Take a close look at the expressions on the faces of Hales Franciscan’s players as they start pregame warmups Friday afternoon.
If they’re loose, relaxed and smiling, look out. There isn’t a more physically talented team in the Class A state tournament field at Assembly Hall.
But if you see that telltale tautness, Chicago’s representative could struggle in its 1:45 p.m. quarterfinal game against Normal University High.
Hales coach Tom Shields knows the look. He has seen it countless times when city kids venture away from comfortable environs to confront Downstate styles of basketball and officiating.
“We also have to avoid what happens to the Public League in Class AA,” said Shields. “They battle so hard to get through the city playoffs, there’s a letdown once they get here.”
Hales (21-10), ranked second in the state, had to knock off No. 1 St. Martin in overtime at Tuesday’s Kankakee supersectional to earn its first Assembly Hall appearance. Now, Shields has to remind his Spartans that taking care of No. 1 was only the beginning.
“I know what to tell them,” said Shields, the last Chicago coach to win a Class A title-with Providence-St. Mel in 1985. “But as much as I’ll be able to describe this whole thing, they’ll have to learn by experience.”
Normal U-High (20-9) lost to Class AA sectional qualifier Bloomington 59-47 this season, while Hales beat Bloomington 60-57 in the Pontiac holiday tournament. Normal lost all five starters from last season’s Class A runnerup and relies on its 1-2-2 zone defense more than anything else.
“We don’t have the kind of firepower we had last year,” said Normal U-High coach Cal Hubbard, who depends on guards James Abell (14.7 points per game) and Tom Feely (10.3 points) for almost half his team’s offensive output. “We can out-think, but we can’t out-jump anybody.”
With starters 6-foot-5-inch Greg Wood (17 points, 8 rebounds), 6-5 Keith Stanton (12 points, 9.7 rebounds), 6-5 Shawn Baker (12.3 points), plus 6-6 Chayim Cunningham and 6-5 freshman David Stennis off the bench, Hales should dominate Normal’s 6-7 center John Baines, and 6-4 forward Brian Truttmann.
Hales was placed in the upper bracket with No. 4 Cairo (24-7) and No. 6 Dakota (27-3). Cairo poses the biggest threat to the Spartans, should the Pilots get past Dakota in Friday’s opener.
Cairo features 6-7 junior Tyrone Nesby (20.8 points, 11.4 rebounds) who can post up, hit the outside jumper and play any position on the court. He teams inside with 6-7 senior Simeon Williams (14.7 points, 8 rebounds) and 5-11 sophomore Michael Hughes (12.8 points, 9 rebounds).
Coach Bill Chumbler thought Nesby had a bad game in the supersectional despite 31 points and 22 rebounds.
Dakota coach Michael Schalow has ex-Northern Illinois star Allen Rayhorn’s high school back on a winning track. In his first two years, Schalow endured 1-22 and 10-16 seasons. Last season, the Indians were 23-4. Dakota relies on three-point specialist Ryan Pierson (19.2 points) and 6-4 Chad Binger (15.1 points, 8.6 rebounds).
No. 3 Hamilton (27-2) is the favorite in the bottom bracket. The Cardinals’ most talented player, Shawn Stevenson, was suspended for eight games Dec. 22-Jan. 19 in a disciplinary action. Coming off the bench, the 6-2, 210-pound forward is averaging 12 points and 8.5 rebounds.
At times, coach Brian Stillwell enjoys teaming Stevenson with 6-8, 240-pound center Kurt Meister and 6-4, 235-pound forward Jason Havens.
Mendota (19-9) will oppose Hamilton with the smallest and youngest team in the Elite Eight. Seven of the Trojans’ first nine players are underclassmen, including one freshman and two sophomores. Sophomore Jason Kreiling leads the team with 18 points per game.
In the other quarterfinal, Staunton (24-4) is led by 6-5 seniors Andy Kuba (20.4 points, 9.9 rebounds) and Kevin Myer (17.6 points), and has won all six of its overtime games this season. Riverton (23-7) will rely on guard Jason Sowers (16 points) and 6-5 Kurt Cuffle (11 points).
