Batavia aims for 2 straight at Sears Centre
Bob Rylko and sports reporter David Kaplan of WGN, partners for The Integrity Group, are once again bringing their hoops madness to Hoffman Estates.
And they're hoping to bring more public awareness to the Sears Centre Arena which will play host to Saturday's 11th annual Meijer High School Hoops Showdown.
"A lot of times when Kap (Kaplan) is on the radio and mentions the Sears Centre, he'll get people e-mailing or phoning off the air wondering where exactly the facility is," Rylko said. "It's still a new venue and lot of people are not familiar with it."
For the second year in a row, Rylko and Kaplan hope to see the 11,000-seat multi-purpose arena gain exposure by inviting six high school basketball teams to perform in what Rylko calls a "mini United Center."
"It's really a great atmosphere," said Rylko, who also has invited the first girls teams, Fenwick and Gurnee Warren, to play in the Showdown.
The Class 4A state-ranked Friars and Blue Devils teams will square off at 4:30 p.m., followed by two boys games featuring Algonquin Jacobs and Oak Park Fenwick at 6:30 p.m. and Chicago Marshall against Batavia at 8:30 p.m.
Batavia's Nick Fruendt loved his experience playing at the Sears Centre a year ago in this event when his Bulldogs edged West Aurora with a last-second 3-pointer by Phil Albrecht.
"It's a great atmosphere at the Sears Centre," he said. "Quite honestly, though, we'd rather play Marshall on a high school floor."
Batavia's boys basketball team (14-2), ranked No. 2 in the Daily Herald poll, will be meeting Chicago Marshall (13-3) for the third time in 17 years.
The Bulldogs lost to Marshall in 1991 in the state quarterfinals and then defeated the Commandos in 1997.
"It's truly an honor to play one of the great Chicago Public League schools," said Bulldogs coach Jim Roberts. "Luther Bedford (former Marshall coach) was always very kind to me. We know we'll have our hands full. Marshall will come at us from all angles but we'll be ready to play."
Fruendt (20.5 ppg), a four-year varsity starter, is looking forward to a second appearance in the Hoops showdown. The Bulldogs won on a buzzer beater over West Aurora a year ago at the Sears Centre.
"Marshall is probably one of the best teams we've played in my four years here," said Fruendt, who returned from missing 8 games with mononucleosis by scoring 11 points last Friday against Yorkville.
"We're looking forward to it."
Marshall is ranked No. 3 in the Class 3A state poll while Batavia is No. 7 in the Class 4A poll.
While Fruendt was out of lineup, the Bulldogs went 6-2 and won the Elgin Holiday Tournament for the second time in three years.
"Our team showed a lot of depth and heart," Fruendt said. "I feel very close to getting back to 100 percent. I'll be ready. We're looking forward to Saturday."
Jordan Smith (11 ppg), David Bryant (10) and Albrecht (9) have been among the Bulldogs picking up the scoring slack.
"We're grateful to have a second opportunity to play here (Sears Centre)," said Roberts, in his 24th season. "Last year was a fairy tale ending."
The Bulldogs have a six-game winning streak going into tonight's game with Rochelle.
"The kids really came together at our Christmas tournament," Roberts said. "We had big wins over Wheaton North and Buffalo Grove."
Before Batavia takes the court, Jacobs (14-1), the top-ranked in the Daily Herald boys basketball poll, is relishing the chance to play a quality program team in a high-profile event.
Fenwick (10-5) is making its fourth appearance in the Hoops Showdown. The Friars played Whitney Young in 1998 giving the event its first sell-out crowd at Northwestern University.
"I think we 're like the WAC (Western Athletic Conference) in college football trying to get into the BCS,'" said veteran Jacobs coach Jim Hinkle. "We just don't get a lot of recognition because of the conference (Fox Valley) we play in. We've never had a team make it to the Elite Eight."
The Golden Eagles have made it to 10th in the Class 4A state poll.
They are led by John Moran, who Hinkle calls him the best player he has coached in 44 seasons in the business.
The 6-1 senior guard and Northern Iowa recruit averages 17.9 ppg, 9 assists and 6 steals.
Moran and his teammates will be taking their shots against a Fenwick team led by junior guard Xavier Humphrey and senior John Comfort who average 14 ppg.
"We know Jacobs is craving for respect," Humphrey said. "And we are the first Top 20 Chicago-area ranked team that they are playing. They are a great team regardless of who they have played. We can't go into the game over confident."