Geneva gets its share of conference crown
When Phil Ralston talks, his players listen. Really, really well.
The first-year Geneva coach told his new players this summer to get ready to cut down some nets. The Vikings went out and did it, first at Thanksgiving, then Christmas, and again Friday night.
The Vikings won just their second conference championship in the last 29 years, building a big early lead and coasting to a 52-41 win over Sycamore Friday in Geneva.
Geneva (21-6, 11-3) finishes in a three-way tie with Glenbard South and DeKalb after those teams beat Yorkville and Rochelle, respectively, Friday. Batavia ended up a game back.
The Vikings last won conference in 2000, and before that in 1980. Maybe it won't be so long for the next one - the Geneva sophomore team also wrapped up a conference title Friday after it lost only one WSC game this year, at Batavia.
"We haven't won conference in a long time, so that's big," senior Jeremy D'Amico said. "That's just big for Geneva."
Geneva certainly wasn't the preseason pick with its new coach and not much experience returning. But the Vikings got there, mostly with defense players understanding their roles.
"I'm not sure how many people thought we would be able to accomplish this," Ralston said. "We talked about this last summer. The kids really believed in it. They really deserve this wonderful honor, being able to cut down the nets and claim part of the conference championship."
Geneva's Western Sun win Friday not only reversed an earlier 53-51 loss to Sycamore, an upset that wound up costing the Vikings an outright title, it came without the last-second drama their previous three WSC wins had.
Christian Frederking's layup with 3 seconds left beat DeKalb, D'Amico's free throws in the final minute erased a Batavia lead, then Frederking defeated Kaneland by a point with 2 free throws in the final 4 seconds.
You've got to win games like those to win championships, and the Vikings did it three straight times down the stretch.
"Probably our stress on defense," senior Rob Tauscher said about Geneva won so many close games. "Even if we go through scoring droughts we can stay in any game because of our defense."
The Vikings were at it again on their Senior Night Friday, holding Sycamore (9-16, 4-10) to 6 first-quarter points to open a 19-6 lead.
All the seniors joined in the fun. Brennan Quinn received the biggest roar when he snared a rebound and assisted on Michael Ratay's basket.
Geneva led by 20 points in the second quarter before a sluggish third quarter enabled the Spartans to cut the lead to 8. The Vikings scored the first 5 points of the fourth to regain control.
D'Amico scored 10 of his 14 points in the first quarter and added 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 assists and 2 blocks. Sean Grady and Tauscher both scored 10 points, Ratay 8, and Tyler Scofield 6 points and 6 rebounds.
"We contained their ballhandlers a lot better. We did a good job shoring that up," Tauscher said.
"We wanted it win it outright but we knew we could get a share. We all wanted to go out in style."