Fenton title gives South Elgin some confidence
The South Elgin varsity boys basketball team put itself on the map last week by going 4-0 and beating Naperville Central to win the title at the Fenton Holiday Tournament.
"For these kids to achieve that in only our third year at the varsity level was great," coach Chaz Taft said. "They played hard. The kids are excited and have continued to work hard in practice this week. I worried about that after winning the tournament, but this group just wants to get in the gym and work. They've been even-keeled around school, so that's good."
The hot start gives the veteran team confidence heading into 2 games this weekend. The Storm will play at Lake Park in the Upstate Eight Conference opener tonight at 7:30 p.m. Hampshire (1-2) pays a visit to South Elgin in a nonconference matchup Saturday at 6 p.m.
The Storm did suffer a key injury in the season opener against Elk Grove. Senior starting guard Kyle Osborne (6-foot-1), who Taft lauded for his hard work in the weight room to prepare for the season, broke his tibia in the third quarter. He'll miss eight weeks, but he is expected be back on the court in February.
On the bright side, quick junior guard Tommy Childs (5-8) stepped in and performed extraordinarily well in Osborne's absence in his first action at the varsity level. Childs scored 20 points against Elk Grove, 23 against Glenbrook South, he hit 5 straight baskets en route to 21 points against Libertyville and he led the Storm with 11 points in the title-game victory over Naperville Central.
Childs joined third-year point guard Alex Sanchez and third-year center Daniel Lopez on the all-Chuck Mitchell Thanksgiving Tournament team.
"It's his first year on the varsity getting to know the speed and strength of a varsity game, so every day he's learning on the court and in the film room," Taft said of Childs.
Reinforcements: The St. Edward team that takes the floor this weekend for the first two games of the Suburban Catholic Conference season will be an improved version of the team that went 3-1 last week at the Westminster Christian Thanksgiving Tournament.
The Green Wave dropped the title game to the host Warriors by 2 points after playing the entire tournament short-handed at guard. Starting junior guard Phil Johnson (6-1) and backup junior guard Nick Kerger (5-7) were not available for the tournament.
Complicating matters was the illness of returning all-area guard Josh Dix, who missed the third game of the tournament and was not at full strength in the title game, when the Warriors held the Green Wave to 30-percent shooting.
"We were in a little bit of a bind," St. Edward coach Keith Chuipek said. "It was a good start considering our chemistry and continuity has changed a little. We'll be much better and quicker this week."
Senior Riley Coleman stood out during the tournament. He averaged 17 points per game and was named to the all-tournament team.
Coleman and the full complement of guards will visit Aurora Central Catholic for the conference opener tonight at 7:30 p.m. The Green Wave will be at Immaculate Conception on Saturday at 8:30 p.m.
"ACC has everybody back but one kid," Chuipek said. "We scouted them last week. They're humongous with kids who are 6-6, 6-7 and 6-5. They're going to be a challenge. They blew out all three teams they played last week.
"IC might be a little rough with all the football players they had playing in the state tournament, so we'll see what happens."
The Green Wave will attempt to offset Aurora Central's height with starters Coleman (6-3), Zach Von Ahnen (6-6) and Jim Waclawik (6-3).
Déjà vu: Huntley pays a visit to Dundee-Crown tonight in a Fox Valley Conference crossover a mere six days after the Chargers beat Huntley 60-50 to win Sycamore's Leland G. Strombom Holiday Tournament.
"Man, that's going to be a tough game," D-C coach Lance Huber said shortly after the first meeting last Saturday. "They're a good team, so beating them twice isn't going to be easy."
Expect Huntley (2-1) to come out hustling. Red Raiders coach Marty Manning made his disappointment clear after Dundee-Crown (3-0) beat Huntley to the majority of loose balls in the title game.
Last year Huntley beat Dundee-Crown by 3 points in the third-place game at Sycamore only to lose the rematch by 4 points a week later in Carpentersville.