Back in early November, Barrington coach Paul Gillette did something not all that unusual. He sat down with his team and made a list of goals.
The usual things were on that list. Win the Mid-Suburban League North Division. Play their best basketball at the end of the season. Have no stars and play as a team.
What`s unusual is by now a good number of lists hanging in locker rooms around the Chicago area have been torn off the wall and crumpled in frustration. But not at Barrington.
Check this out: The Broncos (19-8) are playing their best basketball at the end of the season, having won 10 straight games.
Barrington didn`t win the MSL North, but it did tie Hersey for it. And the Broncos have a better overall record than Hersey and are the last team from the conference still alive in the state tournament. A star? There is one in Jason Armetta, but after him the team is remarkably even in talent.
”We have nine seniors, the kids are focused and playing hard,” says Gillette. ”Right now, I`m one of the happiest coaches in Illinois.”
Gillette will be even happier if Barrington can knock off Conant in the sectional semifinal Wednesday night at Palatine. It should be a classic matchup pitting a stingy Barrington defense against an explosive, run-and-gun Conant offense.
Barrington was 9-8 on Jan. 25 when it faced Wheeling and won. Since then, the Broncos have rolled, including regional tournament wins over Palatine and Friday night`s 60-50 victory over Wheeling.
The Broncos don`t do anything fancy. If the quick basket isn`t there, the half-court offense goes in motion. On defense, Barrington crashes the boards hard and-take note of this, Conant-allows just 53 points a game.
During the streak, three players earned spots on the all-conference team, including Armetta, 6-foot-3-inch forward Chris Egan (10.1 points a game) and 6-5 forward Ben Boka (7.5 ppg), who is heading to Wisconsin next year on a baseball scholarship.
As much as they have shunned having a star, the 6-foot Armetta has put up great numbers as a three-year varsity player. He`s the team`s leading scorer, averaging 19.4 points, and leads the team in seven other statistical categories. Two stats in particular are impressive: 6.2 assists and 4.6 rebounds a game.
”He`s a shortstop on the baseball team,” says Gillette. ”He`s got quick hands, quick feet and uses his head on the basketball court. He has an outstanding shot, but is as good penetrating. He`s been to the free-throw line a heck of a lot. He`s not selfish either. It all goes back to that list.”
There`s size at center and the other guard spot, too. At center, 6-5 Doug Anderson and 6-5 John Lyon split time while 6-2 Mike Ebner is averaging 9.8 points as the off guard.
Actually, some of the players have more time on the varsity than Gillette, who was a varsity assistant for five years before being promoted to head coach before the 1989-90 season. Gillette teaches physical education in two Barrington elementary schools and spends the other third of his time at the high school.
”Put me in the high school building, we`ll be even better,” he says.
”We (Barrington) seem to go through basketball coaches a lot and I want to change that.”
As for more immediate tasks at hand, specifically Conant, Gillette wants Barrington to grab every rebound and play its stiffest defense yet.
”Offense wins games,” says Gillette, ”but defense wins titles.”
