Merklein, Harper a good fit

Andy Merklein has found basketball happiness again at Harper College.

The 6-foot-9 all-area player at Prospect in 2005 originally went to Division III Lake Forest College, but he played only four games and 10 minutes as a freshman.

Merklein left Lake Forest and didn't play at all last year. Now he is starting to thrive for Harper, which was ranked eighth in this week's NJCAA Division III national poll.

Merklein scored 13 points in a 76-68 victory over Elgin and had 10 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocked shots Tuesday in a 69-63 win at McHenry.

"I wasn't really happy at Lake Forest and I took a year off and really worked on my game more by myself," Merklein said. "I wanted to give it another chance and I'm very, very glad. I missed it when I was off for a year."

Merklein was hampered early by a sprained ankle but started four games going into Thursday's night's visit from the St. Francis JV. He was averaging around 7 points and 6 rebounds a game.

Merklein had a rough first half at McHenry as he missed both of his shots from the field and 3 of 4 free throws. But he bounced back to hit 4 of 6 second-half shots.

"He looked a little tentative to start the game but he settled down," said first-year Harper coach Tony Amarino. "I said, 'You're 6-9, let this game come to you. Why are you in a hurry? Take your time.' "

Merklein has enjoyed playing for Amarino, who isn't constantly pacing and raving up and down the sideline.

"I love coach Amarino," Merklein said. "He has a really great relationship with all of us. He's a very good coach and he's knowledgeable."

Merklein isn't sure about his basketball plans after this year. But he likes what's he's seen so far from a team where local products Fred Taylor and Mike Silungan (Conant) and Bobby Rhodes (Schaumburg) are starting.

"I think we're just starting to scratch the surface of what we can do," Merklein said. "There is a lot of talent on this team."

Harper gets a good test at home at 7 p.m. Tuesday against Illinois Central College, which is ranked 10th in NJCAA Division II and is coached by former Illinois star Tony Wysinger.

That's more like it: That seemed to be the prevailing mood for the Harper women's basketball team after it improved to 2-5 with a 51-44 win at McHenry.

"We're 10 times better than how we've been playing," said freshman point guard Katy Spencer from Palatine.

"We just started playing as a team," said Jacobs grad and freshman Emily Vierneisel. "We all have confidence in each other."

It finally showed as Harper rallied from a 5-point halftime deficit to end a three-game losing streak.

"This is what I expected us to be like right away," said second-year coach Rusty Becker. "The last two games have really shown the kids that if they listen good things will happen for them."

Apparently everyone got the message as Vierneisel and Larissa Coldebella (Prospect) led the scoring by combining for 35 points. Jenny Murray (Barrington), Crissy Wise (Maine East) and Kassie Kissane (Dundee-Crown) led a 38-34 rebound advantage.

And Spencer had 8 assists and ran an attack that committed just 9 second-half turnovers.

"We all came together and that's why it was so nice," Spencer said. "It wasn't one person. It was a team effort."

It was also a nice way to start a stretch of four straight road games followed by a tournament next weekend at South Suburban.

"We needed a win to kind of start us off," Spencer said. "A win like this will help us get motivated."

Back to the mat: Harper wrestling will be at the Art Kraft tournament this weekend at Triton College.