The Fenwick High School boys basketball team went 2-2 on June 17-18 at the 20th Annual Riverside-Brookfield Summer Shootout.
Coach David Fergerson, filling in for Tony Young, was satisfied with how the Friars played.
“I thought it was pretty good,” he said. “The guys fought hard and played good defense. We’re young, and we’ve got to keep building, but overall I’m pleased with the direction we’re heading in.”
Fenwick won its opening game 52-49 on June 17 over Lake Forest. Rising junior Ty Macariola led the Friars with 13 points, while incoming freshman Jake Thies added 10 points, rising junior Kam Hogan nine and rising junior Machi Nelson eight.
In the nightcap against Hinsdale South, Nelson had a team-high 15 points, rising junior Makai Mandley and Thies nine each, rising junior Caleb Burgins eight and Hogan seven. But it wasn’t enough as the Friars fell to the Hornets 63-57.
Fenwick’s Kam Hogan (center) gets fouled trying to split the Michele Clark defense during the Friars’ 45-40 win at the Riverside-Brookfield Summer Shootout on June 18 in Riverside. | Steve Johnston 
Incoming Fenwick freshman Jake Thies (left) drives to the basket past Michele Clark’s Kashawan Smith during the RBHS Summer Shootout. | Steve Johnston 
Fenwick’s Dominick Ducree (0) works up court against Michele Clark’s Geremy Jones (3) during the R-B Summer Shootout Sunday, June 18, 2023 in Riverside. | Steve Johnston 
Fenwick’s Garrett McNally (45) drives to the basket against Michele Clark during the R-B Summer Shootout Sunday, June 18, 2023 in Riverside. | Steve Johnston
Fenwick repeated the pattern the following day. The Friars defeated Clark 45-40 in the opener as Nelson scored a team-high 12 points and rising junior Dominick Ducree added 11.
Then in its second game, Fenwick was in a back-and-forth affair with Chicago Catholic League rival Brother Rice. Despite having four players score in double figures (Ducree 16, Burgins 11, Hogan and Thies 10 apiece), the Friars were edged out by the Crusaders 59-57.
“I thought we performed pretty well,” Macariola said. “We have to get better on defense, and that’s what we need to focus on in practice. We also need to get better with our rebounding and boxing out.”
Fergerson was especially impressed with how the newcomers, Nelson and Thies, fared in their first taste of facing high-caliber competition.
“Jake is big-time. He’s going to be a really big piece to what we’ve got going on,” he said. “So will Machi.”
On the downside, Fenwick saw three players transfer from last year’s 21-13 team, which fell in the Class 3A sectional finals to St. Ignatius. Rising senior Darshan Thomas will be at Marist next season, rising junior J.T. Pettigrew at Bolingbrook and rising junior Zion Young at Schaumburg.
The Friars also played without rising junior Nate Marshall, who was away on a football recruiting visit to the University of Alabama. In addition, Macariola was in street clothes on June 18 after suffering an injury the previous day.
“We’ve got some good pieces,” Fergerson said. “We’re trying to change the culture and get guys to play the right way. When we get our full team back, we’ll be OK. I’m not disappointed at all.”
Macariola believes the experience of the returning players will greatly help the newcomers.
“We try to help the younger kids,” he said. “We know we have to take charge of the team.”
Fenwick, along with Oak Park and River Forest High School, will participate in the Romeoville Shootout on June 23-25 at the Romeoville Athletic and Event Center.
OPRF’S KOCH named All-American
Oak Park and River Forest High School lacrosse player Grace Koch, who graduated earlier this month, has been named to the USA Lacrosse All-American team.
A U.S. Naval Academy recruit, she tallied 60 goals and 36 assists for the Huskies this year.
