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Plenty of pleasant surprises in opening week

We are off and running ...

The high school boys basketball season kicked off last week and provided plenty of entertainment for local fans.

An exciting opening should equal an interesting season ahead.

Here are some random thoughts:

• If I didn't have a media pass, I'd pay to watch St. Charles East's Cole Gentry play.

Gentry, a 5-11 senior guard, scored 97 points in 4 games during last week's 56th annual Ron Johnson Thanksgiving Tournament in St. Charles.

After pouring a game-high 30 points in the Saints' season debut victory over East Aurora, Gentry more than held his own with 23 points against St. Joseph Division 1 backcourt recruits Glynn Watson (Nebraska) and Jordan Ash (Northwestern) last Friday.

Called a "human press breaker" by Saints coach Patrick Woods, Gentry was nothing short of magnificent throughout the week as he weaved his way through opposing defenses, attacked the basket and got to the free-throw line with regularity.

Division 1 schools are dropping the ball if they don't start recognizing his talent.

• While Gentry runs the show, St. Charles East appears to have a little bit of everything.

"We have nice pieces that complement each other," said Woods. "We've got a guard that can get to the basket (Gentry). We've got 2 shooters like (Jake) Asquini and (Jake) Clodi, and then you throw in Vyz (Mick Vyzral), who can go inside and outside. And we've got (Jack) Bronec inside. We've got multiple points of attack. I think we're hard to guard if we're playing well."

• The Saints were without the services of junior starter James McQuillan last Saturday against St. Charles North. McQuillan suffered a concussion in the first half of the Saints' loss to St. Joseph Friday night. He will follow IHSA concussion protocol and is questionable for this weekend's games against Larkin and St. Charles North.

• Geneva will be tough to beat in the Upstate Eight Conference River Division this season.

Led by all-tournament selections Nate Navigato and Bennett Fuzak, the Vikings are off to a 4-0 start after capturing the Crystal Lake Central Thanksgiving Tournament title.

Navigato, a 6-7 senior and Buffalo commit, scored 83 points in the tourney, highlighted by his 31-point performance in the 63-26 season opener against Huntley.

Playing without injured seniors Pace Temple and Mike Landi, coach Phil Ralston's Vikings clinched the title with a 64-31 win over previously unbeaten Crystal Lake Central last Saturday.

"That team is special," Tigers coach Rich Czeslawski said of Geneva. "They've got everything."

Fresh from a 25-6 season that included a Class 4A sectional finals berth, the Vikings will face 2 of their first 3 UEC River foes on the road - including Saturday's game at Batavia.

• The surprise of the early season could be Batavia (4-0), which is already halfway to last year's win total (8).

Led by MVP Chasen Peez and all-tournament guard Danny Pieczynski, the Bulldogs captured their own Ken Peddy Windmill City Classic championship for the first time since 2009.

Starters Canaan Coffey and Jacob Roberts helped provide a positive attitude for the Bulldogs, who edged St. Francis 56-55 for its signature win last Friday.

"I think it's a reflection of how we've practiced," said Batavia coach Jim Nazos.

"I think this is the first year since I've been on varsity where we mesh as a team," said Peez, who hit the game-winning free throws with 14 seconds left against St. Francis. "We've got a real deep bench, too."

Batavia received a lift from reserves Carter Eberhardt, John Fitch, Eddie Golden, Brett Bowman and Kamontez Taylor, thrust into the starting lineup last Saturday after senior Tyler Lovestrand suffered a fractured wrist the night before against St. Francis.

• St. Charles North coach Tom Poulin didn't want to put too much emphasis on his team's 21-point loss to St. Charles East last Saturday.

For good reason.

The two teams square off again in Round 2 Saturday night in the same venue at St. Charles East.

"We'll see what happens," said Poulin.

The rivals could face each other 4 times by season's end.

• Without a starter taller than 6-3, the North Stars (2-2) lost the rebounding battle, 39-24, to the Saints last Saturday.

"If we can't box somebody out, back somebody up or deny the ball in the post, we'll be in trouble because we have no size," said Poulin. "That's a battle we're going to fight all season."

• All-tournament guard Jake Ludwig and versatile senior teammate Jack Callaghan accounted for more than 59 percent of the North Stars' scoring during their 4 tournament games (122 of 206 total points). St. Charles North got off to a promising start with a 58-50 win over Plainfield East and Illinois-bound guard Aaron Jordan before dropping a 59-50 decision to Metea Valley.

"This tournament puts a spotlight on what you need to get better at," said Poulin. "It doesn't define who you are. We'll be better because of these four games."

• St. Charles North's home game against Geneva, originally scheduled for Friday night, shifted to Feb. 17 due to the North Stars' rare Sunday afternoon contest at the Ridgewood Shootout.

• Kaneland (1-3) began its season with a 66-42 win over Chicago Marine Charter before finishing with 3 consecutive losses in the Ken Peddy Windmill City Classic at Batavia.

With the graduation departure of veterans Drew David, John Pruett and Tyler Carlson, the Knights suffered through some growing pains last weekend.

"We're young," said Knights coach Brian Johnson, whose team returns Ryan David, Connor Fedderly and Dylan Vaca. "We've got to learn what varsity defense is like. We've got a lot of work to do."

You can reach Craig Brueske at csb4k@hotmail.com

John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.comGeneva's Jake Rocks gets position for the rebound against Huntley's Connor Boesch Monday at the Crystal Lake Central Thanksgiving tournament.
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