D'Amico sparks Geneva victory

Geneva 57, West Chicago 39

With a new coach and a radically changed look, the Geneva boys basketball rode a familiar face.

Geneva senior forward Jeremy D'Amico torched West Chicago for 27 points in leading an undermanned Vikings team to a 57-39 victory in the season opener for both teams Monday night in Oswego at the Hoops for Healing Thanksgiving tournament.

The football-depleted basketball squad required three sophomores for reinforcements in a game that marked the debut of new coach Phil Ralston.

"We've got a lot to work on," said Ralston, who came to Geneva after eight years at Grant. "Hopefully this puts us in a position to play in the Thanksgiving tournament championship game."

Geneva (1-0) never trailed, as D'Amico scored 11 in the first half to push the Vikings out to a 21-15 lead at the break.

The Vikings' combination of trapping defenses and methodical offensive sets established the tone early and marked their style of play under Ralston.

"It was a good game as a team," said D'Amico. "I liked the new offense. Last year was all run and gun. Our full court press really slowed them down."

Despite problems with turnovers, West Chicago (0-1) deployed some strong perimeter shooting to stay close for three quarters. West Chicago converted as many 3-pointers (7) as conventional field goals. Junior guard Chad Driscoll scored 14 points, including four 3-pointers to lead the Wildcats' attack.

D'Amico took the game over in the second half. The three-year starter hit the Vikings' only 3-pointer, part of his 9-point personal run in the third quarter to help Geneva extend its lead to 38-30.

"He's just very good," said West Chicago coach Kevin Gimre. "We tried two or three people on him but Geneva did a great job of taking the ball to the hole."

D'Amico and senior swingman Christian Frederking (14 points) were the primary reasons West Chicago suffered foul difficulties. The two combined for 27 free-throw attempts, and Geneva outscored West Chicago by 14 from the free -hrow line.

Vikings' senior forward Tyler Scofield scored his only 2 points at the start of the fourth quarter, prompting the first of Geneva's double-digit leads. Senior guard Rob Tauscher added 10 points for the Vikings.

Ralston expects as many as eight football players to join the team after the Vikings' Class 7A state title game against East St. Louis Saturday night in Champaign.