March 17--Lincoln-Way West coach Brian Flaherty remains amazed that his team advanced to the Class 3A state tournament this weekend in Peoria.
St. Joseph veteran coach Gene Pingatore is more amazed that a freshman point guard helped lead his team to state.
In the case of Peoria Manual, a five-time state champion, the state berth is a welcome sight after a six-year absence.
Belleville Althoff advanced to the state semifinals for the second straight season, with the opportunity to avenge last season's 3A state-title game loss to St. Joseph.
There are certainly some interesting storylines for this season's 3A tourney, but none bigger than Lincoln-Way West crashing the party. The tournament was expected to be a battle royale among four powerhouse programs, but the Warriors shocked Morgan Park 68-60 in Tuesday's Joliet Central Supersectional.
Lincoln-Way West opened in 2009, and proceeded to post a 14-104 record in its first four seasons, including an 0-31 debut in 2009-10. The Warriors notched their first double-digit win total at 12-14 in 2014, then went 21-8 and won their first regional title last year.
Lincoln-Way West (21-9) will play Manual (26-4) at 12:15 p.m. Friday at Carver Arena. Flaherty admitted that the prospect of his team going to state is pretty surreal. The Lincoln-Way school district is not known for hoops.
"We are going to talk to them, 'Hey, we might have beat Morgan Park, now we have got another Morgan Park to go,'" Flaherty said. "We had nothing to lose (against Morgan Park). We went right after them. I thought we would be pretty good (this season), but I would be totally lying if I thought we would be in this position."
The Warriors returned two starters -- Jon Marotta and Marco Pettinato -- from last season's team. Pettinato, a junior point guard, is averaging 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists. The 6-foot-7 Marotta adds 13.0 points and 5.3 rebounds.
The Rams are known for producing college-bound players. Their latest highly ranked recruit has a familiar name: junior guard Da'Monte Williams, the son of former Illinois star Frank Williams.
The younger Williams is the leader of a standout junior trio that includes Romon Douglas-Watkins and A.J. Youngman. All three players are averaging double figures in points in Manual's five playoff wins. The 6-4 Williams, who averages 15.8 points, committed to Illinois in February.
St. Joseph (25-8) and Belleville Althoff (30-2) hook up in a rematch of last season's title game at 2 p.m. Friday. The teams took completely different roads to Peoria this season.
St. Joseph, which wasn't tested in its 52-35 win over Ridgewood in the Hoffman Estates Supersectional, had an up-and-down season. The Chargers played a brutal schedule, with 6-11 center Nick Rakocevic, the top unsigned senior in the state, the only returning starter from last season's title team.
Rakocevic averages 19.7 points, 14.5 rebounds and 4 blocked shots per game. Marquise Walker, the Chargers' freshman point guard, adds 9.1 points.
"I've never had a team this young, period," said Pingatore, the state's all-time wins leader who is 987-341 in 47 years at St. Joseph. "That part was scary and I had no idea what was going to happen with starting a freshman point guard. He's very talented and willing to learn. He's stepped up in big games for us."
Althoff, ranked No. 20 in the nation by MaxPreps, is gunning for its first state championship after qualifying for state for the first time last year. Junior forward Jordan Goodwin, who averages 18.6 points and 9.2 rebounds, leads a talented and balanced group.
Most of Althoff's top players are back from last season's squad, including Southern Illinois recruit Brendon Gooch, UIC signee Tarkus Ferguson, junior D-I prospect Marvin Bateman, and fellow juniors C.J. Colden and Keenen Young.
"I know they will be really high on coming to get us because we got them last year," said Pingatore, who is seeking his third state title. "Their whole team is very athletic. Defensive matchups, from top to bottom, are my concern.
Bob Narang is a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune.
Class 3A tournament
Friday's semifinals
--Lincoln-Way West (21-9) vs. Peoria Manual (26-4), 12:15 p.m. (CSN).
--St. Joseph (25-8) vs. Belleville Althoff (30-2), 2 p.m. (CSN+).
Saturday's schedule
Third place, 12:15 p.m. (CSN).
Championship, 2 p.m. (CSN+).
