Looking back at the best of the 2007-08 basketball season
As the high school boys' basketball season comes to an end this weekend in Peoria, I felt the time was right to put the 2007-08 campaign to bed by reliving some of the memorable moments for our area teams.
Best game:Œ(there's a theme here): There were many outstanding games filled with fantastic finishes, but for me, the choice was easy -- Simeon 68, Batavia 65, 2 OT.
This Night of Hoops thriller will long be remembered by all who were in attendance. Led by 6-foot-9 Illinois-bound center Stan Simpson, the state-ranked Wolverines fought off a valiant Batavia bunch to escape with the hard-fought win.
Sweat-dripping excitement, a standing-room only crowd and solid officiating made this game one for the history books.
Best game II: Naperville Central 88, Geneva 84, 3OT.
What made this game even more meaningful was that it occurred in postseason play and didn't come with a regional or sectional title hanging in the balance. This one came during the Class 4A regional semifinals.
"I've never been part of anything like that," said Vikings coach Tim Pease.
Best game III:ŒBartlett 85, St. Charles East 84, 2 OT.
Talk about your close games -- the lead changed hands 14 times during the final 1:43 of regulation through two 4-minute overtime sessions.
Top individual performance: Geneva senior Max Cary poured in a career-high 42 points during the Vikings' triple-overtime regional semifinal loss to Naperville Central.
Other performances in supporting roles: St. Charles East's Collin Pryor scored 37 points and hauled down 15 rebounds during the Saints' double-overtime loss to Bartlett; Aurora Central Catholic's Mark Adams scored a game-high 34 points in a Class 3A sectional championship loss to Marshall; St. Charles North's Jonathon DeMoss tallied 18 of his 27 points in the second half to help rally the North Stars past St. Charles East in January's annual cross-town clash.
Best finish: Held without a basket for 3-plus quarters, Mark Adams buried a "catch-and-release" 3-pointer at the buzzer to lead Aurora Central Catholic to a 52-49 victory over Marmion in a mid-February Suburban Catholic Conference showdown.
Buzzer beaters: David Bryant's clutch 3-pointer with 1.5 seconds remaining lifted Batavia to a 51-49 win over Elgin in the quarterfinals of the Maroons' holiday tournament; Tyler Smith's game-winning bucket during Marmion's 58-57 homecourt triumph over Montini; Phil Albrecht's cold-blooded 3-pointer that helped Batavia pull out a 59-56 victory over Benet in the 4A regional semifinals; Nick Wagner's reverse layup as time ran out to lead Kaneland to a 63-61 regional play-in victory over Sandwich.
Captain clutch: Bryant drained a pair of 3-pointers during the final minute of the Bulldogs' 49-45 win over Wheaton North in the championship game at Elgin last December.
Double vision: Four games were decided in double overtime this season, including St. Charles North's back-to-back, 2-OT wins over Elgin and Woodstock -- which came within a 16-hour span.
Biggest upset: St. Charles East's 74-72 regular-season finale win over Waubonsie Valley -- a loss that cost the Warriors a share of the Upstate Eight title.
Best sportsmanship: The hugs, handshakes and encouraging words offered between Benet coach Marty Gaughan, Benet senior guard Brian Gaughan and Batavia's Fruendt following the regional semifinal game in Bartlett.
Best comeback: Trailing 29-3 after one quarter, Kaneland outscored Geneva 70-42 the rest of the way, winning 73-71 and spoiling the Vikings' Senior Night.
No doubles, no problem: St. Charles North didn't have a single player reach double figures during its 47-40 nonconference victory over Deerfield. Nick Neari led the North Stars with 9 points.
Most courageous performance: Playing on a bum ankle, St. Charles North's Tim Janeway scored 12 first-half points and limped through the second half during his team's regional championship loss to Elgin.
Nearly two weeks later, Janeway is still hobbling around school on crutches.
All-underrated team:ŒNick Czaja, Aurora Central Catholic; Jordan Smith, Batavia; Sean Fichtel, Marmion; Ryan Suits, St. Charles East; Neari, St. Charles North.
All-returnees (2008-09 team):ŒBryant, Batavia; Dave Dudzinski, Kaneland; Fichtel, Marmion; DeMoss, St. Charles North; Kevin Senechalle, St. Charles East.
Best concessions: Sorry, area fans but I can't resist the caramel corn served at East Aurora.