Boys basketball: March 2008 Archives

By Patrick Mooney and Brad Engel

Drew Crawford made the leap this season for Naperville Central, from a sophomore finding his way into a junior carrying his team. Crawford increased his productivity across the board. Look at these splits between 2006-07 and 2007-08:

Naperville Central and Wheaton North were linked throughout the winter, and after sharing the DuPage Valley Conference title, it only makes sense that its leaders would split the postseason awards.

Central junior guard Drew Crawford and Wheaton North senior forward John Bagge were named the DVC's co-players of the year. Central's Pete Kramer and Wheaton North's Jim Nazos were recognized as co-coaches of the year.

Full list after the jump...

By Brad Nolan

Even though their season ended 1 win short of the boys basketball 4A state semifinals, the Neuqua Valley Wildcats enjoyed a memorable end to the season.

Todd Sutton and his players deserve recognition for overtaking rival Waubonsie Valley to win the Upstate Eight - of course, the Warriors' late-season struggles helped - as well as securing the program's first sectional championship and Elite Eight berth.
Congrats!

By D.J. Wanberg

Neuqua Valley has the chance to break a rare and long drought in Naperville high school athletics on Tuesday night when it takes on Richards in the Chicago State University Super-Sectional.

By Brad Engel

When Wildcats coach Todd Sutton said Friday's sectional championship is for everyone who's ever come through the program during the past 10 years, he's not kidding.

Neuqua had lost three title games without ever winning one before beating Bartlett 69-53 Friday at East Aurora. During the sectional finals, the Wildcats have lost 70-63 to West Aurora in 2001, 61-58 to Lockport in 2006 and 57-51 to Lockport in 2007.

By Patrick Mooney

At the end of January, Neuqua Valley - for all its depth and versatility - was a puzzling team that too often could not finish games in the fourth quarter.

Before the Wildcats recovered to win the UEC title, the Willowbrook Regional and a gritty game against rival Waubonsie Valley on Wednesday night, here’s what Neuqua coach Todd Sutton had to say after a 52-50 overtime loss to Oswego East on Jan. 29:

By Patrick Mooney

Right up to the final two minutes of the Naperville North Regional final, this fit the profile of a tense Redhawk victory.

Naperville Central had led for nearly all of Friday night, and appeared ready to end Glenbard West’s surprising run through this bracket and advance to the East Aurora Sectional semifinal.

Then Central, a team that defined itself by how it played in pressure situations, unraveled in what became a 40-36 loss.