Holiday tourneys tell much about local squads
The boys basketball tournaments conducted over the Christmas break provide gifts that keep on giving.
They are mileposts teams use to springboard successful conference and even postseason campaigns -- or kicks in the pants that could lead to needed improvement.
Position in the standings is irrelevant. West Chicago entered the Glenbard West Holiday Classic winless and, at 0-4 in the DuPage Valley Conference, with slim hope of a conference title.
Yet the Wildcats' victory over Antioch lifted the oh-fer stigma and lent confidence to a hard-working group.
Here are a few thoughts on how some holiday performances may translate down the line.
Looking Good
Wheaton North coach Jim Nazos didn't like how the Falcons lost to Batavia in the championship game at Elgin, relinquishing a 4-point lead with 1:02 left.
But he liked the total effort, which continued in last Saturday's 67-62 win at Glenbard East, dealing the Rams their first DVC loss.
"At Christmas we were playing as well as we have all season," Nazos said. "We could have done things better against Batavia, but I think the tournament was a positive for us.
"There was a sense of poise in the Glenbard East game. That really helped us get a win there."
The inside-outside blend of center John Bagge and forward Tom Fitzpatrick and guards Dave Pilalis and Kristian Rosenberger could really roll with a win tonight over West Aurora.
The Waubonsie Valley tourney field wasn't as strong as it had been. The Warriors' championship victory was still an unqualified success.
As Neuqua Valley coach Todd Sutton said of Waubonsie, "They are playing with great confidence."
Except for 6-foot-5 reserve Zamarri Doby, the Warriors are winning without a regular taller than 6-foot-3 forward Jelani Johnson. Lacking injured senior point guard Kevin VandenBerg during the tourney, all-tourney pick Johnson helped handle the ball as well as bang it inside.
Coach Steve Weemer also got contributions from junior guards Steve Strickland and Alex Stokowski in support of Josh Daniels and Justin Peaster and all-tourney forward Kyle Obendorf.
"Lately we've shared the ball well," said Weemer, who has Daniels, Peaster and Johnson scoring in double figures with VandenBerg at 9.6 points per game.
"We've played to our strengths, who has the hot hand or who's in rhythm."
Hinsdale South was out of whack entering the Lemont Christmas Classic. The Hornets lost consecutive games, including a 15-point margin at Morton.
Hinsdale South reversed course to win four straight, improving as it went along to culminate in a 53-37 title win over Chicago Christian.
"Those games came at the perfect time," said Hornets coach Vince Doran. "Our two best games of the season were our last two."
Hornets guard Carl Fiebig tied for the Lemont assists title, and 6-4 senior forward Eric Travis won the "Inside Force" award and MVP.
"We just did a much better job getting the ball to him, and I think it's made us a better team," said Doran, whose club will be tested tonight by 11-3 Willowbrook.
Looking Forward
Two-time defending Lemont champ Glenbard East struggled to a 2-2 record and sixth-place finish. It was almost to be expected since only all-tourney senior guard Derak Stanback returned from a stellar crew that included two-time MVP Mike Capocci.
Despite the Rams' loss to Wheaton North they can still make a push with developing sophomore starters Lee Skinner and Jack Merrithey and junior Chris Sanders around Stanback, forward Tom Seagraves and guard Ben Trefilek.
"We're a young team that's going to continue to get better," Rams coach Scott Miller said. "We're certainly not pleased with a loss, but we're pleased with the effort and the way our kids handle themselves on the court. There's a lot of good, positive things we can build on."
Neuqua Valley has more age than Glenbard East, but with the exception of 6-8 center Danny Pawelski it's similarly inexperienced.
Last season's Elgin tourney champions were bounced by then-undefeated Highland Park in the second game. The Wildcats won their last two for a fifth-place finish.
Given Sutton's ability to make his teams better as the season endures, plus the Wildcats' depth and talent, this is a group to watch.
At Montini, coach Tom Sloan finally has his team.
A key piece is four-year varsity player Dex Jones, the 6-2, 220-pound Wisconsin football recruit who missed the first 10 games with a thumb injury.
Alex Blashewski may lead the Broncos in scoring, Jones' leadership is crucial.
After Montini's opening loss at Lemont, Jones returned to help the Broncos win three straight. Montini now has won five in a row -- albeit against teams with losing records.
"Just his presence on the floor takes a lot of pressure off everybody else," Sloan said.
Gamers
All-tournament efforts like those of Naperville Central's Drew Crawford at Wheeling, Willowbrook's Milton Colbert at York and St. Francis' Brian McMahon at Glenbard West are a prelude to what fans will see down the stretch.
Glenbard West center John Shurna averaged 26 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Hilltoppers to their own tourney title. He had 34 points in the championship against Nazareth, scoring 17 out of his teams 20 points in a decisive burst.
Driscoll center Jake Lindfors' average of 28.5 points at the State Farm Tournament in Bloomington tied him for No. 3 all-time among boys players there, the highest mark since Galesburg's Joey Range in 1996.
Shurna's headed for Northwestern, Lindfors for Albany. An outing like Travis' at Lemont -- averages of 18 points, 14 rebounds, 4 blocks -- has Hinsdale South coach Doran hoping some looks come his senior's way, too.
"In my mind," Doran said, "he's a scholarship player."