Looking back at a basketball season that flew by

Talk about ending the high school basketball season on a positive note.

I couldn’t think of a better state championship dream matchup than the one that took place Saturday night in Peoria between 2-time defending Class 4A champion Simeon and unbeaten, second-ranked Proviso East.

Even with all the record-breaking temperatures we’ve been experiencing lately (I’m hoping it continues through the upcoming spring season), it’s still a little hard to believe that the high school basketball campaign has officially ended.

Here are some of my thoughts on the 2011-12 season…

Best game I saw: The 4A regional championship clash between St. Charles East and Elgin.

With a near-capacity crowd roaring its approval, the Upstate Eight Conference River Division rivals staged a down-to-the-wire battle on a neutral court at St. Charles North.

While the Saints suffered a season-ending, 57-52 loss to the Maroons, the game should be long remembered by Saints players, coaches, and fans as one that epitomizes what high school athletics are all about. I can honestly say that I haven’t heard a crowd as loud as the one that greeted the Saints after they grabbed a 10-0 lead in the first few minutes of the game.

Next-best game I saw: Geneva’s come-from-behind, 54-51 regular season-ending victory over Neuqua Valley in the Upstate Eight Conference crossover contest. The win served as a momentum-builder for the Vikings, who earned their first-ever victory over the perennial powerhouse Wildcats.

Best team I watched play: I had the pleasure of watching Peoria High School play on 4 consecutive nights during the East Aurora Holiday Tournament in December. Led by all-state candidate Trey Kellum, Peoria handed Geneva a 55-30 loss on the second day of the tourney.

“Tip-off and we’re down by 10,” said Geneva senior Ben Rogers. “It was like, ‘what just happened?’ By the time we kind of figured out what was going on, it was a little bit too late.”

Peoria defeated North Chicago 72-64 for the Class 3A state title Saturday afternoon in Peoria.

All-Names team: Sean Anger, Aurora Central Catholic; Adam Hunger, Batavia; Ryan Willing, Geneva; Jake Ruddy, Marmion; Keeley Slammans, Aurora Christian; Megan Booe, St. Charles North; Jackie Bird, St. Charles North (like another famous basketball-playing person named Bird, she wore uniform number 33 for the North Stars).

All-Floor Burn boys team: Charlie Fisher, St. Charles East; Phil Lorenz, Geneva; Chandler Thomas, West Aurora; Quinten Payne, St. Charles North; Brian Spahn, St. Francis; Joey McEachern, Aurora Central Catholic.

All-Floor Burn girls team: Amanda Hilton, St. Charles East; Katie Ryan, Batavia; Megan Booe, St. Charles North; Courtney Bila, Rosary; Rachel Hinchman, Geneva.

All-Muscle team: Cole Gardner, Batavia; Connor Chapman, Geneva; Ryan Glasgow, Marmion; Kyle Nelson, St. Charles North; C.J. Schutt, Aurora Christian; John Swiderski, Geneva; Luke Ludke, St. Charles East.

Favorite quotes: “It’s not going to get any easier,” Geneva boys basketball coach Phil Ralston said prior to the Vikings’ last 3 Upstate Eight Conference River Division games — all on the road. “It’s time to put on the big-boy pants and go on to our next opponent.”

“Our guys will say they wanted it and I believe it but with the way (St. Charles) East played, it just looked like they wanted it more,” St. Charles North boys basketball coach Tom Poulin said after his team’s 63-50 regional loss to the Saints.

All-Underclass boys team: Kendall Stephens, St. Charles East; Quinten Payne, St. Charles North; Zach Strittmatter, Batavia; Dom Adduci, St. Charles East; Johnathan Harrell, Aurora Central Catholic; Jayquan Lee, West Aurora; Jontrel Walker, West Aurora; Thomas Williams, Kaneland.

All-Underclass girls team: Mackenzie Bollinger, Aurora Christian; Alex DeCraene, Aurora Central Catholic; Ashley Prost, Kaneland; Liza Fruendt, Batavia; Michaela Loebel, Geneva; Sami Pawlak, Geneva; Karly Tate, Rosary; Paige Jordan, St. Charles East; Amanda Hilton, St. Charles East.

All-Sparkplug team (bench): Laney Deckrow, St. Charles East; Sami Villarreal, Batavia; Morgan Seberger, Geneva; Sam Novak, St. Charles North; Cory Windle, Aurora Christian; Alex Theisen, Marmion; Colin Kavanaugh, Marmion; Booker Ross, West Aurora; Phil Lorenz, Geneva; Dom Urso, St. Charles East; David Mason, St. Charles East; Alec Goetz, St. Charles North.

Fab frosh: Kyra Washington, St. Charles East; Sam Novak, St. Charles North.

Hot hands: St. Charles North junior guard Quinten Payne scored 22 second-quarter points on 6-of-7 accuracy from the field and 7-of-7 marksmanship at the free-throw line during the North Stars’ 71-44 victory over Prairie Ridge at the Jacobs Holiday Tournament.

Geneva senior Brendan Leahy had 21 first-half points during the Vikings’ 60-32 win over Larkin in February. At one point, Leahy connected on 7 straight field-goal attempts, including three from 3-point range.

Best individual performance by a Tri-Cities opponent: In February, York junior guard David Cohn scored 27 of his game-high 32 points in the second half to lead the Dukes past St. Charles North, 61-56. Cohn nailed 4 of his 5 3-point attempts during the final 16 minutes.

Not bad for starters: Geneva first-year varsity girls basketball coach Sarah Meadows guided the Vikings to a 12-0 Upstate Eight Conference River Division record (24-6 overall) as well as the school’s fourth consecutive Class 4A regional title.

St. Charles East first-year boys coach Patrick Woods directed the Saints to a 15-13 mark, a berth in the Class 4A regional championship game, and the school’s first regional victory over cross-town rival St. Charles North since 2003.

You can reach Craig Brueske at csb4k@hotmail.com