New Trier’s 65-33 loss at rival Evanston yielded few positives for the Trevians, though junior Griffin Ryan — both in presence and performance — was a notable exception.
Ryan, a 6-foot-4 forward who can operate in the post or on the perimeter, played his first extended minutes after missing five games with mononucleosis, according to Ryan and his parents. Ryan, who had been a starter prior to his illness, came off the bench and had 5 points and tied for a team high with 4 rebounds in Friday’s Central Suburban South game against the Wildkits. No Trevians player reached double figures in scoring.
“Emotionally it feels great (to be back),” said Ryan, a Winnetka resident who had seen limited minutes in a 78-39 win over Manley on Jan. 30. “It was really tough having to sit on the bench for a couple games, especially after the Proviso West Tournament when I felt like we were really hitting our stride.
“Physically, I’m a little tired. But I’m getting back to where I used to be. With mono, you can’t really work out at all, it’s kind of dangerous. I’m just trying to get back in the basketball shape I had been in.”
Ryan was one of four reserves who started the second half against Evanston. The Wildkits (who finished the weekend 20-3, 8-0) had overwhelmed the Trevians in the first 16 minutes. New Trier (11-10, 3-4) committed 17 first-half turnovers and trailed 46-11 at the break.
The third-quarter starters — Ryan, fellow juniors Brian Conaghan and Matt Mosher, senior forward Jack French and senior guard Dylan Horvitz, who started the game — put together a stretch of solid basketball.
“The guys who started the second half did a great job moving the ball and playing with toughness,” New Trier coach Scott Fricke said.
New Trier sophomore forward/center Spencer Boehm played some with Ryan in the Evanston game, and said he’d missed having Ryan alongside him.
“(Ryan) has always been a real tough player, been able to score whatever position (inside or on the wing). He’s got good low-post moves and a great jump shot. I kind of forgot what it was like playing with him,” said Boehm, who lives in Winnetka. “He passes well and scores when he (decides it’s necessary). It’s great to have him on the floor.”
Ryan, a first-year varsity player who was a wide receiver and defensive end on the football team, had turned in some strong performances prior to his absence, including a 13-point, 5-rebound, 5-assist effort in a 50-40 win over Downers North on the opening day of the Proviso West Tournament.
But a week after the tournament, Ryan said he began feeling sluggish in practice, and his throat hurt, so he went to the doctor.
“The doctor told me, ‘You don’t have strep,’ and I thought, ‘Oh, thank God.’ But he said we’re going to test you for mono just in case,” Ryan said. “When I got the positive result, I was kind of shell-shocked because we were (starting to play good basketball).”
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Ryan is one of several Trevians to miss time recently; with Horvitz, senior forward James Connors and sophomore center Ciaran Brayboy all finding themselves on the sidelines with various ailments.
With those players back in the lineup, the Trevians believe they are poised to make a late-season run.
“Just being able to go through practice and having all those guys participating, will help a ton,” Boehm said. “It doesn’t matter what (postseason) seed we get. Once we all get back and practice for a while with everybody, we can do some damage.”
Dan Shalin is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter: @Pioneer_Press