Coach: Some hardcourt ramblings on Spartan, Titan boys
Some thoughts and reactions from a busy December on the basketball courts.
Glenbrook South boys
Wow, wow, wow: And a little more wow watching the Glenbrook South boys basketball team. In attendance and observing them up close last week while they took apart powerhouse teams, including New Trier and Evanston, was poetry in motion. The starting five of Spencer Brown, R.J. Davis, Nick Martinelli, Cooper Noard and Gaven Marr play like they are attached at the hip. Watching them move the ball, and selfishly hit their open teammates with laserlike passes, sometimes in the midst of great defensive traffic, is a basketball purist's dream come true. Really fun to watch!
Martinelli and Noard: They're stars living up to their preseason hype (not always easy to do). Martinelli is stronger, quicker, and an even better finisher than last year with his variety of shots. While Noard, I don't think it is an exaggeration to say he may be the finest pure shooter the Titan dome has ever seen. He hits shots from distance, usually with outstretched hands right in his face. His shooting form is a work of art. Think Baryshnikov in ballet, or Rembrandt at it his paint easel.
Key to victory: Despite the two stars, though, key to the team is the other three starters, who have stepped up big time! First, where did Gaven Marr come from? This kid does everything, and with such confidence, and quiet assuredness. Great defender, solid with the ball, and he can score in transition as well as hit the big three. Marr is not afraid of "the moment." This kid is making opponents rip up their scouting reports and revising them to include "stop No. 31!".
R.J. Davis: He is offensive weapon No. 3. Great outside shooter and also plays tough D, while being strong with the ball. Spencer Brown has become the perfect fifth ingredient to this winning recipe. Brown provides size, defense against bigs and rebounding as well as being a superb passer specializing in the interior touch pass (not really even catching it - just tipping it to open teammates for baskets.) Coach Ralston is like the prized chef who has found the winning formula with these five.
A warning, though: And not to put the brakes on the Titan hoop express, but the bench needs to play more! Depending on five guys only is a recipe for trouble down the road. Guard Nate Kasher can play and does only good things when he gets a chance, while Griffin Dahiya has been a star at every level he has played and just needs some run to get the rust off. Sophomore Nick Taylor is a star of the future and could help this year, as can as Charlie Mihelik, Brian Ballerini, Mason Adams and, really, a number of guys on the Titan bench. With all the talent now in the program, just making the team this year required some special basketball ability.
The Titan P.A. announcer? He is as good as the team. Clean and crisp in his wording, but more importantly adds some spirit and personality to the game. Now we just have to get him to announce the year and height when doing the starting lineups.
Speaking of lineups: I thought maybe this year the Titans would break their unfortunate streak of not having game programs available for home contests. Just about every other school does this for both visitors and home teams, but for some reason GBS does not. Post it note: Please change this.
One final Titans tidbit: Keep an eye on sophomore guard Anestis Hadjistamoulou. The tough as nails youngster is going to really be fun to watch teaming up with Kasher, Marr, and Davis in what could be a super quick backcourt next year for GBS. Highlighting his potential, Hadjistamoulou poured in 32 points against a very good New Trier sophomore team last week
Glenbrook North boys
Solid play: Somewhat lost in the shadow of their crosstown rival's possibly historic season, the Spartan boys hoopsters are playing some solid, winning basketball. A tough loss in overtime to Evanston last week hurt, but make no mistake - this team can play.
Lidskin and Kueller: Nice mixture of size and guard play for the boys in green and gold with Blake Lidskin and Aaron Mueller providing savvy and experienced ballhandling in the back court. Lidskin is a dangerous scorer as well.
The big guys: They're solid with 6'6 sophomore Patrick Schaller really coming on of late. Schaller is quick enough to mismatch with some of the slower post men he faces and has a sweet 12-15 foot turnaround jump shot. An injury to 3-year starter Grant Kosla, who provides rebounding and inside defense, will hurt, but senior Brandon Gordon is solid and should help fill the void
Gavin Schooley: Like Marr from GBS, where did Gavin Schooley come from? Love his game! I am giving him the nickname "Red Bull" because he provides instant energy off the bench. (Might have to start now with Kosla's injury). Schooley, a junior, defends with passion and intensity, is a sneaky good passer, strong with the ball, and can score a little bit both inside and outside.
Let us not forget: The Spartans lead scorer and No. 1 threat offensively in junior Ryan Cohen. No. 11 is now a marked man just about every game, but if you forget about him for a split second? BOOM! The nylon on the net barely moves; chalk up three more on the scoreboard for the good guys, and please get back on defense.
Speaking of that scoreboard: Love the new one in the gymnasium! Best I have seen in any local gym. Bright, fresh, really cool, unique look with just the graphics you need to see. Not too much, not too little ... and the backboards lighting up at the end of each quarter? Solid touch.
Scorers' table: Talk about continuity and longevity at the scorers' table? Margaret Sullivan and Jim Weldon have been fixtures there now for well over 25 years. Repeat, 25 years! Can't remember them EVER missing a game (although surely, along the two-plus decades, they must have). Note to self, a column on these two.
Not fade away: In the category of old coaches who just can't quite give it up, ex-Glenbrook North coach Dave Weber has signed on as assistant coach at Lake Forest College. Ryan Davis - the ex-Deerfield star who Weber once scouted and had to try and defend against - is now the Forresters head coach, and one of Weber's ex-players, Frankie Siegen, is on the team.
No doubt, it's been a great first month of basketball for our boys hoops teams. Still to come? Holiday tournaments, intense CSL conference games, Two GBS/GBN rivalry games and then the state tournament. Mouthwatering thoughts for our high school hoops fans.
• Jon Cohn of Glenview is a coach, retired PE teacher, sports official and prep sports fan. To contact him with comments or story ideas, email jcsportsandtees@aol.com.