By Bobby Narang
The Wheaton Warrenville South High School boys basketball team had a detailed celebration in store following its game against Lake Park.
With the two DuKane Conference teams hooking up for a Friday game, the Tigers were seeking to win the Conference championship for the second year in a row. In addition, the Tigers were honoring their nine seniors for their commitment to the program following the game.
The elaborate post-game celebration included a lengthy video with all the nine seniors, plus a buffet-like dinner for all the players and families.
In a season of milestones and victories, the Tigers played solid defense combined with timely shooting to pull out a hard-fought, 30-26, victory over Lake Park February 11.
After the game, right before the start of the video presentation, Wheaton Warrenville South head coach Mike Healy relaxed for a few seconds on the bench while watching his players and the students indulge in a celebration.
Healy put his arm around his son, senior guard Danny Healy, to cherish the moment. After all, it was a special team, capable of winning in a traditional sense, playing as a unit, competing defensively on every possessions, looking for a good shot, being patient on offense, and relying on their intelligence all while receiving excellent coaching, to win 28 of their first 30 games and take an undefeated 13-0 DuKane Conference record.
“This win means a lot, just an emotional day,” Mike Healy said. “They’re nine awesome kids. Danny showed a little video because they’ve been together since nine or 10 years old. They had pictures together, from travel and feeder teams. It’s well deserved and an awesome moment for them.
“Lake Park (21-6 overall and 10-3 and in second place in the DuKane) is so well coached and did so many good things. We kind of buckled down defensively in the second half. I’m really, really proud of them. They’re so unselfish and don’t care who scores. They play for each other and enjoy each other and love hanging out.”
Not many basketball experts would’ve believed the Tigers, who lost several starters from last season’s team, would be hovering around the 30-win mark in middle of February. Healy’s team has built upon the success of last season, winning all 13 of the conference games to earn the No. 2 seed in the Class 4A Bartlett Sectional, and will open up the playoffs against No. 15 seed Glenbard East Wednesday, Feb. 23 in a Wheaton Warrenville South Regional semifinal.
Senior forward Tyler Fawcett gave credit to chemistry for the Tigers’ success.
“It’s nice to get a big win on senior night, just grind it out,” Fawcett said. “Both teams took long possessions and played good defense. It feels good. It’s a different type win. We work so hard, always have composure, even on senior night.”
• Meanwhile, Glenbard West, the No. 1 seed in the Bartlett Sectional, will open up the playoffs against either Wheaton North or West Chicago February 23.
• In the Oswego Sectional, Oswego East was awarded the top seed. The Wolves will play either Oswego or Joliet Central February 23, with No. 2 seed Bolingbrook set to play against Plainfield North or Plainfield East on the same night. East Aurora will play Lincoln-Way Central in a Plainfield North Regional semifinal February 23. Oswego will play host to Joliet Central in a quarterfinal game Saturday, Feb. 19.