The best 'When Sides Collide' yet?

Glenbard East coach Scott Miller believes the program's fifth "When Sides Collide" boys basketball exhibition may top them all.

"This probably has the best matchups we've ever had across the board. We're expecting a full house on Saturday," he said.

Adding a fourth game this year, the lineup starts with Champaign Central against Kenwood at 2:30 p.m. Next is a "rivalry game" of Fenwick against Riverside-Brookfield at 4 p.m., Evanston-Whitney Young at 5:45 and Glenbard East versus Bradley-Bourbonnais at 7:15.

Admission is $8 at the door, $5 for seniors and students with identification. Admission is good for all games.

Headed by Kenwood, now No. 2 in this week's Associated Press Class 4A poll, Evanston, Fenwick and Riverside-Brookfield all are among the AP's top 10 in 3A or 4A with Young just off the list. On Monday, Fenwick defeated Simeon, No. 1 in last week's 4A poll.

Miller's cousin is Joe Henricksen, writer of the City/Suburban Hoops Report, who the coach said helps coordinate the matchups.

"He's done a fantastic job with that," Miller said. Helping to confirm that is Comcast broadcasting the last three contests among its "Games of the Week."

Miller's Rams (11-8) come off a consolation title bid at Wheaton Warrenville South's Martin Luther King Tournament. Before Saturday's shootout they look to maintain their first-place standing in the Upstate Eight Conference Valley Division on Friday against East Aurora.

"I was proud of our guys overall and I think we got better this weekend, which is what we wanted," Miller said.

Fork in the road:

As Glenbard North quickly fell behind to Downers Grove North on Saturday, the Panthers could have drifted one of two ways.

They could have packed it in and taken a loss, or they could regroup and work the rest of the game for a victory. Glenbard North chose the latter in a 53-50 road win over the Trojans.

"That could have blown into a big lead for them," said Panthers coach Joe Larson. "Defensively, our effort was there all night, and that really kept us in the ballgame early."

While Glenbard North still has work to do to recover from its 5-10 start, Saturday's win showed the potential. When the Panthers are playing solid defense and minimizing turnovers, they look like a team capable of competing with anyone in the DuPage Valley Conference ... the kind of team that dropped a tough 44-42 decision to Naperville North and suffered four other losses by 5 points or fewer.

And when Nick LaVere and Myles Moore shoot like they did on Saturday, combining for eight 3-pointers, the results speak for themselves.

Glenbard North has a chance to fully turn things around with 10 straight DVC games to close the regular season.

"You've got to make plays, you've got to dig deep and you've got to finish," Larson said. "We didn't capitalize finishing on a couple ballgames where we felt we had a chance to win, and I think those played a part in the desire to get it done (Saturday)."

Sluggish Saturday:

Maybe it had something to do with taking a rare Friday night off. Or maybe it was a Saturday game at the odd starting time of 2:30 p.m.

Whatever the case, Wheaton North coach Dave Brackmann believed his team played way too sluggish in a 45-42 loss to Hinsdale Central. A 16-2 third-quarter run by the Red Devils inflicted damage that lasted to the final buzzer.

A late rally fell short.

"All of a sudden we play like our hair's on fire and we get back in it," Brackmann said. "Usually it's going to be too little, too late against a team like that."

Since starting the season 8-1 the Falcons haven't been able to string together two straight wins - something they hope to achieve this weekend with road games against Naperville Central and Waubonsie Valley. In fact since the midway point of the Jack Tosh Holiday Classic they've alternated wins and losses.

Consistency is the obvious goal beginning this weekend.

"We're a team that needs to do the little things to win," Brackmann said. "We don't have a bunch of super-athletic D-I type kids. We've got a team that plays hard and plays together, but we have to do the little things to win. We did that for part of the game but not the whole game."

Escape to New York:

Wheaton Academy often chooses a pastoral setting for the team's annual Winterim trip. This year, though, it was the Big Apple.

"There was so much fun stuff that happened," said Warriors first-year coach David Osborn.

The centerpiece was a 48-36 victory over the Stony Brook School in Long Island, handing the host its first loss of the season last Friday. Across the street was Stony Brook University, for a tour and address by the men's coach, Steve Pikiell.

Other highlights during the five-day whirlwind trip were a New York Knicks-Brooklyn Nets game, a hotel stay a block off Times Square, a jog through Central Park, a performance of "Stomp" and a boat tour to view the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

During a visit to the Sept. 11 memorial they found the name of Todd Beamer, the former Wheaton Academy student who became famous posthumously for his part in overthrowing terrorists' efforts to crash hijacked United Airlines Flight 93 into the U.S. Capitol.

Less solemn highlights included an Empire State Building tour confirming that sophomore guard J.D. Gunn has serious acrophobia, and junior forward Tommy Blum was the top bowler at 171.

"It's a great opportunity for the team and the program to spend that much time with one another," Osborn said.

Old rivals:

St. Francis and Aurora Christian are slated for the "Rivals Game" at 6 p.m. Saturday to kick off the 19th High School Hoops Showdown at the great gym at Hinsdale Central. Rivals as in their former affiliation in the Suburban Christian Conference.

"It's exciting," said Spartans first-year coach Erin Dwyer. "It's all new to me, but it's exciting because we get a chance to play right before Morgan Park and St. Joseph" at 8 p.m.

Dwyer is also excited because the Spartans (6-10) are getting more contributions off the bench by 6-foot-5, 250-pound Shane Walker to assist seniors such as top scorer Gabe Johnson. Also, Dwyer is adjusting to his players and vice versa.

A big reason St. Francis was chosen for the Hoops Showdown is a highly energized student cheering section. Hinsdale Central will give them somewhat of a playoff preview.

"When you get into regionals and sectionals, unless you're hosting you're playing in someone else's gym," Dwyer said.