Looking back at the best of the basketball season

Posted March 13, 2013 8:44 am

By Craig Brueske

Paul Michna/pmichna@dailyherald.com ¬ Collin Roy,left,of Wheaton Academy and Jason Pisarski of St. Francis go for a loose ball during game action Wednesday.

As the high school boys basketball season enters its final week, one important question remains — can anyone stop Simeon from capturing its fourth consecutive Class 4A state championship this weekend in Peoria?

West Aurora, which suffered a 60-47 loss to the 3-time defending state champions in the finals of the Pontiac Holiday Tournament back in late December, found itself one half away from another crack at the top-ranked Wolverines until a 17-0 third-quarter run by Proviso East in Tuesday night’s Hinsdale Central supersectional ended the Blackhawks’ season.

Proviso East’s 62-52 come-from-beind win sets up a rematch of last year’s 4A state title game — won by Simeon in an instant classic, 50-48.

It has been 5 years since the last non-Chicago Public League team captured the 4A state title — Richards in 2008.

Here is my personal recap of the 2012-13 boys/girls basketball season:

Best boys game I saw: St. Charles East 56, St. Charles North 55. This game had it all – thunderous slam dunks, great atmosphere, high intensity, a raucous crowd, and a down-to-the-wire finish. Years from now, even the losing team will remember playing in this cross-town classic.

Next-best boys game I saw: Less than 24 hours after suffering a 20-point loss to Larkin, Geneva rebounded with a dominant 69-62 nonconference victory over St. Viator as Chris Parrilli, Nate Navigato, Connor Chapman, and Cam Cook all reached double figures. It was one of the Vikings’ most complete performances during their 21-win season.

Best team I watched play: Proviso East, which finished second to 3A powerhouse Morgan Park at the Proviso West Holiday Tournament.

All-Names Team: Rachel Choice, Rosary; Keeley Slamans, Aurora Christian; Sean Anger, Aurora Central Catholic; Anthony Bragg, Geneva; Quinten Payne, St. Charles North; Phil Schuetz, Aurora Central Catholic; Ben Skoog, St. Charles East.

All-Floor Burn boys team: Ben Skoog, St. Charles East; Jordan Glasgow, Marmion; Quinten Payne, St. Charles North; Mike Rueffer, Batavia; Chandler Thomas, West Aurora.

All-Floor Burn girls team: Laney Deckrow, St. Charles East; Kelly Gordon, Geneva; Carly Pottle, St. Charles East; Sami Villarreal, Batavia; Natalie Winkates, St. Charles North.

All-Muscle team: Connor Chapman, Geneva; Justin Stanko, St. Charles North; Chandler Thomas, West Aurora; Tyler Windau, St. Charles East; Cory Windle, Aurora Christian.

Shoot the 3 boys team: Dom Adduci, St. Charles East; Jake Asquini, St. Charles East; Micah Coffey, Batavia; Johnathan Harrell, Aurora Christian; Nate Navigato, Geneva.

Shoot the 3 girls team: Alex DeCraene, Aurora Central Catholic; Liza Fruendt, Batavia; Amanda Hilton, St. Charles East; Ally O’Herron, Kaneland; Morgan Seberger, Geneva; Alex Silverman, St. Charles North.

All-Slam Dunk team: Josh McAuley, West Aurora; Quinten Payne, St. Charles North; Phil Schuetz, Aurora Central Catholic; Kendall Stephens, St. Charles East; A.J. Washington, St. Charles East.

All-Smooth as Silk team: Johnathan Harrell, Aurora Christian; Jayquan Lee, West Aurora; Nate Navigato, Geneva; Phil Schuetz, Aurora Central Catholic; Kendall Stephens, St. Charles East.

All-Senior boys team: Matt Limbrunner, Kaneland; Josh McAuley, West Aurora; Quinten Payne, St. Charles North; Mike Rueffer, Batavia; Phil Schuetz, Aurora Central Catholic.

All-Senior girls team: Miranda Grizaffi, Batavia; Sami Pawlak, Geneva; Carly Pottle, St. Charles East; Lisa Rodriguez, Aurora Central Catholic; Alex Silverman, St. Charles North; Karly Tate, Rosary.

All-Junior boys team: Dom Adduci, St. Charles East; Gordon Behr, Wheaton Academy; Micah Coffey, Batavia; Johnathan Harrell, Aurora Christian; Jontrel Walker, West Aurora.

All-Junior girls team: Alyssa Andersen, Aurora Christian; Liza Fruendt, Batavia; Amanda Hilton, St. Charles East; Sidney Santos, Geneva; Morgan Seberger, Geneva.

All-Sophomore boys team: Jake Asquini, St. Charles East; Cole Gentry, St. Charles East; Jordan Glasgow, Marmion; Nate Navigato, Geneva; Josh Ruggles, Wheaton Academy.

All-Sophomore girls team: Natasha Brown, Aurora Christian; Katie Claussner, St. Charles East; Nicole Davidson, St. Charles North; Abby Novak, Geneva; Alexis Wiggins, West Aurora.

Fab frosh: James McQuillan, St. Charles East; Dylan Vaca, Kaneland; Hannah Frazier, Batavia; Kyla Helsel, St. Charles North; Kirsten Madsen, Aurora Central Catholic; Bethany Orman, Batavia; Morgan Rosencrants, St. Charles North.

All-Underrated team: Tony Neari, St. Charles North; John Pruett, Kaneland; Zach Strittmatter, Batavia; Kyle Swanson, St. Charles North; Ryan Suttle, Aurora Christian; Mike Trimble, Geneva.

All-Sparkplug (bench) team: Jake Asquini, St. Charles East; Jack Callaghan, St. Charles North; Mike Carlson, Batavia; Connor Fedderly, Kaneland; Jake Ludwig, St. Charles North; Pace Temple, Geneva.

Double vision: Erin and Taylor Jacobsen, West Aurora; Chandler and Spencer Thomas, West Aurora.

Best buzzer-beater: Dom Adduci’s desperation heave from near-halfcourt banked off the backboard and through the net for the game-winning 3-pointer during St. Charles East’s 64-61 victory over Glenbard East at the Proviso West Holiday Tournament.

Top emotional effort: St. Charles North special needs student/team manager Janna Blowers dressed in uniform and started the North Stars’ Senior Night game against Batavia. “The idea was to have her on the floor, have her in uniform, and have her go through the starting lineup (introductions),” said North Stars coach Colleen Backer, who is also Blowers’ teacher. “She is just so meaningful to our team.”

Top emotional effort II: When former Batavia coach Jim Roberts and his wife Sylvia were honored prior to the Bulldogs annual Night of Hoops in early February. From here on out, it will be appropriately referred to as the Jim and Sylvia Roberts Night of Hoops.

Top individual performance by a Tri-Cities opponent: Elgin senior guard Arie Williams showed why he was named Upstate Eight Conference River Division Most Valuable Player when he poured in 35 points on 12 of 14 shooting from the field – including 6 of 7 from beyond the 3-point arc – during the Maroons’ 70-67 win over St. Charles East.

I offer a special thank you to all of the Tri-Cities basketball coaches for their help and support throughout the season. I can’t wait for the 2013-14 season to begin.

You can reach Craig Brueske at csb4k@hotmail.com

Paul Michna/pmichna@dailyherald.com ¬ Tim Zettinger of St. Francis brings one to the net during the Wheaton Academy at St. Francis boys basketball game Friday.

Heres St. Charles Easts Laney Deckrow doing what she can do with the best hustling for a loose ball as she earned a spot on Craig Brueskes All-Floor Burn team, while on the right one of Craigs top 3-point shooters, Batavias Micah Coffey, fires a jumper. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com

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