Kaneland, Geneva ready for United Center rematch
On the one hand $28 seems pricey for a boys high school basketball game, even to see good teams like Geneva and Kaneland.
Paired with the chance to see a Bulls game at the United Center it's a pretty good deal.
Kaneland sold out its allotment of 400 tickets and Geneva was getting there for Saturday's 2 p.m. Western Sun Conference game, the second straight year the teams were invited to join the Bulls' "Preps with Pros" program. Fans then get to watch the Bulls play the Philadelphia 76ers at 7 p.m.
"Last year we beat Kaneland (58-39). It was a solid win," said Geneva coach Phil Ralston, whose 16-9 Vikings also beat the 15-8 Knights 61-51 this season on Jan. 12.
"Obviously we want to win the game, but from my perspective it was just a great experience for the kids," Ralston said of last year's event, which also offered a "fifth quarter" for a junior varsity scrimmage. "It you want to go to a game at the United Center they're shelling out at least 60 bucks to get a ticket then sitting a few hundred feet away in the rafters. Here they get to be on the floor."
It's officially Kaneland's home game, but since it's Geneva announcer Kurt Wehrmeister's last season behind the microphone, the teams arranged for him to call the game at the UC.
Wehrmeister called the game last year, but beforehand asked advice from his college buddy Gene Honda - public address announcer for the Chicago Blackhawks and White Sox.
"I guess I was somewhat wary about the echo prospect," said Wehrmeister, who discovered it wasn't a problem.
"Once you get oriented to the surroundings it's like doing another high school ballgame," he said. "The main difference, I noted last year, was the length of the court. That was probably the biggest adjustment, because when you're at the scorer's table at a high school game both teams are basically right up to you. They're a good distance away, there."
That brings up another facet - a court 10 feet longer than the prep-standard 84 feet.
"It'll be a little more tiresome," Kaneland coach Brian Johnson said. "When you add those feet and running a lot up and down you're going to get more tired."
He said the main difference is mental.
"The 3-point line is still the same length," Johnson said. "The half-court is still a bit bigger, but you still want to run your offense the same as you would on a high school court."
Fore!A 4-inch base of snow makes it hard to imagine golf being played in Illinois. That time will come. Brian Johnson is gearing up already for Kaneland's first boys basketball golf outing. A scramble, it's going to be June 12 at Bliss Creek Golf Course in Sugar Grove (where retired Hall of Fame Kaneland track coach Ralph Drendel "helps manage things," Johnson said). Johnson said he would have preferred to schedule the Kaneland event on June 11, but Bliss Creek was already booked that Friday - by West Aurora's golf outing!The Kaneland outing, a fundraiser for uniforms, equipment and fees for summer leagues and shootouts, will offer a raffle and silent auction. The first anything provides plenty of challenges, so Johnson and Knights assistant coach John Pavlak got tips from Batavia coach Jim Roberts and Dundee-Crown coach Lance Huber on how they run their golf outings."My goal was to try to do something where we didn't put pressure on the parents where they had to end up selling stuff for their kids," Johnson said. "I thought it was a nice way where we could get the alumni, the community and local businesses involved with sponsorship and prizes. I just think it's a nice way to get out and have a good time."That's the real object of the game for most of us hacks. For info on reservations or sponsorship opportunities, reach Johnson at (630) 365-5100, ext. 347; or brian.johnson@kaneland.org.Welcome to the clubWest Aurora will hold its athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the boys basketball game against Glenbard East, 7:30 p.m. Saturday.Joining the Hall are: Dave Rowell, longtime Blackhawks baseball coach; Donna Proctor, longtime softball coach; and Carol Bell, athletic department assistant, wife of track hall of famer John Bell and herself a fixture on the local track scene. Also: Ronnie Hicks, a key player on the 1975-76 boys state basketball runner-up; and Dave Heiss, on the Blackhawks' third-place 1979-80 boys basketball team who is now in his 24th season of a hall of fame career at Waubonsee Community College.What's up...Danae FuquaA little Greek, a little Norwegian, a little French, the senior gymnast is one of three siblings at Batavia, along with sophomore Blake and freshman Jordan. Danae, who's competed in gymnastics since age 7, is performing in floor exercise and vault at this weekend's girls state meet at Palatine, joining Geneva's Emily Ott (floor, beam) as the sole local competitors. Danae - senior vice president of Batavia's Student Council and a National Honor Society member with a 3.9 grade-point average - was born in Elmhurst and lived in Vancouver as a toddler. She helped the Bulldogs gymnasts reach state as a team last year in "one of the biggest (sectional) upsets in all of Illinois," she said.Q: What colleges are you looking at? A: St. Louis University, the University of Missouri, and the University of Kentucky. Not for, like, geographic reasons, but they have real good physical therapy programs, which is what I'm looking to study. Q: What's your favorite spectator sport?A: Probably basketball. I kind of just grew up watching it a lot. My dad (Dirk) is a big basketball fan. When March Madness rolls around we're all watching it as a family and filling out brackets.Q: What do you do for fun?A: I coach gymnastics, which is fun for me. Gymnastics is definitely my life. Obviously, I go out with friends to movies, basketball games, football games. Right now I'm spending a lot of time doing college visits.Q: What's your favorite movie of this past year?A: Probably "The Proposal."Q: If you need to get ready for a wedding or something, how long does it take you?A: Probably only like 35 to 40 minutes. I guess I could say I've just got it down to a science.Q: You said at the Glenbard West gymnastics sectional you fell on bars trying a major release, the Yeager. Despite the disappointment, your thoughts on the routine?A: I've competed at it all year and I made it a good amount of times this year. It takes a long time to get a skill like this. That was my major focus all summer. I did it at sectionals and I fell on it, so that's the major reason why I didn't qualify to state this year (on bars). I knew I was taking a major risk because it's one of the hardest skills, but I knew I didn't work all summer not to compete it.Q: Your mother, Angie, teaches dance at Batavia and is also the dance team coach. Who do you take after more, mom or dad?A: I think a little bit of both. My mom's more fun and outgoing and my dad's kind of get-down-to-business, focus, that kind of thing. So, in gymnastics I'm definitely focused 95 percent of the time, but then there's always those times - like when I'm with teammates or I'm in school in classes with friends - where we're joking and laughing. So that's where my mom comes in.True18401224This was the scene last year when Kaneland and Geneva played at the United Center. The teams will do it again at 2 p.m. Saturday.Daily Herald file photoTrue