Kane County Preps Basketball Podcast: Regional final Madness and More

Jake and Josh recap some high-quality regional finals: SCN-SCE, GEN-WWS, BC-SF and more. We also recap girls BB state.

Episode Transcript

(00:03):
Okay, Josh, it is asoggy Monday. Rain is continuously falling here
all day. Uh, and we'redoing our podcast here remote again this week
as we get set for another weekof boys basketball playoff action. First of
all, how was your weekend?And uh did you catch up on any
shows you're what'd you do for fun? Um? You know, yesterday I

(00:25):
kind of relaxed a little bit anduh watched a little cloud basketball. It's
kind of relaxed after you know,a really busy weekend with a lot of
basketball. So, um, youknow, not there yet. I'm actually
watched I started watching on Netflix thatshow The Pharmacist, which is kind of
an interesting, uh pretty deep,pretty heavy content there that I won't get

(00:46):
into. But um, for anybodythat hasn't isn't in Netflix and haven't watched
it, um got into that.Um you know now that they think about
it, I take that back.My wife and I watched a couple uh
comedy specials from John Mulleney. Idon't know if lawyer with his work ye,
so um, if anybody has Netflixor it's familiar, John Whene's work
was starting Night Live and has notwatched it, I highly recommended. He's

(01:10):
hilarious. So so that is myshow reviews. Brief show reviews for the
week before we start talking hoops.Well, I know you obviously had a
huge busy weekend. Um. Firstof all, team MVP to you.
You're driving to Illinois State, youcome back, you cover your game,
and then you go back for thethird place game. So yeah, I

(01:30):
wasn't it. The weekend kind ofmaterialized a little bit different than I thought
it was going to. I hadoriginally planned on spending my whole weekend down
in Normal, but then when Bennettgirls lost and got upset and things kind
of changed up a little bit,and kind of I was glad to see
a boys game on Friday night aswell, because that's that regional final Fridays

(01:53):
always really exciting. So um,I was really glad to see it.
But you know, a lot ofgood, a lot of get basketball before
we started talking about um, youknow, the boys side. The girls
Chafe championships were held this past weekend, and you know, I was covering
Montini for our other paper, SuburbanLife. Montini ended up taking third.

(02:14):
They lost to Simeon, which endedup winning their first state championship on the
girls side, So hats off tothem. A Nissa Morrow if anybody has
not seen Simeon or her play,She's a younger sister, a former boys
star ed Morrow, and she hasa fantastic player. She's a junior averages
about twenty seven points a game andjust just a tremendous player, you know.

(02:36):
And then in four A FREMD cameout and won their first state championship.
So congratulations to them. They've beenknocked on the door in recent years
and got really close in recent years, and and they finally got over the
hump and they beat Lincoln Way Westin an excellent four A championship game on
Saturday night. So congratulations to thoseteams. And so that kind of puts

(03:00):
a bow on the girls basketball season. Um, but I guess we should
probably start talking some boys soups.And got to start with those north Stars
winning that third Crosstown game last Fridayand a close one and winning their second
great regional title. Yeah, anexciting time for them obviously. You know,
obviously the big build up was,um, you know, can can

(03:23):
Saint Charles East get over that humpso to speak? We talked about in
earlier weeks It's really hard to beata team three times in the season,
but North was able to do that, um, you know, and take
command and really keep themselves, youknow, in the game out of follow
trouble for the most part. Andyou know at that point that Sat Saint
Charles each just kind of ran outof gas there. And I know that

(03:44):
Jerry was covered in that for us. So it was kind of exciting to
to follow a number of different Twitterfeeds during you know, you're watching your
game obviously and still kind of keepingtrack of things. So, uh,
yeah, Saint Charles North continuing tomake history, so to speak, and
they're looking to make more later.Absolutely. Um, it was a game
that if anybody's not familiar with mSaint Charles North jumped out to a really

(04:05):
big lead early in the game.I think it was double digit lead after
a quarter or so. Um,and then they went cold and Saint Charles
East gradually got into the lead.Saint Charles East I believe, led by
four at the end of three quarters, but then Saint Charles North comes through
in the fourth quarter. Big performanceby Max Love, whom coming back from

(04:26):
injury. It was the second gameback from injury and he had a big
performance for Saint Charles North and thatwas that's a big lift for them.
I mean we've talked about before,um linky. Everybody outside of the area
knows about him. Luke Scheffer's greatpoint guard. UM. But the other
guys that they kind of surround themcoming through and Max Love is certainly one

(04:46):
of them, and you've seen himplay this year. So really big for
Saint Charles North to get him back. Yeah, he um. You know,
the last time I saw him,I actually saw him get into that
the regional semi again South Augian,and it surprised me because I was going
to be under the impression that hewas done for the year with that elbow
injury, because when I last reallykind of saw him, you know,

(05:09):
play was way back kind of likein mid January when all that was happening.
So it was a little surprised,pleasantly surprised to see him get back
out in the courts. And youknow, as a sophomore, you know,
he was really carving out a nicerole for himself. Um, you
know when he was healthy. Sothen when that kind of interrupted things,
he kind of wondered, you know, if if they were able to kind
of fill that in um and theywere able to keep things studies certainly,

(05:31):
and him to come back in ahuge way. I think eight free throws
in that in that fourth quarter andhe got all of them. So,
you know, a huge spot fora sophomore to to put his team over,
you know, over the finish line, no doubt, no doubt.
So a big win for Saint CharlesNorth. Obviously a tip of the cap
to Saint Charles ZI say, hada great year and you know, maybe

(05:51):
in some for some people an unexpectedyear that they didn't know all they had
talent wise um, but certainly comesthrough and wins the share of the Ducant
Conference. So it's a great forthem. But Saint Charles North moves on
and you know, I know wegot some other games to talk about,
but but it's interesting. Saint CharlesNorth. I think they got a pretty
good shot and maybe you know,I definitely think they have a good chance

(06:14):
to get to Friday Sectional final andthen perhaps seeing Kerry Grove there. But
they're gonna play a Hanaiga team onWednesday night. That Hanaiga actually as a
losing record, but they upset thecal and then they upset Rockford East and
regionals, So so Saint Charles Northpotentially has a pretty good road to a
sectional final. Yeah. I mean, I won't pretend to know a whole

(06:35):
ton about Han and Ego off thetop of my head, but I do
think it's interesting. You mentioned,you know, that losing record, and
maybe in a sense it kind ofreminds me a little bit like North last
year, you know, where theywere just kind of consistent in a sub
five hundred records, five hundred record, they lose five straight going in into
the postseason, but then they justcatch a little bit of magic, and

(06:56):
I guess in a sense, Honey, Ega has that with the upsets that
they've been had. Thing I was, I was selfishly kind of looking forward
to see if Rockford East could pullthrough, especially if North one, because
obviously that would have been a sectionalsemifinal rematch right from from last year,
and just from a storytelling perspective,I think that would have been really neat.
Obviously, the basketball gods had hadother plans, so we'll see.

(07:19):
I think you're right. I thinkNorth does have a really good shot to
get into that sectional final. Certainly, they got to play the game first,
and as as Luke Sheffer's will tellyou over and over again, it's
just like any other game, andthey take it one game at a time.
Yeah, yeah, no doubt.I mean, and North is in
a different position than last year,where you know, it was such a
big achievement for them just to getthat regional title and to get into a

(07:42):
sectional, Whereas this year they camein with pretty high expectations and they've lived
up to those expectations. So they'relooking to take this as far as they
can. And boy, I gotthey got a chance to get to State.
Let's put it that way. Igive them. I think they have
a pretty good shot to get there. We'll see what happens this week.
Looking elsewhere, Geneva moves on andwins another regional title, beat Wheatonmorenville South

(08:05):
West Friday. Story in that gamekind of inside outside production. Nathan Valentine
hit five three pointers and scored nineteenpoints, and then Josh Preston scored fifteen
points inside um so there would tobeat Wheatonmorenville South you know, by double
digits. So so good for them, and they move on to that Addison
Trail Sectional, which I'll tell youwhat I know lake Park is a top

(08:28):
seed, but I think anybody hasa chance to win that sectional. I
think you're right. I mean,I've seen Lake Park a handful of times,
admittedly against Geneva, and both ofthose times Geneva plays them well,
you know, and you know,I, like you said, I think
that section was pretty well balanced,and yeah, you could see a number
of different scenarios, you know,coming out with there. I'll just real

(08:48):
quickly, you know, on thatGeneva Wheaton South, you know, regional
final. I'm not going to sayI'm surprised if then one a regional final,
but just considering all the talent thatthey lost from from the year before,
Proston really being the one guy withreturning varsity experience, and how quickly
the rest of this group kind ofcame together, Drew Johnson, dealing fu
Zack, you know, Nate Valentine, how quickly they were to kind of

(09:11):
come together and may perhaps do somethingthat I'm not really sure coming into the
year I expected regional finals. SoI think it says a lot about them
as well, and what coach Huntinghas done. Yeah, definitely tells you
a lot about the consistency of thatprogram that they can graduate all all the
talent that they had from last year'steam and still be it at nineteen and
ten season right now, winning aregional title and putting themselves in position to

(09:33):
make to perhaps go even beyond thatelsewhere in that sectional Batavia they played,
they got to a regional final.Ass Friday played the second Sea Glenbardist,
and boy, it sounded like itwas a doozy of a game. It
was a game that Glenbardis led,Batavia came back, game went to overtime,
Glenbardize comes out with a win.Glenbardis is the second seed. Batavia

(09:56):
they're there seven or the I thinkthey're the seventh seed, either a seven
or ten. It was a two. Glenbardis was a favorite in that game.
But boy, Jaden Johnson completed orcapped off a really good prep career.
He had twenty seven points in thatgame. But unfortunately dron Hall for
Glenbardis, who's a really good seniorguard. He scored forty one points and

(10:16):
he hit it three pointer with abouttwenty seconds left and overtime to win that
game. But it sounds like it'sa tremendous game on both sides. So
a tough loss for Batavia, buthave to feel pretty good about their performance
in their last game. Oh,certainly. And you know, in most
cases, when you get a performancelike that from Jaden, more times than
not, I feel like the Tavawill come out on the winning side,

(10:37):
you know, unfortunately from them forthem, obviously Hall had the performance that
he did. Yea and forty onepoints is pretty incredible, especially in a
playoff game like that big three pointer. U. So yeah, like you
said, hats off to Jaden foran incredible prep career, four year starter
for them, and more good thingsare happening for him. I suspect there

(10:58):
in the future, Joshua. It'sit's a little surprising. We haven't quite
got there unless we were going totransition over to it. But the game
that I was at, uh oh, yeah, we're getting to it.
Yep. It sounds a lot.You might have had the game of the
night though, I think uh youwere at Burnton Central to see Saint Francis
play Burnington Central. Um. Thatwas a game that came down to the
very end. Burnington Central perhaps favoredto win that game on their home court.

(11:22):
They led late, but Saint Franciscomes tell us more about that game.
Yeah, so Burlington Central for somecontext, obviously hosting on their home
floor. They've run regionals before andhave not yet cracked that sectional final humph.
And this could have been a reallygood year to do it. But
Saint Francis certainly had other ideas.You know, that was a game that
Uh, Burlington Central was up sixpoints with a minute to go. Uh,

(11:48):
they missed a couple of free throws, you know, maybe a turnover
slash loose ball, you know,goes goes the opposite way, and Saint
Francis got some huge production down thestratege. Danny Blankets year forward, gets
a huge three pointer, but Iwant to say, like fifteen seconds laughter,
So to pull it within one,Zack Schmidt for Burlington Central miss is

(12:09):
a free throw and then Sebastian Millertakes off the other direction, gets a
game ultimately game winning Larry up withabout five seconds left, and then Jake
Len's child, the Burlington Central senior, a guy that's averaged thirteen points a
game pretty much all season. Hisfinal shot attempts mid range jumper just kind
of rimmed in and out. Uh, and Saint Francis gets their second regional,

(12:31):
you know, dating back to eighteen, I think what was it eighth
overall for the program, so itwas it was definitely an upset. I
mean not only just from the seatingperspective, but the way that you know,
Burlington was up, you know,with a relatively decent lead, you
know, with a minute to goand you make some free throws. Perhaps
it's a different outcome, but theway that Saint Francis battle, I thought

(12:52):
that was huge. Down the stretch, it didn't look good. Eric Welch,
one of their seniors, one oftheir more consistent guys. Uh,
he followed out with about a minuteleft, and that's when I'm just like,
all right, well maybe time toput a ball on the season.
Nice season for Saint Francis, butuh yeah, huck of a game,
a lot of fun. Yeah,great, great win for Saint Francis.
Saint Francis now moves on to thethree A sectional at Rockford boiling They're gonna

(13:18):
be playing Waconda on Tuesday evening andthen boiling Um, the top seed,
will play Hampshire on Wednesday night.So, uh, that is going on
going on there, And that's kindof a recap of what happened last week
in the in the kind of ourlittle area. But I have to bring
this up just right outside because they'resort of in Kane County. Really,

(13:39):
Um, the goings on with EastAurora and wester h tremendous week for those
two schools. Uh. Easter AAwas the ninth seed in their sectional.
UM. They did have a goodyear and they're that nineteen wins or so.
UM. But I saw their gameon Wednesday night. It was a
game that went down to the wireat Oswego East on Swego's home floor,

(14:00):
and uh, and they knocked himoff as easter Or got to win there.
And then then Friday night pulled offone of the biggest upsets in the
state, beating Bowling Brook, thesecond seed in that sectional. UM.
That was easter Or's first regional titlesince two thousand and eleven. That was
two thousand eleven was Ryan Bowtright senioryear. Ryan Boatwright went on to win
a national title at Yukon Um.But easter Or has really been kind of

(14:24):
been down for the last several years. But this is the best year that
they've had since then. And uh, you know, hats off to them
on a great week They're a teamthat they are not a big team.
I mean, they have two startersthat are taller than six foot one,
so, but they pressed teams,may shoot threes, force allotted turnovers,
get steals and stuff like that.So a big week for them and a

(14:48):
big week on the opposite side oftown. West Aura a team that you
know, I saw him earlier inthe year. They got off to a
really rough start. They were likeone in seven or something in that point.
I think their regular season ended upbeing nine to nineteen. But then
they get the regional on their homecourt and they upset the Wabonzi Valley is
a three seed in the sectional,in a big upset in a regional semi

(15:09):
and then they beat Plainfield Central ina regional final in West Aurora. A
fourteen seed wins a regional, whichis there. I think they're they're the
lowest remaining seed left in the stateis a fourteen seed. So now it'll
be West Aura East Aurora on Wednesdaynight at Lockport playing in the sectional game.

(15:30):
Um, I think, if I'mnot mistaken, it's the two hundred
twenty ninth meeting in the history ofthat rivalry. But it'll be the first
time they played in sectionals in twentyyears. So a lot of excitement going
on there. It's a lot ofhistory too, you know. I love
that. Yeah, a little bitof history. Wow, Yeah, a
little bit of the thing there.I think those schools no, no,

(15:50):
something about each other. Maybe not, I don't know, but no,
that's that's an exciting thing from youknow. You know again, I know
it's a little bit outside of thecoverage area, but you know, just
in terms of the city of Aurora, I gotta imagine that's a huge thing
for them and kind of the prideof the town and everything else, which
is pretty exciting. Yeah, it'll, it'll, it'll be really exciting.
And what makes it it's exciting thatthey're playing this deep in a playoffs because

(16:14):
it doesn't happen very often, andit makes it even more exciting because it's
just unexpected. I mean, Idon't think anybody expected one of those teams
to get to this point, letalone both of them to get there.
So HUM really look forward to seeingwhat happens there on Wednesday night that's at
Lockport. But so so that kindof recaps last week, but we got

(16:34):
some big stuff going on this week, we have Saint Charles North playing in
Rockford. We had Geneva playing atAbiston Trail, Saint Francis, excuse me,
Saint Charles Pazete mckenry, I shouldsay Saint Francis is in Rockford.
But uh, you know, abig week of basketball. I'm gonna be
at Lyons Township tomorrow night on Tuesdayto see Morton, who got a big

(16:55):
regional championship over York. They're gonnabe playing Curry, who's the number one
team in the Stay, so kindof a test there for that team.
But basketball season definitely not over yet. And then for our purposes too and
for our Kinge County listeners, andthis will go for Kendall as well in
terms of players of the year forgirls and boys basketball, that'll be kind
of rolling out over the next coupleof weeks. Here. We still got

(17:18):
some decisions that Josh and I haveto talk about, but make sure you're
looking for that in the in thecoming weeks for both of those all areas
as well. Exactly. Girls basketballwill be out, you know, for
Kane County next week and then boysbasketball will be following. So a lot
of good stuff going on awesome.Well, Josh, anything else we need

(17:38):
to touch on before we wrapped upthis podcast. No, no, just
looking forward to another great week ofbasketball things kind of kind of wind down
to heat up at the same time. All right, real quickly, for
our listeners, make sure you're followingall of our social media at Jake Bartleson
at j WELG ninety six Kane CountyPreps. Also, make sure you're signed
up for our free again. We'regonna We're gonna say this again. It's

(18:00):
free for Kane and Kendall County newspapers. We have a newsletter that we put
in your email inbox every Monday.Um, Josh, what what did you
end up doing just for this pastone that dropped on Monday? Yeah,
you know, for Kennel County.I did a feature on Anthony Martinez,
who played for Plano about three yearsago. He was a senior on a
really good team. He now playsfor Milwaukee Area Technical College, which is

(18:25):
the number one ranked junior college teamin the nation of thirty one and one
and they just advanced to the nationaltournament. That's gonna be I think next
week or the week after in Danville. So I got a chance to catch
up with him. Uh. LikeI said, he played for a team
that won a regional title and seta program record for wins a few years
ago. But obviously doing some greatthings at the collegiate level. And you

(18:47):
had a nice feature on the swimmerI think from Saint Charles North, right.
Yeah, Angelina Messina is her name. She's a sophomore at Saint Charles
North. I saw on Twitter nottoo long ago that she got selected to
go to the USA Swimming National DiversityCamp. UM. So she's actually going
to be headed out to Colorado Springsuh and be able to go to this

(19:08):
camp the first weekend in May toparticipate in that. It's really prestigious,
Only forty eight athletes across the countryUM get invited, twenty four males,
twenty four females. And she getsto be a part of that. And
so I kind of get to learna little bit about her her background um
as her mother is from the countryof Laos, which is near Thailand.

(19:30):
UM. And you know, justkind of how she got involved in swimming.
It's pretty neats. And we alsodo some Q and A UH and
power rankings as well for bolt andso for the Q and A talked to
Druids Waga Batavia Baseball getting ready forbefore we now it. It's gonna be
yea, it's gonna be thirty fiveand windy, but we're gonna be covering
baseball, so it'd be fun.Yep, yep. So definitely it's signed

(19:52):
up for that again, free freenewsletter that comes out every Monday, and
can and Kennel County as well.So Jake, I think that does is
it right? Yes? Sir,all right, that'll do it. Thanks
so much for everybody listening.