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Geneva-St. Charles East lives up to the hype

It didn't matter if you were on the winning or losing side of the Class 4A Geneva regional championship game Friday night.

One thing both teams couldn't stop gushing about was the atmosphere at Geneva's Contest Gym, overflowing with fans watching from the track above the court for the first time anyone could remember.

That's what happens with a game both teams have been pointing to basically since they found out they were grouped in the same regional. The excitement and anticipation only built with each win the teams rattled off during the regular season that saw them take a combined 50-6 record into the regional final with 2 of those losses coming to the other.

"It was nuts," Geneva senior guard Pace Temple said. "Football we have some big crowds but being inside, being in a gym, it just amplifies it all. It's incredible."

"Throughout my high school career I always appreciated the fans and that was just awesome," St. Charles East senior Cole Gentry said. "It's something I'll remember forever. It's not every day you get to play in front of people who want you to succeed like that."

"Great environment," St. Charles East coach Patrick Woods said. "I thought it was more a sectional environment."

Fitting since the caliber of play in Geneva's 73-70 win certainly was sectional worthy.

St. Charles East finished the season 24-4, one win shy of the school record 25 wins set in 1977-78.

"We had a great group of kids," Woods said. "They play together. They are so unselfish. There are so many good things this group did.

"Whether it is assists per game or 3s we hit, the ability to move the basketball and the buy-in defensively, this team just did a lot of things really well across the board. (Backup point guard) Jeremy (Champine) would be a starter on 9 of 10 other teams. That much talent was a good problem to have. We utilized it well. The kids were unselfish and that's probably the most important key to our success."

Geneva's only better season was 30-3 in 1962-63. Now 27-3, the Vikings aim to get closer when they play 23-8 Rockford Jefferson Wednesday night in the Class 4A DeKalb sectional.

"Fantastic, just fantastic. Geneva put up 73 points? Most think of us as a 30-point team," smiled Temple, who accounted for 14 of them including 9 in the first quarter as he made his first four shots.

Only Nate Navigato scored more for Geneva, 27 of his 31 coming in the second half.

"I knew they were going to try to take Nate out of the game and I thought if I came out aggressive and help a little bit, open him up, open some other guys up," Temple said.

Temple and coach Phil Ralston both credited assistant Scott Hennig with a scout for the game that ended up being a key to Geneva winning.

"Id like to give a shout-out to Scott," Ralston said. "He wanted this scout. He always tells me it is my barbecue. Tonight he brought the ribs and he brought the barbecue sauce and it sure tasted good."

Temple returned in January from a knee injury suffered in the Geneva football team's playoff loss to Cary-Grove.

On the first play of the second half Temple banged knees and appeared to be moving gingerly for a few minutes afterward, yet played through it and said the thought of coming out never crossed his mind.

"It's good, it moves a little bit but it doesn't matter," Temple said. "This atmosphere, these guys, you have to push through. We got it done, that's all that matters. It was hurting a little, had a checkup, (doctor said) bone bruise is affecting the injury but I'm going to push through. I'm not looking to be watching another game."

Navigato was similarly defiant about a pair of missed free throws in the final 20 seconds. It had to be the only thing the Buffalo recruit did that wasn't perfect in a second half that saw him make his final 8 shots from the field.

Navigato went to the line with a 71-68 lead and 13.3 seconds left. He split the free throws for a 4-point lead.

After Gentry scored to make it a 72-70 game, Navigato again was fouled at :4.3 and again split, giving the Saints one final chance for a tie that rimmed off at the buzzer.

"I missed a couple, shame on me. If that situation comes again I know I'll make them," said Navigato, who likened the atmosphere Friday to the two sectional games Geneva played last year at East Aurora.

"Honestly I thought the atmosphere was even crazier tonight especially on our home court. I loved every second of it."

Gentry finished his career with 23 points.

"When we get over the initial sting of it, we know these guys are going to be our brothers forever," Gentry said. "We have a lot to hold our head high. It (the comeback) says something about our character. We never gave up, we never doubted each other. If one of us made a bad play we were there encouraging. That says a lot. Not just as basketball players but as people. They are people you want to be around."

Gentry now turns his attention to deciding his college future with visits lined up to Furman, University of Maryland-Baltimore County and possibly South Dakota State.

Not that he needs a reference, but if Gentry is looking for one he can find a glowing endorsement from Temple. In addition to his legions of fans in Orange and Black, he's got one big supporter who was wearing White and Blue Friday.

"He's the best point guard I've ever played against," Temple said. "I've been trying to guard him, emphasis on trying, since fifth grade. He can score at will but the way he breaks people down, gets in the paint, some school has to take a shot at the next level. I have no doubt in my mind (he can play there)."

If Geneva gets past Jefferson Wednesday, the Vikings will play in their second straight sectional championship game Friday night against either Larkin, who denied Geneva the outright UEC River title, or state-ranked Rockford Auburn, who beat Neuqua Valley by 20 among its impressive wins this year. Last year Benet beat Geneva for the title at East Aurora.

Whatever happens, Friday's night's regional final will be one remembered for a long, long time - not just by the players who played and coaches who coached in it but all the fans who came out to watch.

"St. Charles East, that's the best team we've played," Temple said. "To go up against them three times in a year is an honor."

Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.comImages from the Geneva vs. St. Charles East Class 4A Geneva regional final boys basketball game on Friday, Mar. 6 in Geneva.
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