Emotions run high on and off the court
Anyone surprised that Geneva and DeKalb had their boys basketball game delayed with 4 minutes remaining Friday night so blood could be cleared off the court?
Or is anyone, like me, surprised it didn't happen sooner?
It was that kind of rough-and-tumble night at Geneva, with two teams leaving everything they had - literally - on the court in a fight to stay alive in a suddenly bunched up Western Sun race.
That blood belonged to DeKalb's 6-foot-10 Jordan Threloff, who left the game for a minute with the score tied at 33 and wasn't a factor down the stretch once he returned.
What's the old joke about going to fight and seeing a hockey game break out? Friday we all went to see basketball and a football game broke out, albeit a much closer one than if Geneva and DeKalb actually were playing football.
"It was definitely physical," Geneva senior Sean Grady said. "My kind of basketball, as close as you can get to football. When you got (Michael) Santacaterina and you have got Michael Ratay out there throwing their bodies around, what more could you want?"
Both coaches wanted a few more whistles to go their way. DeKalb coach Dave Rohlman was particularly unhappy with the pounding Threloff has taken.
"We've seen more and more physical play in the Western Sun in the last month," Rohlman said. "I'm sure as teams go out and scout us they see teams put two guys on him (Threloff) and to be honest they are just beating on Threloff. I told the one official, he's 6-10, he's pretty coordinated, he doesn't fall down by himself."
There wasn't as many fireworks for the Geneva girls, mainly because when the Vikings win by 41 what else can you say? They have two good opponents, Bartlett tonight and Batavia next Friday, to try for a one-of-a-kind 27-0 regular season.
Geneva girls coach Gina Nolan was thankful for the chance to play the second game Friday, the first time since she's been coach with a girls-boys doubleheader that the girls have enjoyed the marquee spot.
"It was great they (the boys) won and we won, get two at home," Nolan said "We just felt our seniors deserved that prime time play and recognition and our boys coach was gracious enough to say that's fine with me. It worked out well."
Of course, everything that happened on the court Friday paled in comparison to what happened this week off it. Before the boys game, Geneva had a moment of silence for John McNeil, a senior at the school who died Thursday.
"It has been a tough two days," Grady said. "I've known John since fourth grade. You get two hours to clear your mind, you are on the court playing."
"For us that weren't on the football team we knew him well too," senior Christian Frederking said. "He was a pretty good friend of mine and that was emotional for us all. We wanted to get one for him."
Geneva coach Phil Ralston knew how much getting out and playing Friday meant to so many of his players who were teammates with McNeil on the football team.
"For our kids they needed something positive out of this, it's nice in that respect," Ralston said. "I'm sure for the kids they needed something like this. They needed something positive. It has been a pretty tough two days in the classroom, especially for the seniors."
Ralston expressed best what so many are feeling for the McNeil family.
"My heart goes out to those parents," Ralston said. "As a father, I can't even think of something like that losing a child. My thoughts and prayers go out to them, as the rest of our team has the same feelings."
Well said coach.
jlemon@dailyherald.com