The OPRF girls basketball team (4-12) went 1-3 at the Loyola Christmas Tournament, Dec. 22, 23, 26 and 27. On Jan. 2, the Huskies attended the Grow The Game Shootout at Naperville North where they won 58-25 against Elk Grove (3-13) and the next day lost 76-50 against Resurrection (10-5).
The Christmas Tournament began with tough competition. In their first game, they fell 60-16 to Carmel Catholic (10-4). OPRF girls head coach Renee Brantley said the Corsairs took advantage of the Huskies’ weaknesses.
“They move the ball really well,” Brantley said. “We just got out-physicaled.”
The following day, the Huskies regrouped but fell 42-37 to Jones Prep (6-7), a team they had defeated earlier in the season. Junior captain Taryn Draine had a team-high 19 points for OPRF. The Huskies had the upper hand in their previous matchup, but Brantley thinks the squad needed a stronger sense of urgency this time around.
“You let a team like [Jones] hang around, they build confidence,” Brantley noted. “It’s important to play four quarters, and not just two or three.”
After a Christmas pause, the tournament resumed on Dec. 26. Unfortunately for the Huskies, it resulted in a 49-31 loss to Lane Tech (9-9), despite the Huskies’ two-point lead heading into halftime. Draine led OPRF with eight points and seven rebounds.
But Brantley felt this game brought out a new level of passion in her players and served as more of a learning opportunity than a scoresheet loss, emphasizing that junior Selah Backeberg was a key part of the team’s fight.
On the 27th, the Huskies finished strong to secure a 59-26 win over Morgan Park (3-10). Backeberg and freshman Katara Watson led OPRF with 20 points each.
“I could tell that they understood they let one slip away yesterday,” she said. “I definitely think it put [the season] in the right direction.”
Brantley added that Draine was crucially “active on the defensive end” and “rebounded at extremely high level” to contribute to the team’s turnaround.
The winter break concluded with a win against Elk Grove 58-25 and a 76-50 loss against Resurrection. Heading into the rest of the season, the Huskies will benefit from the leadership of senior captains Gabriella Chesney and Tavia Allen, as well as Draine.
OPRF boys basketball
In 2024, the Huskies left the Pontiac Holiday Tournament as consolation champions. In 2025, the squad (4-7) left with an 0-2 record.
The tournament took place Dec. 29-31, during the school’s winter break, where the Huskies recorded a 60-57 loss to Joliet West (7-7), Dec. 29, and 64-55 loss against St. Charles North (6-9), Dec. 30. Following the tournament, their break concluded with a 63-42 loss against Hersey, Jan. 3, at Addison Trail’s Mid-Suburban/West Suburban Challenge.
Phil Gary, the OPRF boys head coach of six years, said the Joliet West loss was a result of the team’s slowness to create momentum.
“I thought we got off to a slow start,” Gary said. “When you spot teams early points it usually comes back to bite you in the second half.”
And it did. The team tried to catch up, but it was too late.
Sophomore Trent Williams led OPRF with 26 points; the next closest scorer being junior George Gray, a transfer from Mount Carmel, with 12 points. Gary praised Williams’ performance. It was his first start on varsity, and as a sophomore, this achievement was special.
“He played excellent,” Gary said.
Against St. Charles North, Gray led the team with 15 points. Referring to Gray’s potential, Gary was happy to see his “best player” excelling again.
“He played a lot better game two,” said Gary. “When you’re the best player, it’s expected for you to be the best player all the time.”
Against Hersey (11-1), the team knew they would face a challenge, given their opponent’s nearly flawless record. As for the rest of the season, currently 0-2 in conference play, the team is focusing on creating momentum early in games and “not waiting until the second quarter and halftime.”
Creating energy early in the games is just as important as putting in work off the court, and the Huskies know that.
“If we have to run more [in practice] we’ll do that,” said Gary. “And we still have to make free throws.”
