stevenson program.” More than that, Albrecht plays an integral role on both ends of the court. Being able to take on different assignments has helped the Patriots (19-9, 8-5), who are expected to reach 20 wins for the seventh straight full season and finish in the top half of the North Suburban Conference, plug multiple holes after five of their top seven players graduated. “With only two guys back, I would have a lot of opportunities to prove myself,” Albrecht said. “I was going to be able to find my role.” Lake Zurich's Tyler Shively, left, guards Stevenson's Aidan Albrecht during a North Suburban Conference game in Lake Zurich on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (Rob Dicker / News-Sun) As a junior, Albrecht was a seldom-used reserve outside the main rotation. But he played enough to experience the speed of the varsity game and learn what improvements would be needed to maximize his contributions. “I knew I had to get stronger physically, especially to play defense,” he said. Given that the two main returnees — senior guards Rocco Pagliocca and Donny Williams — are scorers, Albrecht also knew he needed to contribute in other areas. “We had a meeting at the end of last year, and they said I would need to rebound,” Albrecht said. “More strength would help with that. We’re taught to hit the guy when the ball goes up and then locate the ball. If that’s what I needed to do to help the team win, that’s what I’d do.” Albrecht has done that extremely well, averaging a team-high 6.5 rebounds as well as 8.5 points and 2.0 assists entering the final week of the regular season. “He’s athletic enough to guard someone with more size than he has,” Stevenson coach Will Benson said. “He’s shot the ball better the last month and has turned into a good passer in the paint. “He’s become the player he needed to be and that we needed him to become.” Albrecht’s athleticism shouldn’t be underestimated. Getting downhill is his most effective offensive tool, and he has found a niche as the Patriots’ best dunker. “I like to dunk,” Albrecht said. “It’s fun. I can dunk on lobs, or in transition I can go down and dunk on the fast break. It gets the crowd involved, and I can see on the bench that they get an energy spark. “I think it catches people by surprise, especially in nonconference games because they haven’t scouted as much.” Stevenson’s Aidan Albrecht shoots the ball during a practice on campus in Lincolnshire on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025. (Talia Sprague / News-Sun) As opposing teams focus on stopping Pagliocca and Williams, Albrecht stands ready. “One of the underrated things he does so well is off-the-ball cutting,” Williams said. “If me and Rocco drive and they collapse on us, he’s really good at getting away from his defender. “And he’s crazy athletic. Sometimes I’ll be boxing out my guy, and I’ll look up, and he’s already got the ball. I’m not really surprised at what a big part he’s become in our success.” Albrecht isn’t surprised either. His confidence grew in early summer workouts, when he showed he had already improved since last season. But then he suffered a broken right hand in a summer practice, which cost him valuable time with Stevenson and his AAU team. “I was playing really well on defense in the first few games of the summer, so it was so hard to miss all that time,” Albrecht said. “Then in open gyms in the fall, I started to be more offensive-oriented too. “I could see what I was going to have to be and worked hard to be the team’s best defender and rebounder.” Albrecht isn’t done yet. The Patriots, who are seeded fourth in the Class 4A Fremd Sectional, will play 13th-seeded Conant in the Hoffman Estates Regional semifinals on Feb. 25. “As a team, our goal through the playoffs is to make it as far as possible and take every game one at a time,” he said. “Everyone will need to play their best because there are no second chances.” Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter. ...read more read less