Getting the lowdown on Neuqua Valley
Daily Herald sports writer Jerry Fitzpatrick has covered Dundee-Crown's boys basketball team all season. Fellow sports writer Dave Oberhelman has done likewise with Neuqua Valley. Heading into Tuesday night's Class 4A Northern Illinois University supersectional, they have some questions for each other about their.
Q: One loss? Has Neuqua Valley forgotten how to lose, Dave?
A: Very interesting, Jerry, considering the Wildcats have lost so rarely in their prep careers, the last in overtime at 20-win East Aurora on Dec. 20. I can guarantee Wildcats coach Todd Sutton will stress that should Neuqua not play to its potential a loss is a very real possibility. That potential first includes rebounding and defense, with shot selection and accuracy a third factor.
But I'd like to turn this question on its head: Does Neuqua Valley have the will to win? Faced with deficits in three of four playoff games - with rallies from a 14-point deficit against Batavia and from 10 down to Naperville Central - I'd say the Wildcats remember what it takes to maximize their chances.
Q: The Chargers play an eight-man rotation, all seniors. How deep are the Wildcats beyond Derek Raridon and Dwayne Evans?
A: In the regular season Neuqua's ability to remain highly competitive going 10- and 11-deep was a factor raised so often by reporters that Sutton tired of responding to it. Sutton has stated he has four guards who could start at the point, and third-team center Jeff Moss would not be rooted on the bench on many teams. It's simply "our plan" to instill depth in the program, Sutton will say.
Neuqua has naturally scaled back its playoff substitutions to a nine-man corps using seniors as its four key subs. Perhaps the best way to answer your question, Jerry, is that in the Wildcats' 62-55 win over Naperville Central, backup post Christian Shonkwiler spelled Amedu for minutes at a time and the Redhawks center totaled 6 points. Second-team forward Steve Waeghe was a key force in fatiguing Mr. Basketball candidate Drew Crawford, who after a 19-point first half was limited to 11 in the second.
Q: Any chance Neuqua Valley underestimates Dundee-Crown, a team from the Fox Valley Conference, a league that has never advanced a team to the state finals?
A: Four syllables: Sutton, Benet. Coach Sutton will emphasize the obvious, that for Neuqua to gain its first downstate basketball berth in history it can't look past the Chargers. Though Glenbard East beat Dundee-Crown 66-57 over Christmas - Neuqua beat Glenbard East 65-49 two days prior - his players will listen. The Wildcats possibly undervalued a 17th-seeded Benet team that forced overtime in the Wildcats' playoff opener; more likely it was gutty Benet that excelled while Neuqua had a rough shooting night.
It's been 11 years since Upstate Eight Conference representative Elgin made it downstate. West Aurora is a distant UEC memory. The UEC gets bashed a bit, though not much for basketball, and Neuqua's players have voiced their desire for statewide respect. They can't underestimate anyone who bars the way.
doberhelman@dailyherald.com