December 23, 2006
Loyola University Gentile Center
Chicago, Illinois
Loyola Academy (Wilmette) 60 New Trier (Winnetka) 55
Simeon 62 Carver 38
Judging by the company in the bleachers, I’ve been picking the right gyms to visit. Last month it was Barack Obama at Welsh-Ryan, Saturday at Loyola’s petite gem of a gym it was Michael Jordan and Bill Wennington. The latter two were there in support of their basketball heirs.
The Loyola Academy squad’s current incarnation seems to be as a Jesuit club team for the sons of former Chicago pro athletes. Joining senior Jeff Jordan, sophomore Marcus Jordan, and freshman Robert Wennington is Joey Suhey, son of Matt. The Ramblers entered the tangle with their North Shore rivals undefeated against a string of patsies and ranked third in Chicagoland.
New Trier is helmed by one of the area’s finest basketball minds, Rick Malnati (Bradley ‘81). Malnati assumed the mantle of the proud Trevian program in 1999 after several years as the top assistant to IHSA coaching lion Mel Sheets. Sheets’ eighteen year reign was distinguished by everything short of a state title. And despite fielding rosters with only two notable Division 1 level players, Matt Lottich (Stanford ‘04) and Todd Townsend (Marquette ‘04), Malnati has racked up a winning percentage over .700 in his seven year span. One need only cite the 2002 Supersectional game when Malnati’s team of slow-footed, sharp shooting overachievers took out a hugely favored Proviso East team that featured a backcourt of Dee Brown and Shannon Brown. That game was the kind of basketball clinic that says everything you need to know about Malnati as a coach.
There are many capable coaches in Chicagoland who might be able to match wits with Malnati, but three year Loyola head man Bryan Tucker isn’t one of them. Were it not for an uncharacteristically gaffe prone performance by New Trier and the substantial athletic advantage of his team, Tucker would’ve found himself on the losing side of things. Switch rosters and Malnati would win a state title. Tucker will be lucky to take them downstate.
The contrast in coaching was obvious from the layup line. While the Trevians ran through a tight choreography of shooting and defensive drills, Loyola took aimless jumpers and giggled and high fived as the Jordan brothers put on a dunking display for an appreciative crowd. The differences didn’t end there. Loyola plays a brand of basketball that resembles a summer playground run. A typical offensive series: Jeff Jordan dribbles for ten seconds while his teammates watch then passes to brother Marcus who takes defender one on one and throws up off balance jumper. Or vice versa. Or substitute any Loyola starter for the Jordans and repeat. New Trier on the other hand emphasizes motion and cutting on offense, crisp ball reversals, and patient pursuit of high percentage looks. If the Trevians have an even modest imitation of a point guard, something they appear to lack this year, this system is both a joy to watch and deadly effective.
Predictably, the brothers Jordan are above average athletes. Jeff, a 6′1″ point, and Marcus, a 6′3″ guard/forward, have gym crafted, strong frames and do make their share of plays. Occasionally, they make an acrobatic layup or dunk as dad chuckles amidst his phalanx of bodyguards. Some of their fundamental basketball skills–jumpshooting range, defense, movement without the ball, passing, ability to make their teammates better–are not yet fully developed. Much of this is attributable to incompetent coaching. A good mid-major coach will be able to maximize their talent.
Hoopraker was sad to learn the nightcap would be played without Memphis recruit and top ranked Illinois senior, Derrick Rose of Simeon. A turned ankle had him ensconsced on the bench, recuperating for the following week’s holiday tournament in Pontiac. The defending state champs did not use this as an excuse. Simeon is a well coached team with depth and cohesion. The UW-Milwaukee recruits, 6′5″ Tim Flowers and 6′6″ Kevin Johnson anchor the frontcourt and consistently find a way to make plays. Surrounding them are jump out of the gym athletes at every position. They outclassed a strong Carver team from the outset. It is scary to think how good this team is with Rose on the floor. They appear to more than deserve their number one state ranking. Until proven otherwise, they are the team to beat in March.
