St. Ed's Manning reaches milestone with special guest in stands

What took place in a gymnasium in Aurora on Monday night, in a small way, brought a measure of closure to one of the more infamous chapters in local boys basketball lore.

Two seasons ago the St. Edward boys basketball program endured the misery of a player revolt that eventually led to the grudging resignation of head coach Kevin Dix after 11-plus seasons at the Elgin private school.

Following a public argument between Dix and the team's leading scorer at a Thanksgiving tournament game in Sycamore, the entire roster walked out on coach Dix except then-sophomore Brett Manning and fellow sophomore Ryan Gilbert. They were the only players who stood by their embattled coach throughout the week-long tumult that ensued.

Dix worked as an assistant coach at Huntley last year and directed the East Aurora junior varsity this season.

Dix, whose junior son Josh was a guard on the St. Edward boys basketball team alongside Manning this season, has recently begun attending Green Wave games.

The former St. Edward coach was in the stands Monday at Aurora Christian when the Green Wave faced Plano in the play-in game of that Class 2A regional. Josh Dix, one of the area's top 3-point shooters, scored 23 points in that contest on the strength of six 3-pointers.

But the high scorer was Manning, who recorded precisely 28 points to reach 1,000 for his career.

Manning came out of the game after reaching the milestone to a standing ovation.

Among those standing and applauding was his former coach, Kevin Dix.

"He's been a big part of my career," Manning said. "Having him there was something special."

For all the marbles: Huntley lost twice last week against Johnsburg and at Grayslake Central, but the Red Raiders still have a chance to emerge as outright Fox Valley Conference Fox Division champions if they can defeat visiting Grayslake Central tonight.

The Red Raiders (17-8, 7-2) got some help Tuesday from Prairie Ridge (4-22, 2-6), which upset Grayslake Central 38-32 to drop the Rams into a first-place tie with Huntley heading into tonight's regular-season finale.

That loss cost Grayslake Central (19-6, 7-2) a chance to win the title outright, but Huntley still would have had a shot to split the crown for the second straight year due to its 47-43 victory at Crystal Lake Central on Tuesday.

"The guys are excited but I'm not as excited because, No. 1, we just have to play better," Huntley coach Marty Manning said. "That's the first thing I'm concerned with. We need to play better heading into the playoffs.

"Secondly, we had to win (tonight) no matter what, so not much has changed for us."

The Rams defeated Huntley 45-35 on Feb. 14.

Domination: Led by seniors Mike McCurdy (24.6 ppg.), Jason Wagner (15.1) and Jake McNutt (10.6), Burlington Central repeated as outright champions of the Big Northern Conference's Eastern Division this season.

The Rockets (19-6) have gone 19-1 in the BN-E the last two years combined, losing only at Richmond this season by 5 points on Jan. 22, a game Wagner missed with a sprained ankle.

"The last couple of years we've told the kids we want to dominate the BNC," Central coach Chris Payne said. "In order to do that, you have to win every game. Last year we did. This year we kind of stubbed our toe up at Richmond without Jason.

"We think that every time we play a Big Northern team we should win and the kids have that mentality also. Every year our goal is to win the conference and the last two years we've done it in pretty impressive style."

Westminster chiming:ŒJoel Benson was named Private School League player of the year by PSL coaches last week.

The senior forward, a four-year starter who will continue his career at North Park University, averaged 18 points and 14 rebounds in PSL play this season.

Fellow four-year starter, guard Tyler Beachler, was named to the all-PSL first team.

Home-comings, home-goings:ŒThere will be plenty of reminiscing taking place at Chesbrough Field House tonight when Streamwood visits Elgin on Senior Night.

It could be a long pregame ceremony with seven seniors on the roster for Elgin (15-9, 6-3), including four-year starter Armani Williams and three-year starters Jeremy Granger, D'Angelo Stewart and Kenny Williams.

"It will be emotionally charged," Elgin coach Mike Sitter said. "A lot of these guys have invested a lot in this school. I'll be emotional, so I can't even imagine what it will be like for the players."

The game also marks the return of a former Maroon as an opposing head coach.

First-year Streamwood coach Tim Jones, a member of the 1973 Elgin state quarterfinal team that lost to West Aurora, will pace the visiting sideline for the Sabres.

Streamwood (6-19, 1-8) has won 3 of its last 4 games. In two of those victories, the Sabres spoiled the Senior Night festivities at Wheaton Academy and Ridgewood.

"Right now our track record is pretty good on Senior Night," Jones said. "Hey, we'll let the chips fall where they may. I always like going back and playing the alma mater anyway. It will be pretty emotional for Elgin."

Tim-munity: It's an illness that sidelined Batavia star Nick Fruendt for 8 games earlier this season, but mononucleosis apparently won't claim as much time from Jacobs junior Tim Moran, who was forced to sit out the Golden Eagles' last two victories.

Moran (6-foot-5), a three-year starter at forward for the Golden Eagles, was diagnosed with a "mild case" of mono, according to Jacobs coach Jim Hinkle. Moran was was cleared to begin practicing again on Wednesday and could play tonight when Jacobs (23-2, 9-0) travels to Carpentersville for a rematch with rival Dundee-Crown (12-12, 5-4).

How does one contract a less severe form of mono?

"Maybe he kissed his sister instead of his girlfriend," Hinkle joked. "Heck, I don't know."

For the record, Moran is the youngest of four boys.