By Bobby Narang
With the holiday high school basketball season in full swing, Downers Grove North is emerging as a dark-horse candidate.
After Glenbard West dominated the boys basketball West Suburban Silver Conference on the way to the program’s first State championship last season, Downers Grove North is looking to add to the Conference’s reputation.
So are Lyons and Hinsdale Central.
All three teams are at the top part of the Conference standings, with Downers North (9-1, 3-0), Lions (7-0, 3-0), and Hinsdale Central (8-3, 2-1) the early frontrunners.
The Downers NorthTrojans have relied on a similar format which the Hilltoppers’ did last season, but just lack the athletic firepower and big-name recognition. The Trojans lost to Lake Park in the season opener, then reeled off nine straight victories behind a balanced scoring cast. The Trojans knocked off York, 41-40, and crushed Hersey, 64-40, in key early December victories.
Junior guard Jack Stanton is leading the Trojans in scoring, but he gave credit to the team’s balanced scoring for the strong start.
“I think our chemistry has really helped this year,” he said. “We’re a really tight group and it feels like we went straight from Summer league into the season. Our entire coaching staff has pushed us to be great every day. They haven’t treated us like we are higher than anyone.
“You don’t know who’s going to go off every game. Everyone can shoot, guard, rebound, and dribble. We aren’t a team that depends on one guy which makes us one of the hardest teams to game- plan for.”
Senior guard Max Haack said the team’s overall depth is another key factor. The Trojans played a tough Summer schedule to prepare for the season, plus returned the bulk of last season’s roster.
“We have the ability to play nine to 10 guys and have solid talent on the floor at all times,” he said. “This allows for us to be able to pick up teams full court and pressure the ball knowing we have a guy backing us up when we need a sub and lets us play as hard as we possibly can at all times.”
The Trojans will get a good test competing in the East Aurora Christmas Tournament. They are excited to test themselves.
“We share the ball and have a lot of experience and different scorers, so we feel we can be competitive against any team,” Downers Grove North head coach James Thomas said.
Stanton, who is leading the team in scoring, said he worked tirelessly on his game over the offseason to become a go-to option.
“I’ve been doing the same thing consistently for the past few years every day, from shooting, dribbling, and conditioning,” Stanton said. “I’ve been lucky to have a lot of role models surrounding me and been able to learn from the older guys.”