By Bobby Narang
Glenbard West High School senior center Braden Huff wanted his game to be in a showcase.
So did his teammates.
Huff, a Gonzaga University recruit, is one of the best players in the Midwest, but his name is not included among the elite players in the country. Until this week, Huff had been kept off many top 100 senior lists, all despite an impressive all-around game neatly wrapped up in a 6-11 frame.
Gonzaga rarely recruits in the Chicago area, yet the Zags targeted the multi-skilled Huff due to his impressive potential and perfect fit for their offense.
With Gonzaga assistant coach Roger Powell Jr., a former University of Illinois star forward on the 2005 national tournament second place team and from Joliet West, standing just five feet away, Huff relished his 31-point performance that helped knock off city powerhouse Young 74-59 at the “When Sides Collide” shootout at Benet Academy Saturday, Jan. 22.
“We were really excited for this one,” Huff said. “Whitney Young is a great team. In the past, they’ve just been an awesome program. I’m always looking for my shot but also trying to find that balance and take what the defense gives me.”
Huff, who collected seven rebounds, showed he and his teammates belonged on the big stage, thrilling the standing-room only crowd with a stunning show of teamwork, defense, and next-level talents. The Hilltoppers (22-0) solidified their ranking as the top rated team in Class 4A, and moved up the national rankings by outshining Young’s duo of AJ Casey, a Miami recruit, and NIU-bound Xavier Amos. Glenbard West senior guard Caden Pierce, a Princeton University recruit, had a big game and poured in 25 points.
“There were a few people questioning whether we could play with those top teams in the state,” Pierce said. “Beating a team of this caliber really shows we can play with anybody.”
Glenbard West head coach Jason Opoka said Huff has been working on his game for a long time, getting ready for a memorable run in his final season. “[Huff] has been working on his positioning and his footwork throughout the Summer and into this year,” Glenbard West coach Jason Opoka said. “Today was a great opportunity to display that on a big stage.”
Just two days later, Glenbard West was officially announced to play Sierra Canyon out of California at Wintrust Arena in Chicago Saturday, Feb. 5. Sierra Canyon, one of the top 20 teams in the country, boasts two marquee players in Chicago native Amari Bailey, a UCLA recruit, and top three player for the Class of 2022, and Bronny James, the son of National Basketball Association (NBA) superstar LeBron James.
The game, along with Glenbrook South’s facing off against Chicago Curie, will be streamed live on ESPN plus.
• Meanwhile, Benet host of the four-game shootout, concluded the star-studded event in dramatic fashion. The Redwings pulled out a 43-42 victory over St. Ignatius, thanks to 12 points and nine rebounds from Kyle Thomas.
“This is a great feeling, especially after Friday’s win (55-42 against St. Patrick in an important East Suburban Catholic Conference game. See standings on page 11),” Thomas said. “We came in with a lot of momentum, but we all wanted this win. The Benet crowd was amazing and were cheering loud. It’s a great win.”
Benet head coach Gene Heidkamp said his players showed a lot of fortitude by holding off the highly ranked Wolfpack in the fourth quarter.
“It was a hard fought game and nothing came easy for either team,” Heidkamp said. “It was a grind, and it was a quality win. St. Ignatius is very talented and versatile and they have size and athleticism. It was big for Kyle to stay out of foul trouble and he played well. Our defense down the stretch was really good. Nothing was easy for us. We had to earn everything.”