Neither of the local high school boys basketball teams are entering the IHSA state tournament this week on a roll. In fact, both OPRF and Fenwick ended the regular season with lengthy losing streaks. But the good news is what happened in the regular season is forgotten. Everyone is 0-0 and the goal is to go 1-0 each game going forward.
While not much is expected from either team at this point, anything and everything is possible during the state tournament. That said, here’s a look at the Huskies and Friars:
OPRF
To say it’s been a challenging season for the Huskies is an understatement. OPRF (6-21, 1-11 in West Suburban Silver) has lost eight games in a row and 12 of its past 13, the lone victory coming via forfeit against Golder on Jan. 22. The Huskies’ last on-court win came Jan. 16, 71-64 over visiting Proviso West.
OPRF coach Phil Gary knew things would be rough this season with a young and inexperienced squad. But he’s not making any excuses.
“Our record is what it is,” Gary said, “but we’ve been in tons of close games that we couldn’t close.”
A pair of bright spots for the Huskies has been the play of junior George Gray and senior Cameron Woods. Gray is averaging 14 points and five rebounds per game while Woods is averaging 13 points, four rebounds, and two steals per game.
OPRF is seeded 13th in the Class 4A Bartlett Sectional. The Huskies open postseason play at the Willowbrook Regional with a semifinal versus fourth-seeded Batavia, Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. Should OPRF prevail, either Wheaton-Warrenville South or Willowbrook would be the opponent in the regional final, Feb. 27.
“I think we have a great draw at Willowbrook,” Gary said. “We will need to contest shots against Batavia and limit them from making threes.”
Fenwick
Like OPRF, Fenwick (8-17, 1-7 in Chicago Catholic League Blue) has been in a skid during the second half of the season. The Friars enter the state tournament having lost their past nine games. But head coach David Fergerson feels the record is a bit deceiving.
“Believe it or not we actually had a decent season. Our record doesn’t indicate that, but we played some solid basketball,” he said.
Having lost several players from the previous season due to graduation, Fergerson knew this season would be one of transition. He likes the development and progress his young players have made.
“That’s always our goal as a team,” Fergerson said. “Did you get better and try to stack good consecutive days in a row?”
Fenwick is seeded 10th in the Class 3A Hinsdale South Sectional. The Friars face Wheaton St. Francis in a regional semifinal at Joliet Catholic, Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m. The winner would likely meet the regional host Hilltoppers, who are also the top seed in the sectional, in the regional title game, Feb. 27.
St. Francis defeated Fenwick in the regular season, 44-42, on Feb. 6. Fergerson knows his team has its work cut out.
“The regional will be tough because we’re playing another Catholic League team and if you win that, you play the number one team in our sectional,” he said.
“We just need to play Friar basketball. We’ve had some tough losses at the buzzer and in order to win in the playoffs, you must play 32 minutes of solid, disciplined basketball.”
