Must-see: Timothy Christian senior center Brandon Orange and senior guard Ty Merrick. The 6-foot-7 Orange and the 6-2 Merrick should be quite a one-two tandem for Timothy Christian. According to Trojans first-year coach Scott Plaisier, Orange’s offensive game has evolved and he’s “playing a little old school.” He’s very skilled with his back to the basket, but opposing teams will also have to be aware of Orange from behind the 3-point line. Plaisier praised Merrick’s high basketball IQ and said that he, “gets the team in the right position.” He is also a great passer and phenomenal shooter, according to Plaisier. Merrick will play a combo guard, handling the ball a great deal, but also working on the wing for his 3-point shot. Other to watch: Kevin Cheng, IC Catholic; Alex Meurer, IC Catholic; Dylan Petter, Guerin.
Save the date: Chicago Christian at Timothy Christian, Dec. 1. The Trojans will christen their new gymnasium against Chicago Christian, the defending Metro Suburban Red champions. It figures to be a battle of conference heavyweights as Timothy Christian finished second with an 8-4 mark (17-11 overall) a year ago. “Our old gym has a storied history and is a fantastic place, but the new one holds about 1,200 and has a full college-sized court. There’s a little extra buzz,” said Plaisier, who is replacing Jack LeGrand, who resigned to focus on his role as athletic director. The new gym has a capacity of about three times the size of the old one. Other top games: IC Catholic will host its Coaches vs. Cancer doubleheader on Jan. 13, with the boys and girls playing St. Edward; Guerin at Ridgewood, Dec. 1; Ridgewood at Guerin, Jan. 26; Guerin at Elmwood Park, Feb. 9; Ridgewood at Elmwood Park, Feb. 20.
Beyond the box score: Guerin, which had only one player listed on last year’s roster who was over 6-1, will have six players 6-2 or taller this year. That will come in handy when the Crusaders face teams such as Ridgewood, which has three players 6-5 or taller on its roster.
On the rise: Elmwood Park won 13 games two years ago and 12 games last season, marking it the first time the Tigers had back-to-back double-digit win seasons since 1993-94 and 1994-95. “We feel ready to take that next step,” said Elmwood Park coach Tony Sylvester, who is in his fifth season. The Tigers should be a lot quicker and more athletic than last season, Sylvester said. He went on to say that top to bottom this is the best team the Tigers have had in years. “We’re more balanced and a deeper team,” he said. But Sylvester cautioned that the Tigers must cut down on their turnovers. There’s also reason for optimism about the years ahead: Last season the Elmwood Park freshmen went 17-3.
Oh Captain! My Captain!: Lanky 6-5 senior forward Danny Wnuk figures to be a key component for Elmwood Park. This is his third year as captain of the Tigers and Sylvester praised his leadership. Sylvester said he has an improved outside shot and can, “pour in the points quickly.” Sylvester also lauded Wnuk’s strong rebounding inside. Wnuk’s play inside will be critical, since Elmwood Park has no other starter over 6-2. Since the Tigers will look to trap the ball and up their defensive pressure, Wnuk will be counted on to provide an inside defensive presence.
This and that: Second-year Guerin coach Adam Szyszko had a big headache before the season even started. The Crusaders were slated to participate in the St. Benedict Thanksgiving Tournament, but it was canceled. Szyszko has been scrambling to find a replacement game. … IC Catholic and Aurora Central both went 10-2 in the Metro Suburban Blue last year and finished atop the league standings, but Knights coach T.J. Tyrrell thinks his team still might sneak up on opponents. “We don’t necessarily intimidate people with the eye test,” Tyrrell said. “But we’re very balanced, very disciplined and a senior-dominated team.” Tyrrell said IC Catholic could have a different player lead the team in scoring from game to game. … Look for senior Zen Tverdokhlib to make a big impact for IC Catholic. The 6-3 post player didn’t play on the team as a junior, but he really worked hard according to coach Tyrrell, improving his rebounding and overall play around the rim. … Elmwood Park has a 13-year losing streak against Ridgewood, according to Sylvester. “We’ve lost overtimes, double overtimes, buzzer beaters. There should be a lot of emotion in those games,” Sylvester said. That will especially be the case when Elmwood Park hosts Ridgewood for its senior night on Feb. 20. … While Ridgewood standout Zac Rzewnicki is now a freshman at St. Thomas Aquinas, a Division II program in New York, opposing league coaches don’t expect much to change for the Rebels. Again they anticipate facing a team that is pesky on defense and shoots a lot of 3-pointers.
Mark Perlman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press
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