Entering the New Year, the Fenwick High School boys basketball team was one of the hottest in the area, with victories over multiple powerhouse schools. However, over the past month, the Friars have struggled with their rugged schedule, losing five of their previous seven games before notching a 65-47 victory in the regular season finale over host St. Francis de Sales, Feb. 15.
“It’s huge to carry momentum going into the playoffs,” said Fenwick guard Ty Macariola, who surpassed the 1,000-point mark in his career in a 55-54 loss at St. Ignatius, Feb. 11. “Getting 1,000 points was super-awesome to reach, but I’m more worried about the playoffs.”
The biggest reason for the slump, according to Fenwick head coach David Fergerson, has been inconsistent defense.
“It’s the identity of Fenwick basketball, rock-hard defense,” he said. “We’ve gotten away from that. It’s been there in spurts, but we’ve got to get back to that for the playoffs, and I’m confident we will.”
Despite the recent decline, Fenwick (20-11) played well enough overall to get the top seed in the upcoming IHSA Class 3A Little Village sectional.
“I’m really happy about that,” Macariola said. “We’ve proven to be the #1 seed by playing probably one of the hardest schedules in the state.”
“That was something we were hoping for and were pleased to get,” Fergerson said. “Now it’s up to us to make it worthwhile.”
The Friars are also hosting a regional, and their first playoff game will be versus Golder, Feb. 26. Assuming a victory, Fenwick would meet either Prosser or UIC Prep in the title game.
But Fergerson says he’s not taking anything for granted, knowing the nature of the state tournament.
“Anybody can beat anybody on a given night, so you’ve got to bring your ‘A’ game and be ready to go,” he said.
Offensively, Fenwick has balance. Macariola, along with classmates Dom Ducree, Kam Hogan, and Nate Marshall are all capable of carrying the scoring load for the Friars on any given night, while maintaining their defensive-minded approach. Seniors Frankie Hosty, Deonte Meeks and Jack O’Leary, along with juniors Myles Montgomery, Raphiel Stewart, and Tommy Thies, and sophomores Jake Thies and Jimmy Watts have also made valuable contributions.
For Macariola, Ducree, Hogan, and Marshall, they’ve advanced to the sectionals in each of the past three seasons but have yet to make it out, losing to St. Ignatius in the 2023 final at De La Salle. Fergerson is hopeful that gives them added motivation.
“This is the last dance for [the seniors],” Fergerson said. “You don’t want to look back and say, “I wish I could’ve or should’ve done this.” You want to look in that mirror and tell yourself you gave it all you had.”
Macariola feels that playing sound defense consistently along with having more flow offensively are the keys to playoff success for Fenwick. He also knows that this is the last opportunity for him and his classmates to leave a lasting legacy, so there’s a great sense of urgency prevalent.
“It’s surreal to think about,” Macariola said. “It’s crazy to think all of our high school careers will be ending soon. Everyone knows that any game could be the last time we step on the court together.”
