Night unlike any other in Batavia

If Sunday is super, then Saturday night is divine for area basketball fans.

The Batavia Night of Hoops traces its heritage to a seemingly benign conversation between former Bulldog great Corey Williams and Proviso East coach Bill Hitt in the early 1990s.

"(Batavia) Coach (Jim Roberts) tells the story better than I do," said Williams, who retired from competitive basketball recently after a decade-long professional career in Europe, Asia, South America and Canada.

"(Hitt) came to our basketball camp, and we hit it off right away," Williams said via phone from Tucson, Ariz., where he is involved in the NBA developmental league. "As a former player, you always hope to play in those kind of games."

And what games they have been over the last 14 years.

Proviso East won back-to-back Class AA state championships in 1991 and '92 behind such great players as Michael Finley and Sherrell Ford.

The Pirates were the marquee attraction when Batavia had its inaugural shootout in 1994, and over the course of the next 13 years the event has attracted some of the top players, teams and coaches from throughout the state.

"It's been a mix of teams that have brought in quality teams and coaches," Roberts said. "It is definitely a group effort. The coaches that have come in have been very gracious."

Six of the most storied programs in state history will converge in Batavia Saturday night to offer a smorgasbord of differing styles of play for local basketball junkies to gorge upon.

In the opener, perennial powers East Aurora and St. Joseph collide, followed by the first matchup between West Aurora and Quincy since the 1980 Pontiac Holiday Tournament.

Two-time defending Class AA state champion Simeon caps the night against the host Bulldogs.

Of the 18 big-school state titles won since 1990, a dozen of them are owned by schools that have participated in the Night of Hoops festivities.

From Chicago King to four-times-in-a-row Peoria Manual, from the titles won by St. Joseph and West Aurora at the close of the century to the twin wins by Simeon in the final two years of the two-class system, the star power cannot be denied.

Their teams are not playing each other, but two of the deans of coaching -- Gene Pingatore and Gordie Kerkman of St. Joseph and West Aurora, respectively -- will be plying their trade.

The two have been at their schools since the 1960s, winning over 1,450 combined games their tenures.

For a number of area coaches, the numbers are hard to comprehend.

"It's an unbelievable accomplishment," Roberts said. "It's truly something unique. They have done amazing things in high school basketball, on and off the court."

Pingatore eclipsed the 800-barrier earlier this season and is approaching the all-time state mark of Dick Van Scyoc, whose final three seasons ended in state titles at Manual.

"I can't even start to think (about 800 career wins)," East Aurora coach Wendell Jeffries said. "I was telling the kids the other day -- trying to put it in perspective -- what it means to have 800 wins. I have in the neighborhood of 125 after seven years as a head coach."

"I can't fathom that much longevity and basketball brilliance," Naperville North coach Mark Lindo said.

"What I have noticed about (Pingatore and Kerkman) is they carry the same demeanor, day after day. I don't think you're going to see (those kind of career win totals) again. The game has changed so much. Between Ping and (Rockford Boylan coach Steve) Goers, whoever breaks Van Scyoc's record (826) is going to hold it for a long time."

"(Pingatore and Kerkman) are the type of people who will always sit and talk with other basketball coaches like myself," Roberts added.

The two have more in common than multiple trips to the state finals.

"(Kerkman) has affected the entire Aurora community," said Lindo, a 1976 graduate of East High. "To have a chance to coach against him, I feel blessed. His relationship with young people is beyond reproach. (Pingatore and Kerkman) both give all their credit to the players they've had."

And the players who have played in the Night of Hoops in previous years certainly have able company this year as well.

St. Joseph features two Division I guards in Diamond Taylor and DeAndre McCamey, while East Aurora has Ryan Boatright, the freshman point guard who received national attention when he orally committed to Southern California last summer.

The West Aurora-Quincy matchup has perhaps the most intriguing subplot as the schools have met only once before.

Hailed as one of the finest teams in state history, the 1980-81 Quincy squad that featured Big Ten stars Bruce Douglas (Illinois) and Michael Payne (Iowa) humbled the Blackhawks with their worst loss, 87-23, in school history.

"It was a game I would soon forget," Kerkman said.

"To go against great programs is certainly one of the great thrills of coaching at Quincy," said coach Sean Taylor. "I think it's going to be a great challenge for us. I think it's one our guys are really looking forward to."

Only weeks after meeting Marshall at the Sears Centre Showdown, the Bulldogs have another Public League power on the schedule when the Wolverines come for their first-ever appearance.

"It was in the works the previous year," Roberts said of inviting Simeon. "Coach (Rob) Smith took a liking to my mom (Jeane). It helped that she brought donuts for he and his staff. She convinced coach Pingatore, too, so she is pretty persuasive."

"I thought it would be good for our kids," Smith said. "I know they have a great player in Nick (Fruendt)."

Simeon lost its entire starting lineup to graduation last year, but the Wolverines have rebuilt their program behind Illinois-bound center Stan Simpson and ice-water-in-the-veins guard Kenyon Smith.

"(Simpson) is a force in the middle," Roberts said. "(Smith) is a total-package type player."

"Another great opportunity," Northwestern-bound Fruendt said. "We still have to attack the basket (despite the presence of the 6-foot-9 Simpson). I've played against enough good people to know how to handle (his shot-blocking capabilities)."

Former Batavia coach Bob Tober will be honored prior to the final game.