Wheaton teams set to honor their common heritage
Fifty-three years after the first basketball game was played in the main gym inside what's now known as Hubble Middle School, the Wheaton cross-town rivalry returns to Colin Gymnasium for perhaps the final time.
The Heritage Classic takes place Saturday night between Wheaton Warrenville South and Wheaton North as part of a mass tribute to past, present and future participants in Wheaton high school basketball. With Hubble closing at the end of this school year, the timing is perfect.
"As a building it's served the community very well," said WW South athletic director Bob Quinn. "I've heard from former coaches and players, just a lot of different people. It's going to be a great chance to honor that building."
The Hubble building opened in 1925 as Wheaton Community High School. When Wheaton North opened in 1964, the school became known as Wheaton Central.
The last cross-town game played in Colin Gymnasium, named for former Tigers athletic director Bud Colin, was in 1992. The following school year Wheaton Warrenville South opened.
Having not played in the gym in 17 years, both teams conducted Wednesday's practices at Hubble to get a feel for what the game conditions might be like.
"As a basketball fan I think it's really going to be fun," said Wheaton North coach Jim Nazos. "As a coach I'm just hoping we play well."
The sophomore boys game begins Saturday's festivities at 4 p.m., followed by the cross-town girls varsity game at 5:30. The main event between the varsity boys teams begins at 7:30.
"I wish all of our kids could get the chance to be part of an event like this," said Tigers coach Mike Healy. "It's going to be a pretty special night."
If you can beat 'em, join 'em: Hinsdale Central made news on the court last weekend, beating Proviso West and Lyons Twp. to secure its bid for a West Suburban Silver title.
The Red Devils also made news off the court. Last Thursday coach Ed Lynch reported Hinsdale Central is leaving Waubonsie Valley's holiday tournament after four years to join the Proviso West Holiday Tournament on an initial two-year contract.
Hinsdale Central will be the first local team to play in the prestigious Proviso West Tournament since Downers Grove South in 1988. Prior to the addition of sister schools in their respective districts, Downers Grove competed in the first Proviso West tourney in 1961, and Hinsdale joined the next year. Many locals have played at Proviso, but Benet and Downers South were the most recent.
Hinsdale Central, which broke from the Big Dipper at Rich South to enter the Waubonsie Valley tournament, was the runner-up the last two seasons to the host Warriors. The Red Devils won in their 2005 debut.
Lynch thanked Waubonsie Valley athletic director Mike Rogowski and basketball coach Steve Weemer for their hospitality and is looking ahead to the challenge at Proviso West, which was won this season by Morton.
"We already play in a tough conference," he stated in an e-mail to the Daily Herald, "and based on our sectional opponents we feel that playing against some of the top teams in the Chicago area will only help us compete."
Definitely not a downer: Saturday's cross-town game between Downers Grove North and visiting Downers Grove South will feature the induction of two new members into the Trojans' Hall of Fame.
In addition to honoring former football coach Pete Ventrelli and former Trojan (Class of '88) and Brigham Young football player Matt Zendel, the ceremony also will include a few kind words about Downers South basketball coach Paul Runyon, who's retiring at the end of this season after decades of service to the school.
It'll be the cap to another big weekend for Runyon and the Mustangs (14-4, 5-1), who play host to Morton (15-3, 7-0) the night before in an attempt to forge a tie atop the West Suburban Gold standings.
This is the third straight doubleheader weekend for Downers South, which rides a nine-game winning streak into the weekend.
"We've beaten some good teams along the way," Runyon said. "We've just been playing well and hanging on."
Rough call: Lake Park has had to forfeit two victories earned at the Wheeling Hardcourt Classic.
Late in the Lancers' first game there, a 51-42 loss to Libertyville, a Lake Park player was ejected. He saw action the next two games without having served the mandated one-game suspension. Thus, Lake Park wins over Maine West and Streamwood were declared forfeit losses.
At long last: Congratulations to Naperville North and Downers Grove North, which won their first games in, respectively, the DuPage Valley Conference and the West Suburban Silver.
The Huskies eased their way to a 52-39 win over West Chicago, but Downers North's win was much closer. In fact York led for all but the last two seconds, when Trojans forward Kameron Norton scored on a putback.
York has assembled a 2-4 conference mark, losing its four games by 12 total points. In three of those four losses the Dukes have led with less than a minute to go.