This Warren team unique

The comparisons were bound to surface.

Now that Warren is making its second trip to the boys basketball state finals, coach Chuck Ramsey is being asked how this team compares to the 1999 team that finished as the Class AA state runner-up to St. Joseph.

"There are a lot of similarities," said Ramsey, whose team takes on Normal Community in today's second Class 4A state semifinal (8:15 p.m., IHSA Television Network) at Carver Arena in Peoria. "But this is 12 years later, and there are also a lot of differences."

Here's how the Blue Devils of today are the same as the Blue Devils of 1999: both teams played tough schedules, both teams were superb defensive and rebounding teams and both teams boasted good chemistry.

On the flip side, besides different players, the major difference between the two teams is perception.

The 1999 Blue Devils were seen as quiet up-and-comers. The Blue Devils of today? Not so much.

Today's Warren team has been touted as one of the best in the state all season.

"In 1999, we flew below the radar," Ramsey said. "This team - it has never had that luxury. I think it's harder this way. It makes it more of a challenge to get through the season when you're (the hunted). That's tough.

"But so far, our kids have done a really nice job of meeting that big challenge."

Ranked in the top 10 all season, the 30-3 Blue Devils had only three hiccups along the way, losses to Lake Forest Academy, Galesburg and Simeon, which is playing in the today's other Class 4A state semifinal.

Other than that, they more than lived up to their billing as they cruised through the North Suburban Conference undefeated, beating North Chicago in the league title game.

"If you're a competitive (coach or player), you've got to be aiming for a state championship," Ramsey said. "But what you've got to remember is that every day you've got to focus your energy on what it takes to get there. I think we've been able to do that."

Now, after handling the intense pressure of Niles North in the supersectional game at Waukegan on Tuesday, the Blue Devils will turn their focus on Normal.

Just as Niles North was Warren's opposite, Normal might just be its long lost twin.

The 27-6 Ironmen have size just like Warren and also favor working patiently though its halfcourt offense, just like Warren. Rebounding and defense have also been strengths for Normal this season, just as they have been for the Blue Devils.

Starting center Parker Musselman is 6-foot-8 while reserve centers D.J. Gillispie and Trevor Seibring are 6-foot-6. They will be Normal's counter to a Warren front line that includes 6-foot-8 Nathan Boothe, 6-foot-6 Darius Paul and 6-foot-5 Jeremiah Jackson.

"They probably have more size than us overall, but we have some good size, too," said Normal coach Dave Witzig, whose team won the Big Twelve Conference title for the first team in more than 20 years. "We're similar in other ways, too. We like to get it inside and so do they. We have balanced scoring and so do they. We've had four players score in double-figures in our last four games. We like to play a hard man-to-man defense and so do they.

"The funny thing is, Warren's going to be a tough matchup for us. We're not used to playing teams like us. We're used to playing faster teams that like to push the ball up and down the floor. We're going to have to make some adjustments."

One thing that Witzig doesn't want to mess with is his team's unbridled enthusiasm.

The Ironmen are riding high knowing that they have fed an entire community that was starving for some success in boys basketball.

Prior to this season, Normal had won only three sectionals in boys basketball, with the last one coming in the 1975-76 season. The Ironmen have never advanced downstate in the modern era.

"Our fans are like Cubs fans," Witzig said. "They've been waiting for so long to see a team go downstate that they have been so passionate during our tournament games. That's really had an impact on our guys.

"But I think it really hit the guys about what an amazing ride we're on when they realized that we're going to get a banner in our gym."

According to Witzig, teams at Normal that reach the Elite Eight or better get a banner hung in the gym in their honor.

"We've got banners for football, baseball, softball, volleyball, all these sports that have gotten really far in the state tournament," Witzig said. "There are no banners like that for boys basketball and these kids are excited that it's their group that has given boys basketball its first banner. We're enjoying the ride and are excited to get even further at state."