Persistence pays for Buffalo Grove's Timko, Ricciardi

Injuries could have easily damaged Paul Timko's promising high school career beyond repair.

Having to play inside game after game against bigger and stronger opponents could have damaged Mike Ricciardi's confidence.

Instead, they have come through as seniors to give defending Mid-Suburban East champion Buffalo Grove two damaging threats alongside all-area guard Brian DeSimone.

A more experienced Ricciardi and a healthier Timko have emerged as the second- and third-leading scorers respectively behind DeSimone for the 12-3 Bison.

The 6-foot-3 Ricciardi has seen his scoring increase from 6.7 points a game to 10.2. He also leads BG in rebounds and is more comfortable trying to cut other post players down to size.

"If I could improve my height, that would be cool, but I can't do that," Ricciardi joked.

"We try to tell Mike he's our big guy, not a big guy," said BG coach Ryan O'Connor, who views Ricciardi's ability to handle the ball and score outside as a matchup problem for opponents. "We try to spin it into a positive and Mike has bought into that."

Keeping things positive was much tougher for Timko, a fourth-year varsity player.

Late in the spring of his sophomore year Timko tore the ACL in his left knee playing basketball. He also had the bursa sac in his right knee removed.

A torn wrist ligament forced him to the sideline after six games last season until he returned for the sectional final loss to Stevenson.

Now he's averaging 9.5 points a game, is one of the area's top 3-point threats with 26 and provides leadership O'Connor loves.

"He missed large chunks of athletic seasons," O'Connor said. "He was at a point where he could have said, 'Forget it, I've had enough. I'm sick of being injured and sick of being frustrated.'

"You cheer for guys like him on the inside."

And Timko can relate to what teammates Chris Timberg and Evan Kander are enduring. Timberg, an all-conference guard, has been out all season with a small fracture in his foot and Kander hasn't played because of an ACL injury.

"I wish those guys were back playing with us," Timko said. "We've played with each other since sixth grade."

Timko's brothers Craig and Steve played baseball at BG and their dad Steve played baseball at Schurz. But Paul Timko's favorite was always basketball, and O'Connor said he entered BG known as a shooter and scorer with superior fundamentals.

It resulted in an immediate varsity promotion. And big adjustments against older and stronger players. Not to mention becoming a reserve role player.

"Freshman year I was going up against bigger guys and getting shoved around," Timko said. "I was coming off the bench, which I've never done before. It gives you a whole different perspective."

One Timko tries to pass on even though he spends most of his time now on the floor.

"The guys now (on the bench), I always talk to them about it," Timko said. "I know it's not easy."

The transition also hasn't been easy for Ricciardi, whose dad Frank played Division II basketball and baseball at Illinois Institute of Technology. Mike Ricciardi was always more of a swingman type of player.

"Every year we just got shorter and I had to step up," Ricciardi said. "The transformation from sophomore year to junior year was a lot harder."

Adding 10 to 15 pounds of muscle and a year of experience inside has been invaluable for Ricciardi.

"Coach always tells me because I'm smaller and not as strong, I've got to use my quickness and brain to get around them," Ricciardi said.

Then he joked: "The brain is kind of tough for me so I have to with quickness against those guys."

But that's not true for Ricciardi, an A and B student with a 25 ACT who is leaning toward studying computer science or engineering. Timko is a B student who is considering going to Illinois State to study business but also wants to become a firefighter.

Both would like to keep playing after this year. And they would love to go beyond last year.

"The biggest thing is how well the team does," Timko said. "It feels good to be out there with Brian and 'Char.' It feels like playing feeder again. It's a fun time."