Fremd (17-1) stays focused amid hype

Acclaim and attention for Fremd's boys basketball program has increased as its record has ballooned to 17-1 going into tonight's Mid-Suburban West visit by Barrington.

But it hasn't altered the approach of a team coming off consecutive 12-15 seasons.

"This team will play whoever is next on the schedule," Fremd third-year varsity starter Chris Klimek said after last Saturday's 59-48 win at Schaumburg. "We're not looking for an outstanding game but to play our hardest and see what happens.

"The hype is nice but it doesn't affect how we're going to play."

The proof was in a rescheduled nonconference game Wednesday and a tough trip to Larkin with Klimek resting a nicked-up shoulder. The Vikings won 60-42 in between two MSL West tests.

"The approach is we need to keep getting better," said Fremd coach Bob Widlowski after the Schaumburg win. "They focus on that and getting better every week and keep focusing on what they're trying to do.

"These guys are experienced kids who work hard but everyone's going to come after us. It's going to continue to be like that."

The Vikings, who are 6-0 in the MSL West, could clinch a share of the title if they win tonight and Schaumburg (10-7, 4-2) loses at Conant (11-6, 3-3).

"That's the goal," junior Zach Monaghan of Fremd's first division title since it won the last two MSL North crowns in 1997 and 1998.

Makes a lot of cents: Zach Monaghan and Chris Vainisi call their in-practice games "75 cents" because the shots are from three-quarter court.

The payoff came Saturday night when Monaghan beat the halftime buzzer from that distance at Schaumburg.

"I tried to set a screen and when it went in I was the first one to congratulate him," Vainisi said. "He said, 'Dude, we practice it every day.'"

Monaghan called it "always a good battle" when he and Vainisi went back and forth from the opposite free-throw lines and the first one to make a couple wins.

"For awhile he was beating me so we decided to team up and go 2-on-2," Vainisi said, "and we haven't lost playing together."

But Saturday proved their game isn't played just for a little fun in practice.

"That's a Mo Tharp thing," Fremd coach Bob Widlowski said of his predecessor. "Zach has been doing that for a long time. He's done that since he was a little kid."

And Fremd has one of the area's most memorable buzzer-beaters when its 1988 supersectional qualifier beat Palatine in a regional final on George Poorman's half-court shot.

Lions face ESCC challenge: St. Viator (15-4, 4-3) can have a big impact on the East Suburban Catholic Conference race in the next week.

The Lions are at Benet (15-3, 7-0) tonight and host St. Joseph (13-4, 7-0) on Wednesday. They also have a road trip to Nazareth on Saturday.

Viator was without sophomore starter Chris Myjak because of illness and key reserve Julian Sipiora because of a football recruiting visit to Drake in a 63-62 escape over Joliet Catholic and a 41-31 win over Northridge Prep last weekend.

"We're not going to use that as an excuse," Viator coach Joe Majkowski said after the win over Joliet Catholic. "We feel the guys we still have here are quality players."

Majkowski was happy with the more-extended work than usual off the bench by guards Danny Muench and Cameron Korab.

"You never know when you'll need minutes from them down the road," Majkowski said.

Senior Richard Markovits, who usually provides a spark off the bench, made his first starts since his freshman year. He said his 16 points against Joliet Catholic was his highest total since eighth grade and he followed it with 8 points against Northridge.

"I knew I had to step it up - and I knew I had to make up for their losses," Markovits said of Myjak and Sipiora. "I wanted to stay aggressive and be aggressive but at the same time I wanted the game to come to me.

"You have to get that balance and my teammates found me open."

Tough road weekend for Bison: Buffalo Grove (11-7, 4-2) will have a busy travel itinerary starting with today's crucial 7:30 p.m. trip to Hersey (10-7, 4-2) with the winner trying to stay in the Mid-Suburban East race.

BG and Hersey are trying to stay in striking distance of Prospect (14-4, 6-0), which hosts Rolling Meadows (6-11, 2-4) tonight.

At 5 p.m. Saturday, the Bison head north to face Zion-Benton and Ohio State recruit Lenzelle Smith. Then they head into Chicago to play Lindblom at 6:15 p.m. at Loyola University's Gentile Center in the Conference Challenge Classic.

Streak ends: Peoria Richwoods moved to the top spot in The Associated Press Class 3A state poll after ending the 37-game winning streak of defending state champion Champaign Centennial 63-47 on Saturday night in Peoria.

Drake recruit and Mr. Basketball candidate Rayvonte Rice of Centennial needed 25 shots to score 24 points against a trio of defenders.

Richwoods coach Mike Ellis told Greg Stewart of the Peoria Journal Star it's "nice, but it doesn't mean (anything) in a month-and-a-half. But it does show our kids what they're capable of."