By Bobby Narang
The Glenbard West High School boys basketball team doesn’t need a State championship to validate its place in history.
The Hilltoppers, who captured the West Suburban Conference Silver championship for the second straight season and for the fourth time in the last 50 years, did manage to add one last going away present prior to the start of the Class 4A State playoffs this week, a blowout victory over nationally-recognized and State powerhouse Simeon.
Led by Bobby Durkin’s four three-pointers and 19 points, the Hilltoppers closed out the regular season with a dominating 60-32 victory over Simeon February 18 at Proviso West.
With the weather warnings issued during the game, Glenbard West issued its own scary message by knocking off the Second City powerhouse CPS (Chicago Public Schools) team this season in memorable fashion.
Glenbard West, 30-1 in the regular season, defeated Young and earned the distinction of the rare Illinois team to win 30 games in a regular season.
“We knew it was going to be a physical game coming in,” Glenbard West head coach Jason Opoka said. “We scheduled this game to challenge ourselves with that physicality and maybe put us in a position we felt uncomfortable. We absorbed the contact and physicality and executed down the stretch.”
Just like the previous 29 other opponents, the Simeon discovered that Glenbard West’s 1-3-1 zone defense is tough to penetrate. Simeon didn’t attempt its first shot until nearly three minutes into the game.
“We found a way to win and extend our lead,” Opoka said. “Our half-court defense is getting so much better, and our rotations are getting so crisp. We limit dribble-penetration, which is really making us play defense at a high level.”
Simeon head coach Rob Smith, who has coached several NBA (National Basketball Association) players, including Derrick Rose, Jabari Parker, and Kendrick Nunn, said the Hilltoppers are the team to beat in Class 4A. The Wolverines, who have won seven state championships, including six in Smith’s highly-successful tenure, are competing in 3A for the first time since 2007-08.
“They’re one of the top 25 teams in the county, and you can’t get behind,” Smith said. “They look like a State champion to me. I’m glad I don’t have to play them again…Their kids have been playing together since third grade. That’s too hard. They’re really good.
“(Glenbard West) is the best team, better than all of us. I thought we were going to play a better game….Their length was huge. We haven’t seen anything like that…Watching that length on film and seeing it up close is a totally different thing.”
The Hilltoppers are hoping to end their season cutting down the nets at the State Farm Center on the campus of the University of Illinois Saturday, March 12 as the Class 4A largest-school State champion.
“We’re excited for the playoffs, and for the chance to make history by winning a State title,” Durkin said. “It’s been an exciting season so far.”