Neuqua Valley hopes to join state's elite programs

Powerhouse, you bet.

Dynasty? Not yet. Neuqua Valley's getting there, though.

The Wildcats' boys basketball team enters tonight's Class 4A Chicago State University supersectional against Richards on the heels of its first sectional championship.

After sectional final losses in 2001, 2006 and 2007 and a sectional semifinal loss in 2002 the Wildcats made their furthest encroachment into the state series with their 69-53 win over Bartlett.

Now in his 10th season after coming over from Pecatonica, coach Todd Sutton is one win away from 200 at the Naperville school, with a record of 199-92.

That's nearly 20 wins a season. It includes records of 6-22 and 11-16 in the program's first two varsity campaigns.

Neuqua Valley, a No. 6 seed with a record of 25-7, has won four Upstate Eight titles and five regionals in the last eight seasons, averaging 22.8 wins in the span.

"It's a very good program," said senior center Dan Pawelski, a two-year starter whose sophomore team was 28-0, his freshman team 23-0. "For a dynasty, I think you've got to win some championships."

Junior forward Derek Raridon agreed: "The program's had a lot of great seasons. But we all know we need to advance farther than a sectional final and a supersectional.

"We need to go downstate and do some damage there if we want to call ourselves a dynasty."

Standing in the way of that trip to Peoria are the 27-4 Richards Bulldogs, a No. 1 seed that won its first sectional title since 1998. As it is with Neuqua, class expansion enabled Richards to make its first Elite Eight field.

The South Suburban Red champions won their conference crossover championship, beating Hillcrest for the first time in 14 seasons.

"Right now our focus is so good," said Richards coach John Chappetto, at one time a St. Xavier coach who once recruited former Neuqua player Bryce Amelianovich.

"We play hard on defense and we capitalize off turnovers."

The Bulldogs are led by three double-figure scorers: 6-foot-5 senior forward Carl Richard, an Indiana State recruit averaging 15.8 points and 7.7 rebounds; 6-7 center Shaun Pratl, who averages 13.4 points; and guard Tommie Thomas, a Purdue football recruit averaging 12.5 points and 2.6 steals.

Off-guard Mike Denson and point guard Eliud Gonzalez, who averages 6.2 assists and 2.9 steals, round out the starting five.

"We have to guard them or they're going to blow us out," Sutton said. "But our strong point is defense, so we're OK with that."

Though Richard and Pratl each outscore Neuqua Valley big men Pawelski and Raridon -- averaging a respective 12.7 and 12.4 points a game -- Wildcats guards Anton Wilkins, T.J. Jordan, Nolan Brown, Graham Smith, Steve Waeghe and Brad Keeler can minimize their effectiveness by harassing Richards guards 84 feet up court.

Neuqua obviously has the depth over Richards. Chappetto goes to reserves Corey Wolf and Sammy Olayan, he said, but not much further.

Depth doesn't really faze Chappetto, whose club beat Neuqua Valley in the final four of this summer's Willowbrook Shootout before losing to Wheaton North in the title game.

"No, that is not as much of a concern as whether or not we'll be able to pressure them," Chappetto said.

"If we're playing the way we can and are really getting after them, I would assume he's (Sutton) going to have to be concerned bringing guys in he might be on the fence with."

Pawelski said breaking a variety of presses has been a constant in practice, whether it's Richards' or whomever.

"We started going over all that stuff two and a half weeks ago," he said. "Every day we go over press breaks."

Raridon stressed composure against Richards' extended pressure, and commented on the Wildcats' own defensive keys.

"We've just got to keep our guys in front of us because they're a heck of a lot quicker than us," said the junior, who's shooting 55.2 percent from the floor with 52 3-pointers.

"If we can keep them off the glass we've got a good shot."

And thus add another feather in the cap of this powerhouse.

"We just want to win one more, get down to Peoria," Sutton said, "and make this a magical season."