Westminster looks to add more to its record season
The "easy" part is over.
The hard part lies dead ahead for Westminster Christian's boys basketball team as it prepares for Tuesday's Class 1A Somonauk sectional semifinal against Donovan (25-3).
The Warriors (20-8) advanced to sectional play for the first time in school history by virtue of Friday's 47-30 victory over Mooseheart in the Westminster Christian regional title game.
"I told the players after practice Saturday that (Friday) was your easiest day," said Westminster coach Bruce Firchau, an Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Famer. "That's part of the mental preparation. Every team you play now is going to be good.
"Now it's just a matter of matchups and execution, and we'll see where the chips fall."
The Warriors are led by seniors Joel Benson (18.6 ppg.) and Tyler Beachler (13.9). Benson (6-foot-5, 220 pounds) was named player of the year in the Private School League this season and Beachler was named first-team PSL.
They'll face a Donovan squad that distributes the scoring load equally throughout the starting lineup.
The Wildcats, who have set a school record for victories, spread the wealth between junior guard Ben Hicks (6-0, 12.6 ppg.), 5-7 junior guard Steve Jackson (11.6), 6-3 senior forward Charles Coleman (10.9 ppg., 7.7 rpg.), 6-1 senior forward Collin Davis (10.2 ppg.) and 5-11 senior guard Nick Fletcher (7.9 ppg.).
"They are very well coached and very good defensively," Firchau said. "This will be a very low-scoring game Tuesday because they play good half-court defense. They're strong, they know where the help line is and they know how to play good help defense and good on-the-ball defense."
The two teams squared off last summer in the Round of 16 at the Jacksonville Shootout for Class 1A/2A teams at Illinois College. Donovan prevailed in that game, which Westminster played without starting senior guard Cory Hodge or sophomore Ryan Beachler.
Hodge suffered a bruised knee against Mooseheart Friday and was held out of physical activity during practice on Saturday. However, he is expected to play Tuesday.
The winner will take on the winner of St. Anne (20-8) vs. Immaculate Conception (10-16) in Friday's Class 1A Somonauk sectional title game at 7:30 p.m.