As a sophomore last season, St. Charles East’s Brooklyn Schilb showed off plenty of potential, but she has taken her game to another level this winter.
The 6-foot guard has nearly doubled her scoring average to just over 23 points as a junior while picking up a number of NCAA Division I offers along the way.
And she was definitely ready to take on a bigger workload.
“We graduated three of our five starters, so I knew that I had to step up this year,” Schilb said. “I knew I had to take on that role and I was given an opportunity.”
Schilb delivered one of her typical games Thursday night in a 60-28 DuKane Conference win over host Geneva, producing a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds to go with four steals.
Addie Schilb, Brooklyn’s senior sister, led all scorers with 23 points for the Saints (13-6, 6-1). Kathlyn Bainbridge added 12 points. Keira McCann led Geneva (7-11, 5-3) with six points.
St. Charles East’s Brooklyn Schilb (5) looks for an opening against Geneva during a DuKane Conference game in Geneva on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (Mark Black / The Beacon-News)
Brooklyn Schilb concentrated on improving her outside shot in the offseason since the days of a player of her height operating on the inside in college are over. Schilb knows she’ill be a guard.
“Being able to score from all three levels is something that I tried to improve this season,” she said. “That definitely helps.”
That’s the reason Schilb has found another gear this season, according to St. Charles East coach Katie Claussner.
“I think last year she prioritized scoring in the paint,” Claussner said. “She has a fantastic shot. If we can get her to knock down threes consistently, I don’t know how defenses are going to stop her.”
St. Charles East’s Brooklyn Schilb (5) drives into the lane for a shot against Geneva during a DuKane Conference game in Geneva on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (Mark Black / The Beacon-News)
Obviously, working on her shooting form is a big part of the transformation. Mastering the mental game is another step.
“We’ve been watching a lot of film with her, too, going through her decision-making,” Claussner said. “She wants to put it on the floor as much as possible. She’s now pulling up from midrange.
“She’s letting it fly from three. It’s definitely been a much better transition for her. As you can tell by the stats, it’s working out for her.”
The Saints went through a three-game losing streak, including a loss to Lake Park, which also snapped an 18-game conference winning streak.
St. Charles East’s Addie Schilb (33) drives past Geneva’s Keira McCann (30) during a DuKane Conference game in Geneva on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (Mark Black / The Beacon-News)
Thursday was their fourth straight win, however, and they came out to show that they were the class of the conference.
Brooklyn Schilb converted a layup and a 3-pointer to open an 8-4 lead. The Saints then went on a debilitating 21-0 run for an insurmountable 31-8 lead. Addie Schilb scored eight points in that run.
“We wanted to show that we were the best in the conference, so we wanted to win by a lot,” Brooklyn said. “We wanted to show that we can still win conference and bring that momentum.”
Geneva coach Sarah Meadows was hoping for a closer outcome.
“I was really excited about this game,” Meadows said. “I thought our kids would get up for it. We’ve had a really good week of practice. I thought our kids were ready. We’re not there.”
St. Charles East’s Brooklyn Schilb (5) puts up a 3-point shot from the corner against Geneva during a DuKane Conference game in Geneva on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (Mark Black / The Beacon-News)
Schilb has started the college recruiting process, picking up Division I offers from Eastern Illinois, Illinois State, Murray State and Chattanooga. She’s bound to receive many more.
For now, she’s just concentrating on this season, however.
“I’m soaking in playing with my sister for the last year and playing with my teammates,” she said.
Claussner also knows there is more to come.
“She has that mentality like I’m going to outwork every single person in the gym,” Claussner said. “That’s how she’s gotten so good and she’s going to continue. The sky is the limit for her.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.