Eerie isn’t a word normally associated with boys basketball.
Yet that’s how Montini coach Daryl Thomas felt last season debuting against his former high school coach, St. Joseph’s legendary Gene Pingatore.
“It was an eerie feeling, being at a place you call home and then being on the other bench,” said Thomas, a 1983 McDonald’s All-America for Pingatore who later helped Indiana win the 1987 NCAA championship.
“It was like going against your dad, and you always want to see your family do well yet at the same time you want to beat them,” Thomas said.
Last season Thomas and the Broncos lost 73-50 at St. Joseph, which went on to finish fourth in Class 3A. This Friday Montini (9-11, 1-7 Chicago Catholic League North entering Wednesday’s game at Morton) will be on more even footing against a Chargers squad coming into Lombard 10-10, 4-4 in the CCL North.
“It’s a different feeling this year because last year there were so many unknowns with our team as far as personnel — we were very young, it was rebuilding,” Thomas said.
“So now this year, although we’re still in a rebuilding phase we’re a little bit more competitive, better players. We’re a year older, a little bit more mature, so there’s that dynamic.”
The Broncos also are a little banged up. Sophomore guard RayJ Dennis, the team’s second-leading scorer, may still miss a couple more weeks after he slipped on ice in mid-January and sprained a knee ligament. A flu bug hit leading scorer Jayston Williams and key reserves Michael Orr, Darrell Ramsey and Ben Steiner.
Despite improved play by another sophomore guard, Anthony Thompson, Montini has lost seven straight games. Win or lose, after Friday’s game Thomas can commiserate with his former coach, the state’s all-time wins leader with 997. Over 48 seasons Pingatore has seen it all.
“He’s been a really, really good person as far as when I need some help or advice he’s always been there, and I really respect everything he tells me,” Thomas said.
When Addison Trail’s Breydon Hargrove became eligible during the Blazers’ holiday tournament at Centralia, the lineup instantly looked rejuvenated.
The 6-foot-2 senior brought dynamic athleticism to the point guard spot, and his ability to go hard to the basket created offensive options the Blazers hadn’t enjoyed in the early part of the season.
Hargrove’s addition also boosted the Blazers’ ball-handling and distribution options.
“It’s a different dimension,” said Addison Trail coach Brendan Lyons. “He takes pride in his defense. He can create on offense. It’s taken the ball out of (Jack Kalbas’) hands, which has been nice because he’s not laboring at both ends of the floor. It’s nice to have two guys you have confidence in bringing the ball up the court.”
Hargrove still showed plenty of energy at the end of back-to-back games last weekend. In Saturday’s loss to Willowbrook, he scored 11 of his game-high 18 points in the fourth quarter. He was the only Addison Trail player to get to the free-throw line, making 10 of 14 attempts.
“Of all of our guys, he was the guy who really wasn’t tired and gave us some energy,” Lyons said. “We just couldn’t get five guys on the court to play that way consistently.”
In 13 games this season Hargrove is averaging 11.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.7 steals.
“He’s coming along and he’s getting some confidence,” Lyons Youwin said. “He definitely has some ability.”
Neuqua Valley’s Blaise Meredith is playing out of position at point guard. Otherwise he’s in all the right spots.
“He’s just a leader,” Wildcats coach Todd Sutton said of the 6-foot-2 senior, a preferred two-guard. “He’s our best player. He leads us in scoring and he’s our best defender, our hardest worker.”
Meredith has made 59 3-pointers on solid 38 percent shooting from the arc, for a team-high 15.4 points a game. As exciting as hitting 3-pointers can be — like Meredith’s that sent Neuqua into overtime against Wheaton North on Jan. 13 — taking offensive charges can rally a team.
That’s a Meredith specialty, part of what Sutton feels makes Meredith one of the program’s all-time best defenders.
Last season Meredith took 6 charges alone in a game against Lake Park, and so far this season he leads the Wildcats with 9.
“You can just tell he’s having a great game and that’s without scoring at all. He’s doing other things, and scoring’s just a bonus,” Sutton said.
Neuqua Valley (11-12, 4-7 DuPage Valley Conference) isn’t enjoying a season befitting a program that’s won nine conference titles, eight regional championships and two sectionals, but Sutton said Meredith is giving his all.
“We’re not doing a lot of winning,” the coach said, “but he’s doing everything possible to win.”
York entered the season with four sophomores ready to make an impact but quickly lost Mike Pedote to a season-ending injury.
Another injury has caused the Dukes to lose a sophomore for the rest of the season. Nick Kosich, who saw significant varsity time as a freshman, joins Pedote as an integral player hoping to rejoin the team in the off-season this summer.
“It’s disappointing, but we know they’re always around, and they’re at practice learning,” said Dukes coach Vince Doran. “Certainly a setback, but it also gives other guys opportunities to play, and they’ve stepped up.”
Fellow sophomores Erik Cohn and Sam Walsh remain in the starting lineup while John Milling, brought up from the sophomore team, is coming off the bench. Milling was a contributor in the Dukes’ West Suburban Silver victory last week over Glenbard West.
The Dukes only have three seniors on the roster in Jordan Gray, Nick Trapani and Mark McGovern. Regardless of injuries and who is on the court, it’ll remain a young lineup.
“We’re still young without those guys,” Doran said. “They’re still learning. There’s a high ceiling with our team, and we’re just trying to get better for the playoffs. Just keep using these games as experience to get better.”
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