OPRF boys basketball wins Silver Division title

Team holds York to just 35 points

Wednesday, February 15th, 2012 10:26 AM

Updated: Tuesday, February 21st, 2012 11:00 AM

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OPRF's Gabe Levin, seen here in a game earlier this season, helped the Huskies secure their first Silver Division title since 2008 with a win over York on Tuesday night.
J. Geil/Photo Editor

By Brad Spencer

Sports Editor

How do you bring your opponent's 13-game win-streak to a screeching halt and win the West Suburban (Silver) Conference title on their home court?

Go ahead and Google it, but the answer is simple: You force 17 turnovers in the first half, hold their best player to 5-of-17 shooting, while your team shoots 54 percent from the field. Oh, and you throw a little Gabe Levin at them.

That's what the OPRF boys basketball team did last week in Elmhurst as the Huskies crushed York 57-35 to win the conference title outright for the first time since 2008. The 6-foot-7 Levin tallied his second straight double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds. The senior forward, who is mulling over several college offers, including one from Loyola, connected on 8-of-9 field goals.

"Gabe has the potential to be an unbelievable Division I player," said OPRF head coach Matt Maloney. "He has been dominant as of late. He has asserted himself and has taken his game to a high level."

The Huskies jumped off to a 13-5 lead in the opening quarter and held a 16-point advantage by the break. The Dukes (18-8, 7-4) mustered a brief surge in the third by outscoring OPRF 17-13, but the unyielding defense of Jakari Cammon and Alex Gustafson made for a frustrating night for Cohn, who ended up with 14 points in the game. Last month, the junior guard scored a whopping 47 points in York's 75-64 win over Hinsdale Central.

"Alex (Gustafson) and Jakari (Cammon) were our MVP's [of the game]," said Maloney. "They sacrificed so much for the good of the whole. Their energy and effort were contagious."

Meanwhile, the Huskies' offense gelled. Along with the impressive play of Levin, Alex Nesnidal and Ka'Darryl Bell finished in double digit scoring. Nesnidal hit 5-of-7 field goals, including 3-of-5 three-pointers for 13 points. The Bradley-bound Bell added 11 points, while Cammon chipped in six points to go along with eight steals and four assists.

On Friday, the Huskies edged Glenbard West 59-56 behind Levin's 19 points and Nesdinal's 18. They close out the regular season at Proviso East tonight (Feb. 22) for the Silver-Gold Division championship.

OPRF (18-5, 10-2) is the No. 2 seed in the Class 4A Schaumburg Sectional. The team will open the state playoffs against either 13th-seed Lyons or 18th-seed West Chicago on Tuesday, Feb. 28 (7:30 p.m.) in the Lyons Regional. The winner will play either Leyden or Morton in the regional championship on Friday, March 2 (7:30 p.m.).

The Huskies are 1-1 against Lyons this season.

"Unfortunately, with the new format for regionals with pre-determined hosts we will play at LT even though we are the No. 2 seed and they are the 13th seed," said Maloney. "We know that LT will be tough at home."