Published: December 23, 2009
Kane County Chronicle
ELGIN – After a disappointing start to the Elgin Boys Holiday Basketball Tournament, the Batavia boys basketball team is still in the running for something, at least.
The Bulldogs knocked off Glenbrook South, taking the Titans down, 67-58, on Wednesday to advance to the consolation bracket championship game against Highland Park at 3:15 p.m. Saturday.
Batavia senior forward Ricky Clopton dominated, racking up 28 points for the Bulldogs (7-4), including the better part of a 10-point run that stole the lead from Glenbrook South in the second quarter.
The game was hardly in the bag, with the Titans intensifying their man-to-man defense and muscling into the paint. But the Bulldogs had an answer.
“We changed to a 3-2,” Batavia junior center Elliot Vaughn said. “That way they couldn’t get a bunch of three-pointers and they had to go in the middle.”
There the Bulldogs forced the Titans into some some difficult looks. Batavia outscored Glenbrook South 20-8 in the second quarter, and maintained the lead the rest of the afternoon.
“It was a big win for us,” Batavia coach Jim Roberts said. “They’re a very well-coached group of guys... [and] we hung in there with them.”
Communication was the key to the victory, said Roberts, who praised the way the Bulldogs played off each other.
Clopton said his big day came with the aid of his teammates.
“The guys did a good job of setting up the basket and letting me score,” he said. “I just took advantage of what they were doing.”
Vaughn and junior guard Jesse Coffey followed Clopton with 12 points each. Both players also hit all of their free throws.
Batavia’s second straight win at the tournament was almost enough to shake off the disappointment of Monday’s tournament-opening loss against Rolling Meadows. Almost.
“I wish we would have won the first game because we wanted to play Neuqua,” Clopton said.
Even still, the win was still worth savoring as the Bulldogs look to return to sturdier footing after a recent lull.
“We’re just getting better every day, every game,” Clopton said.
Showing posts with label Basketball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Basketball. Show all posts
Friday, January 8, 2010
Saints’ run comes to end
Published: December 22, 2009
Kane County Chronicle
WHEATON – At the start, it looked like St. Charles East, an unseeded team in the Bill Neibch Girls Basketball Holiday Tournament, would continue their Cinderella streak of success.
Waubonsie Valley, however, had other plans.
By the final buzzer, the Warriors had pounded out a 55-49 victory over the Saints, leaving them to play for third place against Elk Grove tonight at 6 p.m.
The Saints (9-5) took an early lead in the first quarter, looking cool and confident throughout compared to Waubonsie Valley’s sloppiness. In the first quarter, the Warriors had seven team fouls and were in the double-bonus with four minutes left in the half.
But Waubonsie Valley’s quickness and athleticism came out in the last three minutes of the second quarter, reversing a five-point deficit to end the first half with a 27-23 lead thanks in large part to sophomore guard Becky Williford’s three three-point baskets.
“I’m a little bit regretful that we didn’t, in the second quarter when they were in such foul trouble ... we didn’t pound the ball like I would have liked to,” East coach Lori Drumtra said. “When you’ve got the team on the ropes with the fouls, you’ve got to go for the jugular.”
Waubonsie came out even better in the second half, extending their lead to double-digits. But the Saints powered back, with senior guard Lexi Baltes scoring 10 of her 14 game points in the fourth quarter.
Senior Kara Schnier led the Saints with 15 points while keeping the Warriors from racking up points in transition.
“We forced them to work for their shots,” Drumtra said.
Still there were some disappointment in the loss, especially after beating No. 1 seeded Hinsdale Central in the first round and No. 8 Lyons Township in the second.
“We’re disappointed because you get so close to the championship game” Drumtra said, “but we want to finish strong.”
“I think it [was] a character-building game for us,” Schnier said, pointing to Baltes’s strong performance in the fourth quarter, along with their unexpected wins. “The tournament’s not over yet.”
Nor is this the last time they’ll play their fellow Upstate Eight Conference contenders.
“We’re going to see Waubonsie Valley again,” Schnier said. “I think it was a good little preview of what it’s going to be like next time ... hopefully with a different outcome.”
Kane County Chronicle
WHEATON – At the start, it looked like St. Charles East, an unseeded team in the Bill Neibch Girls Basketball Holiday Tournament, would continue their Cinderella streak of success.
Waubonsie Valley, however, had other plans.
By the final buzzer, the Warriors had pounded out a 55-49 victory over the Saints, leaving them to play for third place against Elk Grove tonight at 6 p.m.
The Saints (9-5) took an early lead in the first quarter, looking cool and confident throughout compared to Waubonsie Valley’s sloppiness. In the first quarter, the Warriors had seven team fouls and were in the double-bonus with four minutes left in the half.
But Waubonsie Valley’s quickness and athleticism came out in the last three minutes of the second quarter, reversing a five-point deficit to end the first half with a 27-23 lead thanks in large part to sophomore guard Becky Williford’s three three-point baskets.
“I’m a little bit regretful that we didn’t, in the second quarter when they were in such foul trouble ... we didn’t pound the ball like I would have liked to,” East coach Lori Drumtra said. “When you’ve got the team on the ropes with the fouls, you’ve got to go for the jugular.”
Waubonsie came out even better in the second half, extending their lead to double-digits. But the Saints powered back, with senior guard Lexi Baltes scoring 10 of her 14 game points in the fourth quarter.
Senior Kara Schnier led the Saints with 15 points while keeping the Warriors from racking up points in transition.
“We forced them to work for their shots,” Drumtra said.
Still there were some disappointment in the loss, especially after beating No. 1 seeded Hinsdale Central in the first round and No. 8 Lyons Township in the second.
“We’re disappointed because you get so close to the championship game” Drumtra said, “but we want to finish strong.”
“I think it [was] a character-building game for us,” Schnier said, pointing to Baltes’s strong performance in the fourth quarter, along with their unexpected wins. “The tournament’s not over yet.”
Nor is this the last time they’ll play their fellow Upstate Eight Conference contenders.
“We’re going to see Waubonsie Valley again,” Schnier said. “I think it was a good little preview of what it’s going to be like next time ... hopefully with a different outcome.”
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Vikings pull out win despite sloppy effort
Published: November 28, 2009
Kane County Chronicle
Kane County Chronicle
GENEVA – After starting their season with a pair of dominating victories, the Geneva girls basketball team showed it could still come out ahead even when the tempo did not always swing in its favor.
But it was not as confident of a victory as the Vikings would have liked, despite the 45-32 win over St. Charles North in the semifinal of their own invitational tournament.
“It was kind of a sloppy win,” said junior Kat Yelle. “We weren’t in sync.”
Luckily for them, their struggles came in the second half, after establishing an impressive 28-13 lead to finish the second quarter, with Yelle scoring 12 of her game-leading 20 points.
St. Charles North (2-1), who struggled with the absence of starter Jenna Bell because of illness, picked up its tempo in the second half and kept the Vikings (3-0) at bay. North outscored the Vikings, 19-17, in the second half, thanks to the hustle of junior Taylor Russell (eight points, five rebounds) and senior Dana Sibley (10 points, six rebounds).
“We saw some sparks,” North Star coach Colleen Brennan said. “Second half was much better than the first.”
Geneva coach Gina Nolan credited North’s invigorated defense at the half for keeping her team from opening the game any farther.
“St. Charles North took us out of our running game a bit today,” she said. “They hustled back on defense. Hopefully we can take that back again [tomorrow].”
The Vikings’ own defense responded well enough to keep North from chipping away at their lead too much, with senior Lauren Wicinski at the basket, earning nine rebounds and scoring four points for the Vikings.
Yelle too took advantage of North’s turnovers with a couple of steal-induced lay-ups in the third quarter.
“When we needed the big stopper to get our team settled, Kat definitely was there,” Nolan said.
Geneva plays Oswego at 2:30 p.m. today, after the Panthers edged out Rosary, 53-49. North plays Rosary for third place at 1 p.m. today. For both teams, it’s a opportunity to iron out any early season wrinkles made evident from their game.
Brennan took North’s second-half performance as a sign of potential.
“Absolutely, we’re ready [for Rosaray],” she said. “There’s no question this is a great team I’m working with. They’re still learning about each other. They’re still working with different combinations on the court. … They showed me a little more depth today.”
The Vikings, meanwhile, go into the invitational championship with goals of making their team gel as well as they did last year. Yelle said the team is working on improving its scoring in the wake Taylor Whitley’s graduation.
“Me and Taylor worked really well together, so I miss that,” she said. “But we’re actually doing pretty well so far.”
Nolan also joked about the recent holiday potentially playing a part in the game’s pacing.
“Now that the turkey is long gone, hopefully everyone will come in a little sharper and ready to go,” she said.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Late call steals ACC's momentum
Published: March 7, 2009
Kane County Chronicle
OSWEGO – With 44 seconds left in the game, Aurora Central Catholic needed a game-winning shot trailing Oswego by one point in the IHSA Class 3A Oswego Regional final.
Following a timeout, the Chargers passed it senior Anthony Kelley – who scored all of ACC's 16 points in the third quarter. He looked, took a shot and ... hit the rim.
A few free throws for Oswego later, the Chargers left the court defeated, 64-61.
The loss shocked ACC (24-4) because for much of the game it had been fighting to keep the lead from getting into Oswego's hands. But the shift in momentum came from a charging call on senior Mark Brauweiller, with two minutes left in the game.
ACC coach Nate Drye expected a call on Oswego and a chance to take a six-point lead – not a call on Brauweiller and free throws for the Panthers.
Drye made no attempt in hiding his disappoint in the foul.
"It's unfortunate when the officiating plays a major role in the game like that," he said. "Our kids worked way too hard all season to have the game come down to officiating. I thought the officiating was bad all night."
But ACC still managed to put up a strong fight against an aggressive home team, going on an 11-point run in the first quarter after being down by five. And seniors Mike Adams and Anthony Kelley each dominated scoring for the Chargers. Kelley had 24 points and three rebounds, while Adams had 18 points, eight rebounds and two blocks.
"Mike was awesome. ... He just keeps fighting, he's a warrior out there," Drye said. "He's one of, if not the, favorite player I've ever coached."
Kelley kicked off his third-quarter domination at the start with a dunk, which gave him the confidence to go for all the shots he could.
"After I kept [making shots] I thought, 'why not?' I'm the person that we need to step up and play," he said.
Even when he turned his ankle in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter, he tried to keep himself focused.
"It just killed, because I said, 'This isn't happening right now. Fourth quarter of the regional championship? I'm not going out,'" he said. "I didn't come this far just to stop off a turned ankle."
But even ACC's positive notes were overshadowed by Oswego's last-minute comeback and the disputed call.
"To have a game swing on a call like that is indefensible," Drye said. "I can't believe I've got to tell these guys that we can't practice tomorrow morning. ... I love coaching these kids, that's the worst part about it. ... I'm really sad that it had to end like this."
Kane County Chronicle
OSWEGO – With 44 seconds left in the game, Aurora Central Catholic needed a game-winning shot trailing Oswego by one point in the IHSA Class 3A Oswego Regional final.
Following a timeout, the Chargers passed it senior Anthony Kelley – who scored all of ACC's 16 points in the third quarter. He looked, took a shot and ... hit the rim.
A few free throws for Oswego later, the Chargers left the court defeated, 64-61.
The loss shocked ACC (24-4) because for much of the game it had been fighting to keep the lead from getting into Oswego's hands. But the shift in momentum came from a charging call on senior Mark Brauweiller, with two minutes left in the game.
ACC coach Nate Drye expected a call on Oswego and a chance to take a six-point lead – not a call on Brauweiller and free throws for the Panthers.
Drye made no attempt in hiding his disappoint in the foul.
"It's unfortunate when the officiating plays a major role in the game like that," he said. "Our kids worked way too hard all season to have the game come down to officiating. I thought the officiating was bad all night."
But ACC still managed to put up a strong fight against an aggressive home team, going on an 11-point run in the first quarter after being down by five. And seniors Mike Adams and Anthony Kelley each dominated scoring for the Chargers. Kelley had 24 points and three rebounds, while Adams had 18 points, eight rebounds and two blocks.
"Mike was awesome. ... He just keeps fighting, he's a warrior out there," Drye said. "He's one of, if not the, favorite player I've ever coached."
Kelley kicked off his third-quarter domination at the start with a dunk, which gave him the confidence to go for all the shots he could.
"After I kept [making shots] I thought, 'why not?' I'm the person that we need to step up and play," he said.
Even when he turned his ankle in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter, he tried to keep himself focused.
"It just killed, because I said, 'This isn't happening right now. Fourth quarter of the regional championship? I'm not going out,'" he said. "I didn't come this far just to stop off a turned ankle."
But even ACC's positive notes were overshadowed by Oswego's last-minute comeback and the disputed call.
"To have a game swing on a call like that is indefensible," Drye said. "I can't believe I've got to tell these guys that we can't practice tomorrow morning. ... I love coaching these kids, that's the worst part about it. ... I'm really sad that it had to end like this."
Friday, March 6, 2009
Kaneland's season end[s] at hand of Whip-Purs / Whip-Purs deflate Knights in semifinals
Published: March 4, 2009 (Online only)
BURLINGTON – After two straight games with Kaneland losing in the last minute by a mere point, the Knights boys basketball team came out pumped for Wednesday's semifinal in the IHSA Class 3A Burlington Central Regional.
Ultimately, Hampshire deflated the Knights, winning, 47-38.
Kaneland fans were tense as the Knights (13-13) traded the lead back and forth with the Whip-Purs for much of the first half. Kaneland senior Mike Pritchard put together a string of fadeaway jumpers in the second quarter in response to Hampshire’s aggressive drives.
Hampshire led, 22-18, at halftime, then jumped out of the third quarter and increased the lead to six points. By the time they were maintaining a nine-point lead in fourth, Kaneland’s fate was sealed.
“Our effort was there,” Kaneland coach Dennis Hansen said. “They got a couple of steals and easy baskets, but we did too. ... But outside of Mike [Pritchard], we really had no offense. Mike kept us in the game all night long.”
Pritchard led the scoring with 15 points, with all of his second-half scoring coming from three-pointers as he tried to get momentum back on Kaneland’s side.
But as other Knights missed their outside shots and struggled to break down the Hampshire defense, that momentum never carried.
“[Hampshire] was just sitting in the zone and they kind of packed it in on our big guys,” Pritchard said. “We were just trying to get open shots since we couldn’t really get it inside.”
Hampshire was able to put a lid on 6-foot-8 Kaneland center Dave Dudzinski. The junior was able to block a shot in the first quarter, but ended up with seven points.
“Duds has been our catalyst for most of the second half of our season,” Hansen said. “It seems when he gets going, he gets everyone else going. But they shut him down pretty good, which we figured they’d try to do.”
The Knights managed to keep Hampshire standout Will Bush’s scoring down to 10 points.
“He’s real quick,” Pritchard said. “He’s really good at driving the line. He has good moves, so he’s tough.”
But with the season at an end, Hansen already began to take time recognizing the seven seniors on his team, finishing up the high school careers.
“All seven are class acts,” he said. “Good kids, good work ethic. ... They’ve been the heart and soul of our team all year.”
Pritchard, one of those seniors, said he had fun spending time with his friends, but also is looking forward to seeing what his younger teammates do next year.
“We’ve got some great players coming up,” he said.
Ultimately, Hampshire deflated the Knights, winning, 47-38.
Kaneland fans were tense as the Knights (13-13) traded the lead back and forth with the Whip-Purs for much of the first half. Kaneland senior Mike Pritchard put together a string of fadeaway jumpers in the second quarter in response to Hampshire’s aggressive drives.
Hampshire led, 22-18, at halftime, then jumped out of the third quarter and increased the lead to six points. By the time they were maintaining a nine-point lead in fourth, Kaneland’s fate was sealed.
“Our effort was there,” Kaneland coach Dennis Hansen said. “They got a couple of steals and easy baskets, but we did too. ... But outside of Mike [Pritchard], we really had no offense. Mike kept us in the game all night long.”
Pritchard led the scoring with 15 points, with all of his second-half scoring coming from three-pointers as he tried to get momentum back on Kaneland’s side.
But as other Knights missed their outside shots and struggled to break down the Hampshire defense, that momentum never carried.
“[Hampshire] was just sitting in the zone and they kind of packed it in on our big guys,” Pritchard said. “We were just trying to get open shots since we couldn’t really get it inside.”
Hampshire was able to put a lid on 6-foot-8 Kaneland center Dave Dudzinski. The junior was able to block a shot in the first quarter, but ended up with seven points.
“Duds has been our catalyst for most of the second half of our season,” Hansen said. “It seems when he gets going, he gets everyone else going. But they shut him down pretty good, which we figured they’d try to do.”
The Knights managed to keep Hampshire standout Will Bush’s scoring down to 10 points.
“He’s real quick,” Pritchard said. “He’s really good at driving the line. He has good moves, so he’s tough.”
But with the season at an end, Hansen already began to take time recognizing the seven seniors on his team, finishing up the high school careers.
“All seven are class acts,” he said. “Good kids, good work ethic. ... They’ve been the heart and soul of our team all year.”
Pritchard, one of those seniors, said he had fun spending time with his friends, but also is looking forward to seeing what his younger teammates do next year.
“We’ve got some great players coming up,” he said.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Vikings save WSC title hopes
Published: February 21, 2009
Kane County Chronicle
MAPLE PARK – In retrospect, it seemed fitting that such a close, back-and-forth Western Sun Conference battle would come down to last-second free throws.
But as Geneva senior Christian Frederking looked up at the basket from the free-throw line, with a 1.5 seconds left on the clock, the Vikings down 38-37 and Kaneland fans on their feet, roaring in his ear, one thought flooded his head.
"I just knock these two down, we take care of the game," he said. "I just didn't want this to go into overtime on their home court."
He knocked them down, and Geneva took the lead back for the fifth and last time, squeezing past Kaneland on Friday, 39-38, for a key WSC victory.
The win keeps Geneva (19-6, 10-3) in position to tie for the conference title if the Vikings can beat Sycamore next week. The Knights saw their five-game winning streak snapped.
The Knights (13-11, 5-8) seized the momentum early and kept Geneva at arm's length early. The teams traded the lead back and forth for much of the second quarter, with Kaneland senior Mike Pritchard sandwiching a three-pointer with Geneva's Rob Tauscher and Michael Ratay.
Pritchard led all scorers with 15 points, including a fourth-quarter shot from outside that brought the Knights to within 34-31.
"It came down to our team defense," Geneva coach Phil Ralston said, "Tyler Scofield only had two points in the game, but I thought he might have been our MVP tonight because he literally shut down [Kaneland junior Dave] Dudzinski."
While Dudzinski started the game with two blocks, he ended the first half scoreless and only began to rack up points with free throws in the fourth, where his 6-of-7 shooting helped bring Kaneland a last-minute lead. His two free throws put Kaneland ahead, 38-37, but Frederking responded with a drive to the hoop, ending at the line for two shots with 1.5 seconds to go.
"They got a lot of momentum in that fourth quarter," Frederking said. "So we just wanted to put an end to it right there."
It was strange mix of excitement and disappointment in the gym, as fans from both sides reacted to the tense, drawn-out final quarter.
For Ralston, though, pride in his players was the prevailing emotion.
"Our kids hit some tough shots," Ralston said. "And Christian? That's his third game-winner of the season, so I think that's huge."
Kane County Chronicle
MAPLE PARK – In retrospect, it seemed fitting that such a close, back-and-forth Western Sun Conference battle would come down to last-second free throws.
But as Geneva senior Christian Frederking looked up at the basket from the free-throw line, with a 1.5 seconds left on the clock, the Vikings down 38-37 and Kaneland fans on their feet, roaring in his ear, one thought flooded his head.
"I just knock these two down, we take care of the game," he said. "I just didn't want this to go into overtime on their home court."
He knocked them down, and Geneva took the lead back for the fifth and last time, squeezing past Kaneland on Friday, 39-38, for a key WSC victory.
The win keeps Geneva (19-6, 10-3) in position to tie for the conference title if the Vikings can beat Sycamore next week. The Knights saw their five-game winning streak snapped.
The Knights (13-11, 5-8) seized the momentum early and kept Geneva at arm's length early. The teams traded the lead back and forth for much of the second quarter, with Kaneland senior Mike Pritchard sandwiching a three-pointer with Geneva's Rob Tauscher and Michael Ratay.
Pritchard led all scorers with 15 points, including a fourth-quarter shot from outside that brought the Knights to within 34-31.
"It came down to our team defense," Geneva coach Phil Ralston said, "Tyler Scofield only had two points in the game, but I thought he might have been our MVP tonight because he literally shut down [Kaneland junior Dave] Dudzinski."
While Dudzinski started the game with two blocks, he ended the first half scoreless and only began to rack up points with free throws in the fourth, where his 6-of-7 shooting helped bring Kaneland a last-minute lead. His two free throws put Kaneland ahead, 38-37, but Frederking responded with a drive to the hoop, ending at the line for two shots with 1.5 seconds to go.
"They got a lot of momentum in that fourth quarter," Frederking said. "So we just wanted to put an end to it right there."
It was strange mix of excitement and disappointment in the gym, as fans from both sides reacted to the tense, drawn-out final quarter.
For Ralston, though, pride in his players was the prevailing emotion.
"Our kids hit some tough shots," Ralston said. "And Christian? That's his third game-winner of the season, so I think that's huge."
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Kaneland girls advance with ease
Published: February 17, 2009
MAPLE PARK – If only the rest of the postseason could go this well for the Kaneland girls basketball team.
The team that struggled through much of the regular season handily defeated Illinois Math and Science Academy, 57-34, Monday in the IHSA Class 3A Kaneland Regional quarterfinals. The Knights advance to take on Hampshire at 6 p.m. tonight.
The Knights grabbed for the lead at the start, and 14 unanswered Kaneland points later, a win seemed certain.
"I thought we came out pretty focused," Kaneland coach Ernie Colombe said. "We knew what we wanted to do early."
Kaneland was focused enough that before the first quarter was over, the Knights had a 14-point run and were already rotating their starters off the court.
For IMSA's part, players like Isolina Rossi attempted to drive toward their basket. Rossi scored 10 points for the Titans including two three-pointers. But momentum was rare commodity for IMSA as the Knights (8-17) outsized and outpaced them from the start.
Even as the Titans started to string together a six-point run to start the second quarter, the Knights answered back with another double-digit run of their own. Mallory Carlson led the charge, scoring eight of her game-leading 12 points in the second quarter's 11-point drive for the Knights.
Colombe said that it was a game for non-starters, like Carlson, to shine.
"I think [Carlson] and Kelly Evers are the two most improved players on our team," Colombe said, "Mallory's just getting better and more confident every day."
Both girls were just two of the 10 Knights who scored throughout the game, including Alyssa Galvan with 10 points.
"It was a game that helped boost our confidence for tomorrow," Galvan said.
With round 1 out of the way, the Knights quickly shifted into anticipation mode for their second game against top-seeded Hampshire.
"We were able to rest a lot of our starters and hopefully we'll be fresh for tomorrow night," Colombe said. "They're a great team. We know we'll have to play our best game of the season if we want to have to play on after tomorrow night."
Sunday, February 8, 2009
North Stars dunk Warriors
Published: February 8, 2009
ST. CHARLES – From the tip, St. Charles North made it clear that its game against Waubonsie Valley was going to be an intense one.
But while North senior Josh Mikes' game-opening slam dunk hinted at a shootout, the North Stars' 64-50 Upstate Eight Conference win againt the Warriors was more of a slog, with both sides fighting it out for possession and looks at the basket.
Luckily for North, the Warriors' shooting was off (18-for-55 in the game) thanks in no small part to North's towering senior center, Mike Kastel, who blocked five shots and nabbed eight rebounds.
"I think Mike Kastel was our man tonight," North coach Tom Poulin said, "He just solidifies our defense."
Kastel also kicked off the game-starting dunk, according to Mikes.
"Right when he's going up for the tip, [Kastel] says, 'Dunk time,'" Mikes said. "He saw nobody was defending out basket, so he tipped it to [Jonathan DeMoss], Jon got it to me and I just dunked it."
Kastel says that kind of playing is what he's all about; "I'll take a block over a dunk any day."
Kastel's defensively play opened up the opportunity for Mikes to score a game-leading 21 points.
But even with a comfortable lead, the Warriors (10-10, 3-3 UEC) fought back, scoring a big chunk of their points off off North Star turnovers. At the third quarter, they came close to taking a lead in the game, but only managed to tie it at 40 before the personal fouls started to pile on and North started widening the gap again.
Still, the Warriors outscored the North Stars (16-5, 7-1) 18-11 in the third quarter, a big change in momentum for a team that kept Waubonsie Valley down to single-digit quarters in the first half.
"I think we let our guards slip a little bit," Kastel said of the third quarter. "But we do really well in adversity."
As the North Stars boxed out the Warriors from taking the lead, the Warriors shot themselves in the foot with personal fouls, sending North senior Nick Neari to the line six times in the fourth quarter. He shot 12-for-12.
"We talked at half about it might being an ugly second half," Poulin said, regarding the fouls. North too got into some trouble themselves with 11 fouls in the second half. "But I said 'we've got to keep our heads and keep our cool.'"
The win is North's ninth straight, having now won 13 of their past 14 games. But not surprisingly, Poulin is not trying to dwell too much on the streak.
"January is over," he said. "We're starting again in February, trying to start another streak. We're 1-0 now.
"I know it's a cliché, but we really our going one game at a time," Poulin said, "and it's working."
Mikes was a little more confident about the prospects for his team in the upcoming months.
"We try to take it one game at a time, but we think with all the people we have on the team, we can go a lot farther than that," he said.
But while North senior Josh Mikes' game-opening slam dunk hinted at a shootout, the North Stars' 64-50 Upstate Eight Conference win againt the Warriors was more of a slog, with both sides fighting it out for possession and looks at the basket.
Luckily for North, the Warriors' shooting was off (18-for-55 in the game) thanks in no small part to North's towering senior center, Mike Kastel, who blocked five shots and nabbed eight rebounds.
"I think Mike Kastel was our man tonight," North coach Tom Poulin said, "He just solidifies our defense."
Kastel also kicked off the game-starting dunk, according to Mikes.
"Right when he's going up for the tip, [Kastel] says, 'Dunk time,'" Mikes said. "He saw nobody was defending out basket, so he tipped it to [Jonathan DeMoss], Jon got it to me and I just dunked it."
Kastel says that kind of playing is what he's all about; "I'll take a block over a dunk any day."
Kastel's defensively play opened up the opportunity for Mikes to score a game-leading 21 points.
But even with a comfortable lead, the Warriors (10-10, 3-3 UEC) fought back, scoring a big chunk of their points off off North Star turnovers. At the third quarter, they came close to taking a lead in the game, but only managed to tie it at 40 before the personal fouls started to pile on and North started widening the gap again.
Still, the Warriors outscored the North Stars (16-5, 7-1) 18-11 in the third quarter, a big change in momentum for a team that kept Waubonsie Valley down to single-digit quarters in the first half.
"I think we let our guards slip a little bit," Kastel said of the third quarter. "But we do really well in adversity."
As the North Stars boxed out the Warriors from taking the lead, the Warriors shot themselves in the foot with personal fouls, sending North senior Nick Neari to the line six times in the fourth quarter. He shot 12-for-12.
"We talked at half about it might being an ugly second half," Poulin said, regarding the fouls. North too got into some trouble themselves with 11 fouls in the second half. "But I said 'we've got to keep our heads and keep our cool.'"
The win is North's ninth straight, having now won 13 of their past 14 games. But not surprisingly, Poulin is not trying to dwell too much on the streak.
"January is over," he said. "We're starting again in February, trying to start another streak. We're 1-0 now.
"I know it's a cliché, but we really our going one game at a time," Poulin said, "and it's working."
Mikes was a little more confident about the prospects for his team in the upcoming months.
"We try to take it one game at a time, but we think with all the people we have on the team, we can go a lot farther than that," he said.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Brouch, Cadets shoot down Spartans
Published: February 1, 2009
AURORA – The last time St. Francis met Marmion, it was a close game on the Spartans' turf, with the home team on top by two points.
But when they came to Marmion, the Cadets played a whole different ball game, winning the Suburban Catholic Conference matchup, 62-50.
From the tip-off, the game was a battle of team energy, with the Cadets (10-11, 8-4 SCC) capitalizing on the momentum from their win against East Aurora last Saturday, and the Spartans (12-7, 5-4) struggling to get any momentum against Marmion.
While St. Francis drove toward the basket, with senior Ryan Ferguson (15 points) putting up layups, senior David Brouch answered for Marmion with almost nothing but three-pointers.
Twice, in the first quarter, Brouch's outside shooting regained the lead for Marmion – once at the start, as an answer to St. Francis's game-starting basket, and later after a turnover let the Spartans drive in for a 12-11 lead.
Brouch's 20 points launched them toward the win.
"Three-point shooting is my role this year," Brouch said. "I got a lot of looks in the first half and I felt pretty good in warm-ups and in the game."
Meanwhile, St. Francis was having trouble getting shots in and breaking toward the basket. After a close first quarter, the Spartans were outscored 14-6 in the second and 12-9 in the third.
Marmion coach Rashon Burno said shutting down the Spartans' scoring was the key to the win.
"[St. Francis coach] Shawn [Healy] runs his offense the best that I've seen in the area," he said. "I told my team coming in, 'If you're waiting for St. Francis to beat themselves, we'll be waiting for a long time.'"
For Healy however, the Spartans might have done just that – beat themselves.
"The game was lost before the ball even went up," he said. "We didn't come out with any energy, we didn't come over ready to play, and Marimion just wanted it more than we did. Without question it was a lackluster effort from the get-go."
The energy came back for St. Francis, switching to man-to-man defense and putting more pressure on Marmion junior Mark Peters (20 points).
Outscoring Marmion 22-21 in the fourth might have been a reminder fans of their previous matchup at home, with senior David Palash scoring 11 of his 13 points in that final quarter.
Senior Clint Pierce tried to be his team's version of Brouch, nailing three outside shots and totaling 13 points, as well.
But with Brouch's threes and Peter's 12-for-15 shooting from the line, Marmion kept the Spartans at arm's length, even as they fought for a comeback.
Brouch added that the game's location had a hand in the win.
"We just play well at home," he said.
But when they came to Marmion, the Cadets played a whole different ball game, winning the Suburban Catholic Conference matchup, 62-50.
From the tip-off, the game was a battle of team energy, with the Cadets (10-11, 8-4 SCC) capitalizing on the momentum from their win against East Aurora last Saturday, and the Spartans (12-7, 5-4) struggling to get any momentum against Marmion.
While St. Francis drove toward the basket, with senior Ryan Ferguson (15 points) putting up layups, senior David Brouch answered for Marmion with almost nothing but three-pointers.
Twice, in the first quarter, Brouch's outside shooting regained the lead for Marmion – once at the start, as an answer to St. Francis's game-starting basket, and later after a turnover let the Spartans drive in for a 12-11 lead.
Brouch's 20 points launched them toward the win.
"Three-point shooting is my role this year," Brouch said. "I got a lot of looks in the first half and I felt pretty good in warm-ups and in the game."
Meanwhile, St. Francis was having trouble getting shots in and breaking toward the basket. After a close first quarter, the Spartans were outscored 14-6 in the second and 12-9 in the third.
Marmion coach Rashon Burno said shutting down the Spartans' scoring was the key to the win.
"[St. Francis coach] Shawn [Healy] runs his offense the best that I've seen in the area," he said. "I told my team coming in, 'If you're waiting for St. Francis to beat themselves, we'll be waiting for a long time.'"
For Healy however, the Spartans might have done just that – beat themselves.
"The game was lost before the ball even went up," he said. "We didn't come out with any energy, we didn't come over ready to play, and Marimion just wanted it more than we did. Without question it was a lackluster effort from the get-go."
The energy came back for St. Francis, switching to man-to-man defense and putting more pressure on Marmion junior Mark Peters (20 points).
Outscoring Marmion 22-21 in the fourth might have been a reminder fans of their previous matchup at home, with senior David Palash scoring 11 of his 13 points in that final quarter.
Senior Clint Pierce tried to be his team's version of Brouch, nailing three outside shots and totaling 13 points, as well.
But with Brouch's threes and Peter's 12-for-15 shooting from the line, Marmion kept the Spartans at arm's length, even as they fought for a comeback.
Brouch added that the game's location had a hand in the win.
"We just play well at home," he said.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Shooting for a cause
Published: January 22, 2009GENEVA – You might think that a gym full of high school basketball players shooting free throws meant they were getting punished for something.
But as it turns out, every Geneva boys basketball player, from freshmen to varsity, was showing off their skills for a good cause.
In an event called "Free Throws For Heroes," each Vikings player took 50 shots from the line. For every one they made, a family member or friend would donate money to the Charity Stripe, an organization that helps Illinois military families in need.
Geneva boys basketball coach Phil Ralston said that while the charity has been around for a few years, this is the first time the school has participated in the event.
"I'm on the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association board, and they came and gave a presentation," he said, "and asked us for our support. It looked like it was for a really good cause."
Ralston said he told the boys to ask people for donations from a penny to 10 cents a free throw, but the response has been above expectations.
"We've got 50-cent donations," he said, "and one kid who got a dollar for every free-throw he made."
And with 53 boys in the program, that money could add up.
"They way we're looking at it is if we could raise three- or four-hundred dollars as a program, and if we participate with several dozen schools, we're going to raise a lot of money for this charity," Ralston said.
Jeremy D'Amico, who made 43 of his free throws, got most his donations from the same people the rest of his teammates did; "We mostly just asked our family and friends," he said.
But for many of them, their thoughts were less on the charitable work and more on trying to out-shoot their teammates.
D'Amico and teammate Michael Ratay (39 shots) were among a group of players gathered around Rob Tauscher as he shot his way to a near-perfect run. Even though he missed his 46th free throw, his 49 made him the "winner."
Ratay joked about Tauscher's free-throw skills, saying, "He's almost as perfect with a basketball as well as a No. 2 pencil," he said.
Tauscher recently got a perfect score on his ACT.
"Not a lot of people can beat Rob," Ralston added.
While Ralston still had to tally just how well Geneva did as a program, he was able to show that nine of his 15 varsity players shot 80 percent or better.
"Not only does it make us a better a team," he said, "but it ... helps out other families."
Not to be left out, the Geneva girls basketball team also will participate in the event at a later date.
But as it turns out, every Geneva boys basketball player, from freshmen to varsity, was showing off their skills for a good cause.
In an event called "Free Throws For Heroes," each Vikings player took 50 shots from the line. For every one they made, a family member or friend would donate money to the Charity Stripe, an organization that helps Illinois military families in need.
Geneva boys basketball coach Phil Ralston said that while the charity has been around for a few years, this is the first time the school has participated in the event.
"I'm on the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association board, and they came and gave a presentation," he said, "and asked us for our support. It looked like it was for a really good cause."
Ralston said he told the boys to ask people for donations from a penny to 10 cents a free throw, but the response has been above expectations.
"We've got 50-cent donations," he said, "and one kid who got a dollar for every free-throw he made."
And with 53 boys in the program, that money could add up.
"They way we're looking at it is if we could raise three- or four-hundred dollars as a program, and if we participate with several dozen schools, we're going to raise a lot of money for this charity," Ralston said.
Jeremy D'Amico, who made 43 of his free throws, got most his donations from the same people the rest of his teammates did; "We mostly just asked our family and friends," he said.
But for many of them, their thoughts were less on the charitable work and more on trying to out-shoot their teammates.
D'Amico and teammate Michael Ratay (39 shots) were among a group of players gathered around Rob Tauscher as he shot his way to a near-perfect run. Even though he missed his 46th free throw, his 49 made him the "winner."
Ratay joked about Tauscher's free-throw skills, saying, "He's almost as perfect with a basketball as well as a No. 2 pencil," he said.
Tauscher recently got a perfect score on his ACT.
"Not a lot of people can beat Rob," Ralston added.
While Ralston still had to tally just how well Geneva did as a program, he was able to show that nine of his 15 varsity players shot 80 percent or better.
"Not only does it make us a better a team," he said, "but it ... helps out other families."
Not to be left out, the Geneva girls basketball team also will participate in the event at a later date.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Blackhawks get over hump in 2nd half
Published: January 17, 2009
Kane County Chronicle
AURORA – Even though West Aurora never lost its lead from the moment it scored its first layup, something wasn't quite right about the Blackhawks' seven-point lead against Wheaton North at the half.
"We had a good week of practice," West coach Gordie Kerkman said after Friday's 68-52 DuPage Valley Conference win. "And I thought, 'By gosh, this isn't the way we practiced.'"
Not that the Blackhawks were getting sloppy. But things clearly were not what they could be as West seemed hesitant about attacking the inside, opting instead for several missed outside shots. All the while, the Falcons (5-9, 1-5 DVC) edged closer to their lead.
"It seemed like we get a five-point lead, and then we relax," Kerkman said. "We just let them close in on us."
So with some added intensity, the Blackhawks (10-5, 4-2 DVC) ripped their lead wide open in the third quarter, more than doubling their score thanks to added pressure and aggressiveness from Markus Cocroft and Tyronne Carey.
Senior Jamal Blackmond and freshman Juwan Starks led the charge offensively in a 15-point run that all but sealed the victory for the Blackhawks. Starks led the team in scoring with 20 points.
"This kid just keeps coming on," Kerkman said. "He's got a lot of natural talent."
But Blackmond held the torch for that third quarter, scoring eight of the Blackhawks' 27 points, including two three-pointers. He finished with 12 points after not scoring in the first half.
"We really couldn't get anything to go down [in the first half]," Blackmond said.
But after Kerkman's push for West to work harder, the team started to play smarter.
"As long as we took quality shots, we were making them," he said.
Blackmond was also the only West player in danger of fouling out, racking up four personal fouls.
"The only problem [with Blackmond] is sometimes he gets a little too out of control physically and mentally," Kerkman said.
The win propels the Blackhawks into tonight's crosstown rivalry game at East Aurora.
Starks said he's looking to the big game like he would any other.
"I'm just going to go out there and work hard," he said.
Kane County Chronicle
AURORA – Even though West Aurora never lost its lead from the moment it scored its first layup, something wasn't quite right about the Blackhawks' seven-point lead against Wheaton North at the half.
"We had a good week of practice," West coach Gordie Kerkman said after Friday's 68-52 DuPage Valley Conference win. "And I thought, 'By gosh, this isn't the way we practiced.'"
Not that the Blackhawks were getting sloppy. But things clearly were not what they could be as West seemed hesitant about attacking the inside, opting instead for several missed outside shots. All the while, the Falcons (5-9, 1-5 DVC) edged closer to their lead.
"It seemed like we get a five-point lead, and then we relax," Kerkman said. "We just let them close in on us."
So with some added intensity, the Blackhawks (10-5, 4-2 DVC) ripped their lead wide open in the third quarter, more than doubling their score thanks to added pressure and aggressiveness from Markus Cocroft and Tyronne Carey.
Senior Jamal Blackmond and freshman Juwan Starks led the charge offensively in a 15-point run that all but sealed the victory for the Blackhawks. Starks led the team in scoring with 20 points.
"This kid just keeps coming on," Kerkman said. "He's got a lot of natural talent."
But Blackmond held the torch for that third quarter, scoring eight of the Blackhawks' 27 points, including two three-pointers. He finished with 12 points after not scoring in the first half.
"We really couldn't get anything to go down [in the first half]," Blackmond said.
But after Kerkman's push for West to work harder, the team started to play smarter.
"As long as we took quality shots, we were making them," he said.
Blackmond was also the only West player in danger of fouling out, racking up four personal fouls.
"The only problem [with Blackmond] is sometimes he gets a little too out of control physically and mentally," Kerkman said.
The win propels the Blackhawks into tonight's crosstown rivalry game at East Aurora.
Starks said he's looking to the big game like he would any other.
"I'm just going to go out there and work hard," he said.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
East loses see-saw game in opener
Published: December 23, 2008
WHEATON – It is easy to understand why the St. Charles East girls basketball team looked a little depressed after losing its first-round game in the Bill Neibch Holiday Tournament.
Several times throughout Monday's matchup, it looked like the game could have been the Saints'.
But at the final buzzer, it was Jacobs with the constantly swinging momentum on its side, and a 57-47 win.
The Saints started out in the lead, chipping away at the Golden Eagles' defense and making a couple of three-pointers from juniors Lexi Baltes and Jaime Rust.
Moreover, the Saints had limited Jacobs to only two points in the first quarter. East coach Lori Drumtra interpreted that as a positive sign.
"First quarter, they only scored two points and I felt like we shut them down," she said, "but then we lost them a little bit."
Jacobs came into the second period with much more intensity and powered its way from a 10-2 deficit to tie the score at the half, 21-21.
"That was huge," Jacobs coach Ed Haugens said, "We have not been a good second quarter team ... so that was by far the best second quarter we've played all year."
By attacking more on the inside, Jacobs drove in for layups and players such as junior Katy Cook came up with the rebound. Cook led the game with seven rebounds.
The Saints fought back, regaining a nine-point lead in the third quarter, but missing rebounds cost them and Jacobs drove back to lead at the end of the third quarter, 38-34.
Rust said the constantly shifting momentum seemed to both wear down the Saints and keep them on their toes.
"We didn't give up," she said, "but we just started slowing down and we didn't have the momentum."
Rust led the team in scoring with 14 points. Baltes scored 11 points and grabbed six steals. But with the missed rebounds and changing intensity of the Golden Eagles, the Saints found themselves short.
"It's hard to play back-and-forth like that," Drumtra said. "I think our girls just need to work better on being consistent throughout the game. Communication-wise we could have been better."
The Saints weren't the only team lacking intensity Monday. Just before East took the floor, West Aurora lost to Glenbrook South, 64-40.
Unlike the Saints, the Blackhawks never seemed to be able to get momentum away from the Raiders.
"We were outmatched," West Aurora coach Connie Siljendahl said. "[Glenbrook South] is a very nice team."
For the Blackhawks, senior Briannica Tye made up for her lack of height with speed and drive, scoring 12 points. Junior Kiara Towles also scored 12 points and helped with several rebounds.
But both girls found themselves in foul trouble and ended up being sent out in the middle of the fourth.
Siljendahl said that her team needs to get together and energized for the remainder of the tournament.
"We just need to kick it in and ... start hustling more," she said. "We've got a lot of young kids. Sometimes they don't understand the fast pace of the game."
The Blackhawks and Saints will face each other in the consolation bracket at 10:30 a.m. today.
Several times throughout Monday's matchup, it looked like the game could have been the Saints'.
But at the final buzzer, it was Jacobs with the constantly swinging momentum on its side, and a 57-47 win.
The Saints started out in the lead, chipping away at the Golden Eagles' defense and making a couple of three-pointers from juniors Lexi Baltes and Jaime Rust.
Moreover, the Saints had limited Jacobs to only two points in the first quarter. East coach Lori Drumtra interpreted that as a positive sign.
"First quarter, they only scored two points and I felt like we shut them down," she said, "but then we lost them a little bit."
Jacobs came into the second period with much more intensity and powered its way from a 10-2 deficit to tie the score at the half, 21-21.
"That was huge," Jacobs coach Ed Haugens said, "We have not been a good second quarter team ... so that was by far the best second quarter we've played all year."
By attacking more on the inside, Jacobs drove in for layups and players such as junior Katy Cook came up with the rebound. Cook led the game with seven rebounds.
The Saints fought back, regaining a nine-point lead in the third quarter, but missing rebounds cost them and Jacobs drove back to lead at the end of the third quarter, 38-34.
Rust said the constantly shifting momentum seemed to both wear down the Saints and keep them on their toes.
"We didn't give up," she said, "but we just started slowing down and we didn't have the momentum."
Rust led the team in scoring with 14 points. Baltes scored 11 points and grabbed six steals. But with the missed rebounds and changing intensity of the Golden Eagles, the Saints found themselves short.
"It's hard to play back-and-forth like that," Drumtra said. "I think our girls just need to work better on being consistent throughout the game. Communication-wise we could have been better."
The Saints weren't the only team lacking intensity Monday. Just before East took the floor, West Aurora lost to Glenbrook South, 64-40.
Unlike the Saints, the Blackhawks never seemed to be able to get momentum away from the Raiders.
"We were outmatched," West Aurora coach Connie Siljendahl said. "[Glenbrook South] is a very nice team."
For the Blackhawks, senior Briannica Tye made up for her lack of height with speed and drive, scoring 12 points. Junior Kiara Towles also scored 12 points and helped with several rebounds.
But both girls found themselves in foul trouble and ended up being sent out in the middle of the fourth.
Siljendahl said that her team needs to get together and energized for the remainder of the tournament.
"We just need to kick it in and ... start hustling more," she said. "We've got a lot of young kids. Sometimes they don't understand the fast pace of the game."
The Blackhawks and Saints will face each other in the consolation bracket at 10:30 a.m. today.
Royals win title in upset
Published: December 21, 2008
"We wanted to send a message," Rosary coach Dave Beebe said. "We knew they were a good team, so I said, 'Let's make a statement.' "
That statement was delivered Saturday, as the Royals gave the Bulldogs their first loss of the season, 58-38, and won the Oswego tournament for a second year in a row.
The domination largely was a result of a very successful second quarter for Rosary (12-3), outscoring Batavia by 16 points and turning its two-point lead into a 15-point lead.
Knowing of Batavia's speed, especially when it came to Natalie Tarter, the Royals stuck to zone defense and used their size to keep the Bulldogs (9-1) at a distance from the basket, forcing them to take shots.
"When I scouted [Batavia], a lot of their points came off layups and on fast breaks," Beebe said. "We wanted to make sure we didn't get beat off of the dribble."
The Bulldogs were forced to shoot and when those shots missed, Jordan Rettig and Katie Petrando were there for the easy rebound.
"We knew we had to limit their second shot," Petrando said, "so we boxed out, got in there and we rebounded."
Then Petrando and Rettig drove the points home, in a run that almost left Batavia coach Tim DeBruycker speechless.
"After one quarter I was happy. We were down two, but I thought, 'OK, they came out real intense but we're fine,' " he said, "And then second quarter – when they started making a run and we quit – that's probably the most baffling part of tonight."
Batavia came out hungrier in the second half, but despite doubling up Rettig, the Royals continued to overpower them, nudging their lead wider and wider.
Despite this, it did allow for the Bulldogs' Kara Lydon to have a great game from outside. She led Batavia with 17 points, including five three-pointers.
"I don't think our shooting was the problem," DeBruycker said. "It was just our defensive execution. We did not execute the game plan. ... That's not like us."
Petrando, who scored 16 points in the game, said Rosary's communication and togetherness won the game and the championship.
She was even a bit overwhelmed by their second-half lead.
"I was actually surprised," she said. "But we all put our heads together, we got the lead and we kept going."
Petrando and teammate Stephanie Haugen (10 points) made the all-tournement team, alongside opponents Lydon and Natalie Tarter (14 points).
Rettig took the tournament's MVP award and led the game with 22 points. She echoed Petrando's praise of the Royals' cohesiveness.
"It's a great feeling to come back and be able to take [the title], especially since we lost a bunch of seniors.
"We really came together as a team."
Saturday, December 13, 2008
ACC clamps down in win
Published: December 13, 2008
Kane County Chronicle
AURORA – Although St. Francis' fans tried to taunt Aurora Central Catholic with memories of football, the Chargers towered over the Spartans defensively and won, 58-43, for their seventh straight victory of the season.
The Chargers (7-0, 3-0 Suburban Catholic Conference) were led not so much by scoring, but by effectively shutting down the Spartans and drawing fouls throughout the first half. St. Francis had only 12 points at the end of the second quarter.
Chargers coach Nate Drye said the old "best offense is a good defense" cliche has been the key to this undefeated season.
"We really think we've got the ability to shut teams down defensively and then it really doesn't matter what we do on offense," he said.
St. Francis (3-3, 1-2 SCC) barely could get close to the basket without being overpowered or blocked by one of ACC's big defenders, such as seniors Mike Adams and Nick Czaja. Only in the second half did they come alive with with some good shooting from senior Clint Pierce, whose 12 points all came from three-pointers.
David Palash also scored 12 points with some added second-half aggression, as the Spartans crept up to within eight points of the Chargers at the end of the third quarter. 36-28. But by that point the Chargers already had a substantial lead, they weren't about to let it go.
St. Francis' underdog spirit was not lost on the Chargers, who for the past six games have seen margins of victory in the 20- or 30-point category.
"They were smart. They took a lot of time off the clock and limited our offensive possession," Drye said. "But as long as they're not scoring we're going to be OK. "
Anthony Kelley, ACC's top-scorer of the night with 22 points, said he could feel the added Spartans pressure as soon as Mike Adams won the tip-off.
"The first possesion they were bodying me a lot," he said. "From then on, I knew it was going to be in-your-face type defense."
Kelley fought just as hard back, especially on a third quarter, momentum-assuring dunk assisted by Adams. "We're pretty much always on the same page and it's nice to always have someone looking for you like that," Kelley said.
Both teams were raking in fouls throughout the game. Czaja drew his four in the first half because of St. Francis's man-to-man pressure. "They really attacked me and Mike [Adams] down low," he said. "It looked like they were trying to get us off the court."
"Our kids have got some of the athleticism and the heart to against them man-to-man," St. Francis coach Shawn Healy said. He added that despite the loss, his team achieved a moral victory on the court.
"I thought we did an excellent job," he said. "They're averaging like 70 points a game we've got them to 25 at halftime."
Kane County Chronicle
AURORA – Although St. Francis' fans tried to taunt Aurora Central Catholic with memories of football, the Chargers towered over the Spartans defensively and won, 58-43, for their seventh straight victory of the season.
The Chargers (7-0, 3-0 Suburban Catholic Conference) were led not so much by scoring, but by effectively shutting down the Spartans and drawing fouls throughout the first half. St. Francis had only 12 points at the end of the second quarter.
Chargers coach Nate Drye said the old "best offense is a good defense" cliche has been the key to this undefeated season.
"We really think we've got the ability to shut teams down defensively and then it really doesn't matter what we do on offense," he said.
St. Francis (3-3, 1-2 SCC) barely could get close to the basket without being overpowered or blocked by one of ACC's big defenders, such as seniors Mike Adams and Nick Czaja. Only in the second half did they come alive with with some good shooting from senior Clint Pierce, whose 12 points all came from three-pointers.
David Palash also scored 12 points with some added second-half aggression, as the Spartans crept up to within eight points of the Chargers at the end of the third quarter. 36-28. But by that point the Chargers already had a substantial lead, they weren't about to let it go.
St. Francis' underdog spirit was not lost on the Chargers, who for the past six games have seen margins of victory in the 20- or 30-point category.
"They were smart. They took a lot of time off the clock and limited our offensive possession," Drye said. "But as long as they're not scoring we're going to be OK. "
Anthony Kelley, ACC's top-scorer of the night with 22 points, said he could feel the added Spartans pressure as soon as Mike Adams won the tip-off.
"The first possesion they were bodying me a lot," he said. "From then on, I knew it was going to be in-your-face type defense."
Kelley fought just as hard back, especially on a third quarter, momentum-assuring dunk assisted by Adams. "We're pretty much always on the same page and it's nice to always have someone looking for you like that," Kelley said.
Both teams were raking in fouls throughout the game. Czaja drew his four in the first half because of St. Francis's man-to-man pressure. "They really attacked me and Mike [Adams] down low," he said. "It looked like they were trying to get us off the court."
"Our kids have got some of the athleticism and the heart to against them man-to-man," St. Francis coach Shawn Healy said. He added that despite the loss, his team achieved a moral victory on the court.
"I thought we did an excellent job," he said. "They're averaging like 70 points a game we've got them to 25 at halftime."
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Patience pays for Storm in win
Published: December 7, 2008
While the Storm never were out of reach of taking the lead, there were some worried faces in the stands Saturday at the end of the first quarter of their home opener against Hampshire, an eventual 54-43 Storm win. South Elgin was trailing 13-9, and Shyler Ralphs was dominant for the Whip-Purs with 11 points.
But the second quarter brought to Hampshire a string of fouls and turnovers. The Whips (2-3) would end up turning the ball over 20 times before the final buzzer.
South Elgin's Tommy Childs, Erik Stade and Samuel Jordt used the first few Hampshire mistakes to their advantage with back-to-back-to-back layups, tying the score at 15.
And as Ralphs left the court with a bloody nose three minutes into the quarter, senior Jeffrey Lewis hit a three-pointer, providing a lead that South Elgin (6-0) would not let go for the rest of the game.
The Storm's tight defense deserved most of the credit for maintaining its cool and turning a Hampshire rally into a scramble.
South Elgin senior Alex Sanchez personified how the Storm built upon their lead through patience.
"I came out first half ... with anxiety," he said. "I felt like I was doing too much. So I told myself I need to slow down and let the offense come to me instead of trying to force stuff to happen."
Sanchez's defensive cover of Ralphs kept him almost scoreless after the first quarter, save for two free throws.
"I kind of figured we'd come out slow, just because we were so high in warm-up," South Elgin coach Chaz Taft said. "So I told them, 'Guys, you shouldn't [worry if you miss] your first shot. ... You've got to calm down. You've got four quarters to play.'"
Lewis echoed that sentiment.
"We came out a little slow, but we just paid attention and were patient like a veteran team," Lewis said.
Sanchez scored all nine of his points in the second half. Lewis scored a team-high 16 points, and six other Storm players got on the scoreboard.
"It's a different guy for us each night," Taft said of his team leaders.
Lewis said that is an example of his team's cohesiveness.
"Every night... we go to war for each other," Lewis said. "We don't really care who scores ... we just go out and play like we know how."
South Elgin hopes to extend its winning streak on Thursday at home against Upstate Eight Conference rival Larkin.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Aggressive Vikings claim title
Published: November 29, 2008
Kane County Chronicle
GENEVA - Rosary gave Geneva its first taste of a challenge in the championship game of its own Thanksgiving Invitational Tournament.
But that was just the first half. By the end of the game, the dominant, quick and aggressive Vikings had chalked up another big victory to take the tournament 85-53.
Geneva senior Taylor Whitley dominated the court, scoring 38 points and tying her career high. Rosary junior Jordan Rettig almost had her matched in the first half as the two teams traded points back and fourth.
But as Geneva got more aggressive with their defense, Rosary started to fray and put up more fouls than free-throws.
“We wanted to work together and we tried,” Rettig said, “I know we can handle their pressure, but we didn’t handle if very well.”
For her part, Rettig led the Royals with 21 points, while junior Stephanie Haugen followed with 16.
But while the Vikings were able to put enough pressure on the two Royals, Whitley and senior Emily Hinchman were making the most of turnovers, nailing most of their baskets and fast breaks.
“It’s hard to beat a team when they’re going two-on-zero down the court,” Rosary coach Dave Beebe said, “because when we pass the ball, we’re basically handing it to them.
And when the ball wasn’t handed to them, Viking players like Hinchman and junior Kelsey Augustine made impressive steals and rebounds to catapult their lead in the third quarter.
“[Augustine] just gets her hands in all those passing lanes,” Geneva coach Gina Nolan said. “She really brought her A-game.”
Geneva (4-0) hopes to parlay their big victories as Western Sun Conference play starts at home on Tuesday.
For the Royals (4-1), their first loss of the season is not a total one.
“It’s just disappointing, but give credit to Geneva. They have a nice team,” Beebe said.
He did add that adjustments next year might help their chances against the Vikings.
“I’m tired of seeing Whitley,” he said jokingly. “Don’t get me wrong, I love the kid ... but I’ll be glad when she goes to Indiana State.”
Kane County Chronicle
GENEVA - Rosary gave Geneva its first taste of a challenge in the championship game of its own Thanksgiving Invitational Tournament.
But that was just the first half. By the end of the game, the dominant, quick and aggressive Vikings had chalked up another big victory to take the tournament 85-53.
Geneva senior Taylor Whitley dominated the court, scoring 38 points and tying her career high. Rosary junior Jordan Rettig almost had her matched in the first half as the two teams traded points back and fourth.
But as Geneva got more aggressive with their defense, Rosary started to fray and put up more fouls than free-throws.
“We wanted to work together and we tried,” Rettig said, “I know we can handle their pressure, but we didn’t handle if very well.”
For her part, Rettig led the Royals with 21 points, while junior Stephanie Haugen followed with 16.
But while the Vikings were able to put enough pressure on the two Royals, Whitley and senior Emily Hinchman were making the most of turnovers, nailing most of their baskets and fast breaks.
“It’s hard to beat a team when they’re going two-on-zero down the court,” Rosary coach Dave Beebe said, “because when we pass the ball, we’re basically handing it to them.
And when the ball wasn’t handed to them, Viking players like Hinchman and junior Kelsey Augustine made impressive steals and rebounds to catapult their lead in the third quarter.
“[Augustine] just gets her hands in all those passing lanes,” Geneva coach Gina Nolan said. “She really brought her A-game.”
Geneva (4-0) hopes to parlay their big victories as Western Sun Conference play starts at home on Tuesday.
For the Royals (4-1), their first loss of the season is not a total one.
“It’s just disappointing, but give credit to Geneva. They have a nice team,” Beebe said.
He did add that adjustments next year might help their chances against the Vikings.
“I’m tired of seeing Whitley,” he said jokingly. “Don’t get me wrong, I love the kid ... but I’ll be glad when she goes to Indiana State.”
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Bulldogs find game in time
Published: November 27, 2008
Kane County Chronicle
At that point in the game on Wednesday, the Batavia boys basketball team was trailing, as they it been all half to Aurora Christian, 26-23.
But when the final buzzer rang, Batavia had drastically turned the tables and overpowered the Eagles, 62-45, taking the second game in their own Ken Peddy Windmill City tournament.
The Bulldogs (2-0) had to struggle along in the first and second quarter while Aurora Christian senior Juwanza Wright drove in for layups and junior Nate Hill canned threes. Wright would lead his team in scoring with 11 points.
But as soon as the third quarter started, the Bulldogs started consistently hitting their shots. Juniors Adam LeTourneau and Ricky Clopton helped steal the lead with a couple of baskets. From there, sophomore Jesse Coffey hit his first of four three-pointers and the Bulldogs never let go.
"We had to struggle along the way," Batavia coach Jim Roberts said, "I felt like we got a great lift ... from Jesse Coffey's shooting."
Batavia senior David Bryant was also in top form, leading the game in scoring with 20 points, three of his baskets coming from deep. He also shot 7-for-7 on his free throws.
As the Bulldogs were racking up points, the Eagles (0-2) could hardly get a basket.
Bryant said that was kind of the idea all along.
"They were playing zone and wouldn't let us get inside," Bryant said. "But after we kept hitting shots, we spread their zone apart."
Victory aside, both Bryant and Roberts were clear in identifying a big wrinkle in their early-season system – seizing early momentum.
"We started out kind of slow, and that's just something we need to work on in practice," Bryant said, "going hard all of the time."
Roberts agreed, simply saying, "Defensively, we've got to get better. Early on, we did not do that well."
The same could be said for St. Francis (1-1), which earlier in the evening fell to Addison Trail, 51-41. The game had been more evenly matched in the first half, but with Addison Trail's added second-half aggressiveness and some crucial missed shots on the Spartans' part, the balance began to drastically shift.
"We shot ourselves in the foot," St. Francis coach Shawn Healy said. "When you turn the ball over as much as we did, you don't even get a chance to shoot the basketball. It's frustrating."
Even more frustrating was the amount of free throws Addison Trail (1-1) was able to capitalize on. Addison Trail senior Ian Horvath was 8-for-8 in the second half.
Spartans junior Larry Murison was a consistent scorer for the first three quarters, but was in foul trouble in the fourth. Still, he led the Spartans in scoring with 12 points. Freshman Ryan Coyle followed with 11.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Rosary victorious in opener
Published: November 18, 2008
Photo by Corey R. Minkanic
"We only had an hour scheduled," Rosary coach Dave Beebe said. "But we're going to open up another hour so we will be running."
That's because it was a sloppy first game for both the Royals and the Titans. For the first three scoreless minutes, it seemed like both sides would be in for a painful night of basketball.
But Rosary (1-0) finally found a rhythm, taking advantage of IMSA's several turnovers to take a commanding lead in the first half, thanks to some aggressive play from junior guard Stephanie Haugen and center Jordan Rettig.
Even with the lead, Beebe wasn't satisfied.
"They played hard, but they just went through the motions," he said.
The Royals' defense especially started to show rust in the second half as communication amongst the team got quieter and the Titans (0-1) went from eight points to 28 points, led by Isolina Rossi, who rallied her team with eight points, five in the fourth quarter.
"We really weren't talking as much as we should be ... especially on defense," said Rettig, who had a game-high 16 points and seven rebounds.
Beebe has hopes that his Royals can finish the season at the top of the Suburban Catholic Conference, with eyes on Montini being the "powerhouse" to beat. Closer is Geneva's Thanksgiving tournament, which should supply some tough competition.
"There's no pushovers in that one as far as I know," Beebe said.
Despite the uneven play, Beebe said it was nice to get the win and to have every girl play and almost every girl put points on the board. Following Rettig, Haugen scored 10 points while senior guard Audrey Van Acker added seven, including a three-point shot in the first quarter.
"Offensively wasn't so bad," Beebe said. "It's just defensively it was not so good. ... We'll get the act together. We're still trying to find the right combination soon."
And the Royals know what the first step is toward that right direction – communication.
"We can't guarantee to make baskets and we might not be the best defenders," Beebe said. "But by Saturday, we'll be able to communicate."
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