By Bobby Narang
Batavia High School boys basketball head coach Jim Nazos shook his head a few times and tried to utter a few words that would properly depict his thoughts Saturday night, Jan. 6.
The Bulldogs struggled for majority of their DuKane Conference road game against Wheaton Warrenville South. After riding a hot first quarter shooting display by Jax Abalos, the Bulldogs went cold for the next 24 minutes.
Then, in the final 2:02 of regulation, the Bulldogs got hot as a team, riding the improbable late-game flurry of points to a 31-29 victory over the Tigers.
The Bulldogs (11-4, 5-1) scored just 12 points in a 24-minute segment, but managed to score nine points in the final 2:02 to knock off the Tigers (7-7, 3-3).
“They kept their composure and the belief something good was going to happen for us,” Jim Nazos said. “I thought we got to the boards better and free-throw line and stuck with things. This is a team that shows spots of being really good and we will keep getting better.”
Senior guard Nate Nazos capped the late comeback by scoring on a lay-in over two defenders with 12.8 seconds left, helped by an assist from Kyle Porter.
“We didn’t play the way we wanted to in the second and third quarters but came through at the end when it was needed,” Batavia senior forward CJ Valente said.
After the first week of January, Lake Park is atop the DuKane standings with a perfect 6-0 mark, while Glenbard North (6-1) and Batavia (5-1) are close behind.
Meanwhile, in the West Suburban Silver, York (13-3, 4-0) is in first place, with Downers Grove North (14-2, 3-0) aiming to make a big leap this week. Glenbard West (9-8, 2-1) stands in third place.
Downers Grove North senior guard Jack Stanton is just past the 1,000-point barrier in his career. The Princeton Unversity recruit was named to the Jack Tosh All-Tournament team in late December 2023.
“I think this season has been great for the entire team this season,” Stanton said. “Our two losses have really allowed us to reflect and grow individually as a team.”
Stanton is averaging nearly 15 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals per game this season. He said last season’s Class 4A fourth-place finish is leading to every opponent circling the Trojans on their calendar.
“We love it because it means we get everyone’s best shot every game,” he said. “It forces us to make sure we’re at our best every day, on and off the court. It’s been an honor to play for this program and watch it grow. We just always leave the program better than when we received it, but we would also like to go downstate again.”
Glenbard West is starting to round into shape following another big roster overhaul.
“They play extremely hard and continue to keep a positive attitude,” Glenbard West head coach Jason Opoka said. “They’re committed to getting better and are a fun group to be around. We understand that we have to be playing our best basketball by February. We’re young and starting to mature, making our play become consistent. If we can stay positive and continue to focus on our attention to detail, our length and depth will make us a team with a massive upside.”
Sophomore guard TJ Williams and junior Drew Gacek have been key players this season. Williams averaged 9.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, 6.0 deflections and 3.0 steals in December 2023.
“TJ has stepped into a more impactful role,” Opoka said. “His athleticism and activity has helped lead our defense. Drew has developed into a pure shooter. His ability to stretch the floor opens up our inside game.”