For the past three seasons, there has been one consistent presence for Oak Park and River High School boys basketball fans. Seniors Alex Gossett, a 6-5 forward, and Alex Vincent, a 6-9 center, are in their third year as varsity starters, and they are saving their best seasons for last.
Gossett, who made the All-Tournament Second Team at last month’s Pontiac Holiday Tournament, is averaging 20 points and seven rebounds per game. Vincent, meanwhile, who has recorded nine double-doubles this season, is averaging 11 points and 12 rebounds per game for the Huskies (7-8, 1-2 in West Suburban Silver).
“The season has been up and down for the team,” Gossett said, “but I have been playing pretty well individually. I’m close to 1,000 [career] points and averaging 20 points per game, which were big goals for me.”
“What matters is that we’re getting better as a team each game and the progress has been substantial,” Vincent said. “Personally, I think I have been doing good, but I have room to improve.”
Gossett and Vincent have become good friends away from the court, and they say that is a big reason why they enjoy good chemistry at practices and games.
“Playing with Gossett is great,” Vincent said. “Sharing the court this long has led to being able to play off each other very well.”
“[Vincent] is like a brother to me on and off the court,” Gossett said. “It’s nice knowing I have him behind me all the time.”
OPRF coach Phil Gary is appreciative of what Gossett and Vincent have meant to the program the past four seasons.
“They mean a lot honestly,” he said. “Gossett is super academically (4.6 grade point average) and is always locked-in, basketball-wise. He doesn’t miss any open gyms, conditioning or weight sessions; he’s always there and is a true leader.
“For Big Al [Vincent], the same thing,” he added. “Just the consistency and leadership they’ve brought to the program has been phenomenal. Our young guys look up to them.”
For Gossett, being elite on the court and in the classroom requires balance and focus, skills he has crafted and developed.
“It’s natural at this point,” he said. “I have pretty good time-management skills so it’s never too overwhelming.” He has received several OPRF academic awards and been inducted into the Cum Laude Society, crediting his parents as the reason he’s been successful as a Huskie student-athlete.
“I have a good head on my shoulders because of them and never get too high or too low, which I feel has caused my athletic and classroom success,” he said.
Like Gossett, Vincent attributes his success to consistent dedication on and off the court.
“Taking care of business as a student makes it easier to be able to work hard on the court because I don’t have to worry about a bunch of other stuff when I can just focus on what’s ahead basketball-wise,” he said. “Another thing is remembering what makes basketball fun when things get hard.”
Vincent can also turn to older brother John for advice. John, a 2022 OPRF graduate, is a 6-10 forward now playing at Grinnell College in Iowa.
“Big Al and John are two opposite players,” Gary said. “John was energetic and talked a lot. As much as Al is a leader who’s grown into the position, he’s still a little quiet. They’re opposites, but there’s nothing wrong with that.”
Neither Gossett nor Vincent have made college commitments. Gossett has drawn interest from a few NCAA Division II and III schools but hasn’t gotten any offers yet.
“I’m mainly looking for a good academic fit,” he said. “I’m looking for a place that can satisfy my academic needs as well as harbor a basketball culture where everyone is brought in.”
Vincent received an offer from Army-West Point at the start of the season and also has some Division III offers. But he says no new offers have emerged.
“In a prospective school, I am looking for a place where I can get a high-quality education and surround myself with good people, not just on the basketball team but in the school as well,” he said.
Right now, the focus for both Gossett and Vincent is on the remainder of OPRF’s season. Vincent is confident that the Huskies can make a run in the second half.
“I think as we progress as a team, I will continue improving as well,” he said. “Going forward to the playoffs, we’re trying to win multiple games and be playing our best basketball of the season.”
OPRF visits Proviso West, Jan. 17, before hosting Glenbard West on Jan. 21.