Chapman stars in easy Geneva win
Two losses in two days at the 47th annual East Aurora Boys Basketball Tournament did wonders for Geneva — on the third day.
With Connor Chapman and Nate Navigato moving the ball high-low or from the middle of the paint to the baseline, plus zone-busting perimeter touch from Mike Trimble, Geneva beat Aurora Central Catholic 73-47 on Friday.
The Vikings (12-3) used 56 percent shooting to post their season high and topped 70 points for the first time since doing it back-to-back Nov. 22-23. Chapman scored 27 points on 10-of-13 shooting, Navigato had 17 and Trimble tallied 16 points with four 3-pointers.
“We talked about how we had to make someone pay for the last two days,” said Geneva coach Phil Ralston. “Unfortunately for ACC they were just the next people on the schedule and they’re the ones who had to pay for it.”
ACC (6-6) sprung guard Shawn Soris early at the 3-point line and the Chargers trailed just 35-27 at halftime. Geneva’s two-man game of Navigato and Chapman assumed full control in the third quarter. The Vikings led 57-39 entering the fourth.
“We just had to play hard and close out on their shooters. We tried to, but they just made it seem like they hit everything tonight. They were on fire.” said ACC senior Phil Schuetz, who scored 10 points including a right-handed slam in traffic. Soris led the Chargers with 11 points.
ACC’s Soris, Sean Anger and Sean Harreld all hit 3-pointers in the first quarter. Against coach Nathan Drye’s trademark 2-3 zone Geneva still led 22-14 due to Trimble going 3-for-3 from the field, Navigato hitting a pair of 3’s and Chapman starting his roll inside with 9 points.
“We got it inside and we were open so we were just shooting. We got a little two-man game going and it worked out well for us,” Chapman said of he and the 6-foot-6 Navigato.
Once Trimble and Navigato established the perimeter Geneva also won the battle in the paint.
“We felt like as long as Nate could flash into there and Connor could occupy the guy in the middle that really they’re going to be stuck with one guy inside having to guard someone like Nate or someone like Connor. And either way, we felt that it was a complete mismatch for them,” Ralston said.
That was evident in the third quarter. Navigato converted two three-point plays and scored 7 points and the 260-pound Chapman scored 10 points. Throw in another Trimble 3 and a Chris Parrilli deuce and Geneva made 10 of 14 field goals.
“Chapman, he’s just a great passer, he’s been like that all year,” said Navigato, who registered 7 assists. “When I caught a ball and had an opening, if I drove and they collapsed they had to choose one of us and we were just wide-open.”