Basketball Preview
Metro East Sports Guide
JANUARY 2017
Basketball Preview
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JANUARY 2017
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Metro East Sports Guide
How to Reach Us
BASKETBALL PREVIEW
Advertiser Directory AT&T.................................. page 3
Editor Copyeditor Designer Reporter WEEKLY PLANNER SUBSCRIBERS Call 1-800-PLANNER. Advertising information call 708-836-2745. Advertising self service information at www.advertise.weeklyplanner.com.
2016 tournament results Happy Toys Inc. ............ page 6
250 E. Army Trail Road 630-894-8055
377 Glen Ellyn Road 630-883-3308
Auto Parts..................... page 10 160 S. Bloomingdale Road #K; 630-8946511
247 E. Army Trail Road 630-295-9441
C & D Citgo.................... page 5
251 E. Army Trail Road 847-809-5593
Citgo Gas Station......... page 20
Hardee’s of Troy............ page 4 Lee Auto Parts.............. page 10
160 S. Bloomingdale Road #K 630-894-6511
Meijer Gas Station....... page 19
AT&T.................................. page 3
250 E. Army Trail Road 630-894-8055
Auto Parts..................... page 10 C & D Citgo.................... page 5
251 E. Army Trail Road 847-809-5593
Citgo Gas Station......... page 20
128 S. Gary Avenue 630-351-7968
251 E. Army Trail Road 847-809-5593
Do It To It Car Wash...... page 4
Menards......................... page 24 250 W. Schick Road Inside Lakes Resort 630-980-1323
777 Sharp Point Road 630-883-3308
Enterprise...................... page 8 250 W. Schick Road Inside Hilton Indian Lakes Resort 630-980-1323
Subway........................... page 17
128 S. Gary Avenue 630-351-7968
Target.............................. page 11
NON-SUBSCRIBERS For questions or complaints about weekend delivery, please call 1-800-998-2339 or email weeklyplanner.com. To stop delivery, please provide your name and address to the above email.
160 S. Bloomingdale Road #K 630-894-6511
251 E. Army Trail Road 847-809-5593
777 Sharp Point Road 630-883-3308
PAGE 20
Do It To It Car Wash...... page 4
Enterprise Rent-A-Car... page 8 250 W. Schick Road Inside Hilton Indian Lakes Resort 630-980-1323
ON THE COVER Name and schools here and names and schools here.
128 S. Gary Avenue 630-351-7968
INDEX PAGE STRIP AD 10in X 2.5in
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JANUARY 2017
Page 4
Tyler Crater and coach Ralph Hodge.
Olivet Nazarene hoops coach, player reach milestones in same game BY JOE BLOW PREP SPORTS WATCH
A
fter 38 seasons of calling all the shots at his alma mater, legendary Olivet Nazarene coach Ralph Hodge finds senior star Tyler Crater to be the rarest of special breeds. “I’ve had some outstanding guys over my time, but Tyler has always been a viable guy for us,” Hodge said. “He’s always been able to light a fire under us with his offensive production that few players have. It’s been great to have him around.” Much of the reasoning for the level of affinity Hodge and Crater hold for one another lies in the details of what they’ve been able to accomplish side by side.
Hodge recently notched his 750th career victory in a game in which Crater was again the biggest star for ONU, notching a team-high 16 points to lead the Tigers past Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference rival Calumet College of St. Joseph (Ind.) 97-88 at McHie Arena. Before the night was over, Crater also bagged his 1,000 career point, making him just the 42nd player to achieve this mark over the program’s 51-year history. He is also now No. 19 in ONU history in threepointers, at 135. “I was just trying to snap the streak (six straight losses),” Crater said. “I didn’t know about coach’s record until after the game. As for the scoring mark, it’s good
company to be in, but we really just needed a win.” It’s that kind of team first, single-minded attitude that has endeared the onetime two-sport star to all of his coaches and teammates alike. For as long as he can remember, Crater has played both basketball and baseball, and when he was settling on a college to attend, part of his decision was based on which institutions would allow him to continue that tradition. Hodgeand ONU baseball coach Tom Reid got together and devised a schedule to allow Crater to do just that, and for two seasons, he did without either of them having any regrets about the sacrifices they made.
| BASKETBALL |
JANUARY 2017
Page 5
Olivet Nazarene hoops coach, player reach milestones in same game BY JOE BLOW PREP SPORTS WATCH
After 38 seasons of calling all the shots at his alma mater, legendary Olivet Nazarene coach Ralph Hodge finds senior star Tyler Crater to be the rarest of special breeds. “I’ve had some outstanding guys over my time, but Tyler has always been a viable guy for us,” Hodge said. “He’s always been able to light a fire under us with his offensive production that few players have. It’s been great to have him around.” Much of the reasoning for the level of affinity Hodge and Crater hold for one another lies in the details of what they’ve been able to accomplish side by side. Names Hodge recently notched his 750th career victory in a game in which Crater was again the biggest star for ONU, notching a team-high 16 points to lead the Tigers past Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference rival Calumet College of St. Joseph (Ind.) 97-88 at McHie Arena. Before the night was over, Crater also bagged his 1,000 career point, making him
just the 42nd player to achieve this mark over the program’s 51-year history. He is also now No. 19 in ONU history in three-pointers, at 135. “I was just trying to snap the streak (six straight losses),” Crater said. “I didn’t know about coach’s record until after the game. As for the scoring mark, it’s good company to
be in, but we really just needed a win.” It’s that kind of team first, single-minded attitude that has endeared the onetime two-sport star to all of his coaches and teammates alike. For as long as he can remember, Crater has played both basketball and baseball, and when he was settling on a college to attend, part of his decision was based on which institutions would allow him to continue that tradition. Hodgeand ONU baseball coach Tom Reid got together and devised a schedule to allow Crater to do just that, and for two seasons, he did without either of them having any regrets about the sacrifices they made. “He’s the one who put in all the work, so from Day 1, neither of us had had a problem,” Hodge said. “He set a great example. All his teammates saw how hard he was willing to work, and many of them started to push themselves a little harder.” In Crater’s mind, it was all just a case of the situation allowing Tyler to be Tyler. “It’s allowed me to get to know so many
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Page 6
Player, coach reach milestones in same game BY JOE BLOW PREP SPORTS WATCH
After 38 seasons of calling all the shots at his alma mater, legendary Olivet Nazarene coach Ralph Hodge finds senior star Tyler Crater to be the rarest of special breeds. “I’ve had some outstanding guys over my time, but Tyler has always been a viable guy for us,” Hodge said. “He’s always been able to light a fire under us with his offensive production that few players have. It’s been great to have him around.” Much of the reasoning for the level of affinity Hodge and Crater hold for one another lies in the details of what they’ve been able to accomplish side by side. Hodge recently notched his 750th career victory in a game in which Crater was again the biggest star for ONU, notching a team-high 16 points to lead the Tigers past Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference rival Calumet College of St. Joseph (Ind.) 97-88 at McHie Arena. Before the night was over, Crater also bagged his 1,000 career point, making him just the 42nd player to achieve Tyler Crater this mark over the program’s 51-year history. He is also now No. 19 in ONU history in three-pointers, at 135. in, but we really just needed a win.” “I was just trying to snap the streak (six It’s that kind of team first, single-minded straight losses),” Crater said. “I didn’t know attitude that has endeared the onetime twoabout coach’s record until after the game. As sport star to all of his coaches and teammates for the scoring mark, it’s good company to be alike.
For as long as he can remember, Crater has played both basketball and baseball, and when he was settling on a college to attend, part of his decision was based on which institutions would allow him to continue that tradition. Hodgeand ONU baseball coach Tom Reid got together and devised a schedule to allow Crater to do just that, and for two seasons, he did without either of them having any regrets about the sacrifices they made. “He’s the one who put in all the work, so from Day 1, neither of us had had a problem,” Hodge said. “He set a great example. All his teammates saw how hard he was willing to work, and many of them started to push themselves a little harder.” In Crater’s mind, it was all just a case of the situation allowing Tyler to be Tyler. “It’s allowed me to get to know so many people,” he said. “Around the university, I have two sets of friends now, and we all have a great time of being friends and onetime teammates.” What comes next for the shooting guard/catcher and Academic AllAmerican (3.8 PPA) remains to be seen, though the potential communications major is adamant that he wants to stay close to the field. “No matter what I get my degree in, I would want to stay close to sports,” Crater said. “For a lot of athletes, the perfect fallback is coaching, but I don’t think it’s my thing. Either way, I want to be around sports for as long as I can be.”
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JANUARY 2017
Page 8
Tyler Crater and coach Ralph Hodge.
Senior point guard leads on the court, in the classroom BY JOE BLOW PREP SPORTS WATCH
A
fter 38 seasons of calling all the shots at his alma mater, legendary Olivet Nazarene coach Ralph Hodge finds senior star Tyler Crater to be the rarest of special breeds. “I’ve had some outstanding guys over my time, but Tyler has always been a viable guy for us,” Hodge said. “He’s always been able to light a fire under us with his offensive production that few players have. It’s been great to have him around.” Much of the reasoning for the level of affinity Hodge and Crater hold for one another lies in the details of what they’ve been able to accomplish side by side.
Hodge recently notched his 750th career victory in a game in which Crater was again the biggest star for ONU, notching a team-high 16 points to lead the Tigers past Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference rival Calumet College of St. Joseph (Ind.) 97-88 at McHie Arena. Before the night was over, Crater also bagged his 1,000 career point, making him just the 42nd player to achieve this mark over the program’s 51-year history. He is also now No. 19 in ONU history in threepointers, at 135. “I was just trying to snap the streak (six straight losses),” Crater said. “I didn’t know about coach’s record until after the game. As for the scoring mark, it’s good
company to be in, but we really just needed a win.” It’s that kind of team first, single-minded attitude that has endeared the onetime two-sport star to all of his coaches and teammates alike. For as long as he can remember, Crater has played both basketball and baseball, and when he was settling on a college to attend, part of his decision was based on which institutions would allow him to continue that tradition. Hodgeand ONU baseball coach Tom Reid got together and devised a schedule to allow Crater to do just that, and for two seasons, he did without either of them having any regrets about the sacrifices they made.
| BASKETBALL |
JANUARY 2017
Page 9
‘Focus, discipline’ are key to Collinsville hoops team’s success BY JOE BLOW PREP SPORTS WATCH
After 38 seasons of calling all the shots at his alma mater, legendary Olivet Nazarene coach Ralph Hodge finds senior star Tyler Crater to be the rarest of special breeds. “I’ve had some outstanding guys over my time, but Tyler has always been a viable guy for us,” Hodge said. “He’s always been able to light a fire under us with his offensive production that few players have. It’s been great to have him around.” Much of the reasoning for the level of affinity Hodge and Crater hold for one another lies in the details of what they’ve been able to accomplish side by side. Names Hodge recently notched his 750th career victory in a game in which Crater was again the biggest star for ONU, notching a team-high 16 points to lead the Tigers past Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference rival Calumet College of St. Joseph (Ind.) 97-88 at McHie Arena. Before the night was over, Crater also bagged his 1,000 career point, making him
just the 42nd player to achieve this mark over the program’s 51-year history. He is also now No. 19 in ONU history in three-pointers, at 135. “I was just trying to snap the streak (six straight losses),” Crater said. “I didn’t know about coach’s record until after the game. As for the scoring mark, it’s good company to
be in, but we really just needed a win.” It’s that kind of team first, single-minded attitude that has endeared the onetime two-sport star to all of his coaches and teammates alike. For as long as he can remember, Crater has played both basketball and baseball, and when he was settling on a college to attend, part of his decision was based on which institutions would allow him to continue that tradition. Hodgeand ONU baseball coach Tom Reid got together and devised a schedule to allow Crater to do just that, and for two seasons, he did without either of them having any regrets about the sacrifices they made. “He’s the one who put in all the work, so from Day 1, neither of us had had a problem,” Hodge said. “He set a great example. All his teammates saw how hard he was willing to work, and many of them started to push themselves a little harder.” In Crater’s mind, it was all just a case of the situation allowing Tyler to be Tyler. “It’s allowed me to get to know so many
SPONSORSHIP #3 STRIP AD 10in X 2.5in
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JANUARY 2017
Page 10
Can No. 1 Alton live up to the hype? BY JOE BLOW PREP SPORTS WATCH
After 38 seasons of calling all the shots at his alma mater, legendary Olivet Nazarene coach Ralph Hodge finds senior star Tyler Crater to be the rarest of special breeds. “I’ve had some outstanding guys over my time, but Tyler has always been a viable guy for us,” Hodge said. “He’s always been able to light a fire under us with his offensive production that few players have. It’s been great to have him around.” Much of the reasoning for the level of affinity Hodge and Crater hold for one another lies in the details of what they’ve been able to accomplish side by side. Hodge recently notched his 750th career victory in a game in which Crater was again the biggest star for ONU, notching a team-high 16 points to lead the Tigers past Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference rival Calumet College of St. Joseph (Ind.) 97-88 at McHie Arena. Before the night was over, Crater also bagged his 1,000 career point, making him just the 42nd player to achieve Tyler Crater this mark over the program’s 51-year history. He is also now No. 19 in ONU history in three-pointers, at 135. in, but we really just needed a win.” “I was just trying to snap the streak (six It’s that kind of team first, single-minded straight losses),” Crater said. “I didn’t know attitude that has endeared the onetime twoabout coach’s record until after the game. As sport star to all of his coaches and teammates for the scoring mark, it’s good company to be alike.
For as long as he can remember, Crater has played both basketball and baseball, and when he was settling on a college to attend, part of his decision was based on which institutions would allow him to continue that tradition. Hodgeand ONU baseball coach Tom Reid got together and devised a schedule to allow Crater to do just that, and for two seasons, he did without either of them having any regrets about the sacrifices they made. “He’s the one who put in all the work, so from Day 1, neither of us had had a problem,” Hodge said. “He set a great example. All his teammates saw how hard he was willing to work, and many of them started to push themselves a little harder.” In Crater’s mind, it was all just a case of the situation allowing Tyler to be Tyler. “It’s allowed me to get to know so many people,” he said. “Around the university, I have two sets of friends now, and we all have a great time of being friends and onetime teammates.” What comes next for the shooting guard/catcher and Academic AllAmerican (3.8 PPA) remains to be seen, though the potential communications major is adamant that he wants to stay close to the field. “No matter what I get my degree in, I would want to stay close to sports,” Crater said. “For a lot of athletes, the perfect fallback is coaching, but I don’t think it’s my thing. Either way, I want to be around sports for as long as I can be.”
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JANUARY 2017
Edwardsville Tigers Mascot: Tigers Colors: Orange, Black Home court: 6161 Center Grove Road, Edwardsville
HEAD COACH: MIKE WALDO
NATHAN KOLESA
CALEB STROHMEIER
MARK SMITH
A.J. EPENESA
OLIVER STEPHEN
JACK MARINKO
JACKSON BEST
R.J. WILSON
MALIK ROBINSON
LAVONTAS HAIRSTON
Page 12
Name
Height
Year
Mark Smith
6’5
Sr.
Oliver Stephen
6’4
Sr.
A.J. Epenesa
6’5
Sr.
Caleb Strohmeier
6’7
Sr.
Jack Marinko
5’10
Jr.
Nathan Kolesa
6’2
Sr.
Jackson Best
5’10
Sr.
R.J. Wilson
6’2
Jr.
Malik Robinson
5’10
Soph.
Lavontas Hairston
6’3
Soph.
Tyler Tepen
5’10
Soph.
Trenton Moore
6’4
Soph
Jaylan Tuggle
6’1
Soph.
Zach Doornik
6’5
Sr.
TYLER TEPEN
TRENTON MOORE
JAYLAN TUGGLE
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JANUARY 2017
Page 14
Grayslake North hoopster helps power team to sizzling start BY JOE BLOW PREP SPORTS WATCH
Jamal Thomas is the engine for the Grayslake North boys basketball team. As a 5-10 senior point guard, Thomas averages 21 points, eight assists and five rebounds in leading his team to a 4-1 record. “We are a team that likes to get up and down the court as much as possible, and Jamal has the ability to lead us in transition, even when the other team scores,’’ Grayslake North coach Todd Grunloh told the Lake County Gazette. “He has tremendous endurance, which allows him to push the ball at our pace for a full 32 minutes. He is a strong kid that also has a great touch around the basket.’’ Grunloh said the best thing about Thomas is that he is a team player. “When you watch Jamal, you will always notice that it is not just about Jamal – he is always setting up his teammates and putting them in position to succeed as well,’’ Grunloh said. Thomas knows he has a lot to work on. “I work on finding my open teammates, and I have been working on my shot,’’ Thomas said. “I have also been working on my defense.’’ Grunloh said he is especially happy at how much progress Thomas has made defensively. “One of the things that I am most proud of is
how much better Jamal has become on the defensive side of the court,’’ Grunloh said. “When he first transferred, he was a work in progress on defense, and he has really pushed himself to become a better defender.’’ Thomas transferred to Grayslake North during his sophomore year from his home in Pontiac, Michigan. His mother received a promotion to the Chicago area through her job at Volkswagen credit. Thomas did not play with the basketball team until his junior year, but the year off was beneficial.
“I played in open gym with guys on the team, and it helped me get used to them,’’ Thomas said. Grunloh also said the time off helped Thomas. “I think what helped Jamal is that he transferred in April of his sophomore year, so that allowed him to be more acclimated with our school and his teammates, which he was able to become more comfortable with in open gyms,’’ Grunloh said. “He took that a step further and continued to understand what we do as a program throughout summer camp, and by the time we started basketball in November of his junior year, he was completely comfortable with his surroundings and with what we expected him to do on the basketball court.’’ Besides being talented on the court, Grunloh said Thomas has something else going for him. “I’m not sure I have met a high school kid that is more caring and more respectful than Jamal,” Grunloh said. “The great thing about Jamal is that this applies to his teachers, his coaches, his teammates, opponents, etc. He is a very hardworking, humble kid.” Thomas has the majority of his senior year ahead of him and hopes to lead his team to another 20-win season and a possible sectional title. After his high school career, Thomas said he would like to go to college and play some college ball.
SPONSORSHIP #5 STRIP AD 10in X 2.5in
JANUARY 2017
Schedule Nov. 21-26 At Highland Battling Bulldogs Tournament Nov. 21 vs. Waterloo, 8 p.m. * Nov. 22 vs. Carbondale, 6:30 p.m. * Nov. 25 vs. Highland, 7 p.m. * Nov. 26 vs. Althoff, 5 p.m. * Dec. 3 at Belleville West at SIUE, 6:30 p.m. Dec. 6 vs. Belleville East, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9 at Collinsville, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 16 at Granite City, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 28-30 at Collinsville Tournament Jan. 3 vs. East St. Louis, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 6 vs. O’Fallon, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 13 at Alton, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 18-21 at Salem Tournament Jan. 27 vs. Belleville West, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 31 at Gateway Tech, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 3 at East St. Louis, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7 vs. De Smet, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10 vs. Granite City, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14 vs. Collinsville, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17 vs. Alton, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21 at O’Fallon, 7:30 p.m.
| BASKETBALL |
Page 15
Edwardsville in the IHSA Tournament 2015-16 2014-15 2013-14 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11 2009-10 2008-09 2007-08 2006-07 2005-06 2004-05 2003-04 2002-03 2001-02 2000-01 1999-00 1998-99 1997-98 1996-97 1995-96 1994-95 1993-94
25-5 30-4 31-3 35-3 24-6 13-16 19-9 22-6 26-3 19-9 30-1 23-4 22-7 21-7 18-9 12-15 22-7 23-6 19-9 23-4 20-8 24-5 17-8
State Semifinals (4th) State Semifinals (3rd) State Semifinals (3rd) Supersectional
State Semifinals
State Semifinals
School specific #1 HALF PAGE AD 10in X 2.5in
Good luck to the
Edwardsville Tigers
from your biggest fans!
Sammy’s Sandwiches —open 24 hours—
Dedication Dedication Dedication 555 St. Louis St. spot AD 1 spot AD 2 spot AD 3 Edwardsville (618) 555-1212
Dedication Dedication Dedication spot AD 7 spot AD 8 spot AD 9
Dedication Dedication Dedication Dedication Dedication Dedication spot AD 4 spot AD 5 spot AD 6 spot AD 10 spot AD 11 spot AD 12
2016 IHSA Class 1A Results
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2017 IHSA Class 1A Tournament
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JANUARY 2017
Basketball Preview
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Providing coverage for: Alhambra, Belleville, Collinsville, Edgemont, Edwardsville, Fairview Heights, Glen Carbon, Grantfork, Hamel, Highland, Livingston, Marine, Maryville, O’Fallon, Pierron, Prairietown, St. Jacob, Staunton, Troy, Williamson, Worden
COVER SPONSOR
LOGO
| BASKETBALL |
JANUARY 2017
Page 2
Metro East Sports Guide
How to Reach Us
BASKETBALL PREVIEW
Advertiser Directory AT&T.................................. page 3
Editor Copyeditor Designer Reporter WEEKLY PLANNER SUBSCRIBERS Call 1-800-PLANNER. Advertising information call 708-836-2745. Advertising self service information at www.advertise.weeklyplanner.com.
2016 tournament results Happy Toys Inc. ............ page 6
250 E. Army Trail Road 630-894-8055
377 Glen Ellyn Road 630-883-3308
Auto Parts..................... page 10 160 S. Bloomingdale Road #K; 630-8946511
247 E. Army Trail Road 630-295-9441
C & D Citgo.................... page 5
251 E. Army Trail Road 847-809-5593
Citgo Gas Station......... page 20
Hardee’s of Troy............ page 4 Lee Auto Parts.............. page 10
160 S. Bloomingdale Road #K 630-894-6511
Meijer Gas Station....... page 19
AT&T.................................. page 3
250 E. Army Trail Road 630-894-8055
Auto Parts..................... page 10 C & D Citgo.................... page 5
251 E. Army Trail Road 847-809-5593
Citgo Gas Station......... page 20
128 S. Gary Avenue 630-351-7968
251 E. Army Trail Road 847-809-5593
Do It To It Car Wash...... page 4
Menards......................... page 24 250 W. Schick Road Inside Lakes Resort 630-980-1323
777 Sharp Point Road 630-883-3308
Enterprise...................... page 8 250 W. Schick Road Inside Hilton Indian Lakes Resort 630-980-1323
Subway........................... page 17
128 S. Gary Avenue 630-351-7968
Target.............................. page 11
NON-SUBSCRIBERS For questions or complaints about weekend delivery, please call 1-800-998-2339 or email weeklyplanner.com. To stop delivery, please provide your name and address to the above email.
160 S. Bloomingdale Road #K 630-894-6511
251 E. Army Trail Road 847-809-5593
777 Sharp Point Road 630-883-3308
PAGE 20
Do It To It Car Wash...... page 4
Enterprise Rent-A-Car... page 8 250 W. Schick Road Inside Hilton Indian Lakes Resort 630-980-1323
ON THE COVER Name and schools here and names and schools here.
128 S. Gary Avenue 630-351-7968
INDEX PAGE STRIP AD 10in X 2.5in
FULL PAGE AD #1 10in X 10in
| BASKETBALL |
JANUARY 2017
Page 4
Tyler Crater and coach Ralph Hodge.
Olivet Nazarene hoops coach, player reach milestones in same game BY JOE BLOW PREP SPORTS WATCH
A
fter 38 seasons of calling all the shots at his alma mater, legendary Olivet Nazarene coach Ralph Hodge finds senior star Tyler Crater to be the rarest of special breeds. “I’ve had some outstanding guys over my time, but Tyler has always been a viable guy for us,” Hodge said. “He’s always been able to light a fire under us with his offensive production that few players have. It’s been great to have him around.” Much of the reasoning for the level of affinity Hodge and Crater hold for one another lies in the details of what they’ve been able to accomplish side by side.
Hodge recently notched his 750th career victory in a game in which Crater was again the biggest star for ONU, notching a team-high 16 points to lead the Tigers past Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference rival Calumet College of St. Joseph (Ind.) 97-88 at McHie Arena. Before the night was over, Crater also bagged his 1,000 career point, making him just the 42nd player to achieve this mark over the program’s 51-year history. He is also now No. 19 in ONU history in threepointers, at 135. “I was just trying to snap the streak (six straight losses),” Crater said. “I didn’t know about coach’s record until after the game. As for the scoring mark, it’s good
company to be in, but we really just needed a win.” It’s that kind of team first, single-minded attitude that has endeared the onetime two-sport star to all of his coaches and teammates alike. For as long as he can remember, Crater has played both basketball and baseball, and when he was settling on a college to attend, part of his decision was based on which institutions would allow him to continue that tradition. Hodgeand ONU baseball coach Tom Reid got together and devised a schedule to allow Crater to do just that, and for two seasons, he did without either of them having any regrets about the sacrifices they made.
| BASKETBALL |
JANUARY 2017
Page 5
Olivet Nazarene hoops coach, player reach milestones in same game BY JOE BLOW PREP SPORTS WATCH
After 38 seasons of calling all the shots at his alma mater, legendary Olivet Nazarene coach Ralph Hodge finds senior star Tyler Crater to be the rarest of special breeds. “I’ve had some outstanding guys over my time, but Tyler has always been a viable guy for us,” Hodge said. “He’s always been able to light a fire under us with his offensive production that few players have. It’s been great to have him around.” Much of the reasoning for the level of affinity Hodge and Crater hold for one another lies in the details of what they’ve been able to accomplish side by side. Names Hodge recently notched his 750th career victory in a game in which Crater was again the biggest star for ONU, notching a team-high 16 points to lead the Tigers past Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference rival Calumet College of St. Joseph (Ind.) 97-88 at McHie Arena. Before the night was over, Crater also bagged his 1,000 career point, making him
just the 42nd player to achieve this mark over the program’s 51-year history. He is also now No. 19 in ONU history in three-pointers, at 135. “I was just trying to snap the streak (six straight losses),” Crater said. “I didn’t know about coach’s record until after the game. As for the scoring mark, it’s good company to
be in, but we really just needed a win.” It’s that kind of team first, single-minded attitude that has endeared the onetime two-sport star to all of his coaches and teammates alike. For as long as he can remember, Crater has played both basketball and baseball, and when he was settling on a college to attend, part of his decision was based on which institutions would allow him to continue that tradition. Hodgeand ONU baseball coach Tom Reid got together and devised a schedule to allow Crater to do just that, and for two seasons, he did without either of them having any regrets about the sacrifices they made. “He’s the one who put in all the work, so from Day 1, neither of us had had a problem,” Hodge said. “He set a great example. All his teammates saw how hard he was willing to work, and many of them started to push themselves a little harder.” In Crater’s mind, it was all just a case of the situation allowing Tyler to be Tyler. “It’s allowed me to get to know so many
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Page 6
Player, coach reach milestones in same game BY JOE BLOW PREP SPORTS WATCH
After 38 seasons of calling all the shots at his alma mater, legendary Olivet Nazarene coach Ralph Hodge finds senior star Tyler Crater to be the rarest of special breeds. “I’ve had some outstanding guys over my time, but Tyler has always been a viable guy for us,” Hodge said. “He’s always been able to light a fire under us with his offensive production that few players have. It’s been great to have him around.” Much of the reasoning for the level of affinity Hodge and Crater hold for one another lies in the details of what they’ve been able to accomplish side by side. Hodge recently notched his 750th career victory in a game in which Crater was again the biggest star for ONU, notching a team-high 16 points to lead the Tigers past Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference rival Calumet College of St. Joseph (Ind.) 97-88 at McHie Arena. Before the night was over, Crater also bagged his 1,000 career point, making him just the 42nd player to achieve Tyler Crater this mark over the program’s 51-year history. He is also now No. 19 in ONU history in three-pointers, at 135. in, but we really just needed a win.” “I was just trying to snap the streak (six It’s that kind of team first, single-minded straight losses),” Crater said. “I didn’t know attitude that has endeared the onetime twoabout coach’s record until after the game. As sport star to all of his coaches and teammates for the scoring mark, it’s good company to be alike.
For as long as he can remember, Crater has played both basketball and baseball, and when he was settling on a college to attend, part of his decision was based on which institutions would allow him to continue that tradition. Hodgeand ONU baseball coach Tom Reid got together and devised a schedule to allow Crater to do just that, and for two seasons, he did without either of them having any regrets about the sacrifices they made. “He’s the one who put in all the work, so from Day 1, neither of us had had a problem,” Hodge said. “He set a great example. All his teammates saw how hard he was willing to work, and many of them started to push themselves a little harder.” In Crater’s mind, it was all just a case of the situation allowing Tyler to be Tyler. “It’s allowed me to get to know so many people,” he said. “Around the university, I have two sets of friends now, and we all have a great time of being friends and onetime teammates.” What comes next for the shooting guard/catcher and Academic AllAmerican (3.8 PPA) remains to be seen, though the potential communications major is adamant that he wants to stay close to the field. “No matter what I get my degree in, I would want to stay close to sports,” Crater said. “For a lot of athletes, the perfect fallback is coaching, but I don’t think it’s my thing. Either way, I want to be around sports for as long as I can be.”
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Page 8
Tyler Crater and coach Ralph Hodge.
Senior point guard leads on the court, in the classroom BY JOE BLOW PREP SPORTS WATCH
A
fter 38 seasons of calling all the shots at his alma mater, legendary Olivet Nazarene coach Ralph Hodge finds senior star Tyler Crater to be the rarest of special breeds. “I’ve had some outstanding guys over my time, but Tyler has always been a viable guy for us,” Hodge said. “He’s always been able to light a fire under us with his offensive production that few players have. It’s been great to have him around.” Much of the reasoning for the level of affinity Hodge and Crater hold for one another lies in the details of what they’ve been able to accomplish side by side.
Hodge recently notched his 750th career victory in a game in which Crater was again the biggest star for ONU, notching a team-high 16 points to lead the Tigers past Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference rival Calumet College of St. Joseph (Ind.) 97-88 at McHie Arena. Before the night was over, Crater also bagged his 1,000 career point, making him just the 42nd player to achieve this mark over the program’s 51-year history. He is also now No. 19 in ONU history in threepointers, at 135. “I was just trying to snap the streak (six straight losses),” Crater said. “I didn’t know about coach’s record until after the game. As for the scoring mark, it’s good
company to be in, but we really just needed a win.” It’s that kind of team first, single-minded attitude that has endeared the onetime two-sport star to all of his coaches and teammates alike. For as long as he can remember, Crater has played both basketball and baseball, and when he was settling on a college to attend, part of his decision was based on which institutions would allow him to continue that tradition. Hodgeand ONU baseball coach Tom Reid got together and devised a schedule to allow Crater to do just that, and for two seasons, he did without either of them having any regrets about the sacrifices they made.
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JANUARY 2017
Page 9
‘Focus, discipline’ are key to Collinsville hoops team’s success BY JOE BLOW PREP SPORTS WATCH
After 38 seasons of calling all the shots at his alma mater, legendary Olivet Nazarene coach Ralph Hodge finds senior star Tyler Crater to be the rarest of special breeds. “I’ve had some outstanding guys over my time, but Tyler has always been a viable guy for us,” Hodge said. “He’s always been able to light a fire under us with his offensive production that few players have. It’s been great to have him around.” Much of the reasoning for the level of affinity Hodge and Crater hold for one another lies in the details of what they’ve been able to accomplish side by side. Names Hodge recently notched his 750th career victory in a game in which Crater was again the biggest star for ONU, notching a team-high 16 points to lead the Tigers past Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference rival Calumet College of St. Joseph (Ind.) 97-88 at McHie Arena. Before the night was over, Crater also bagged his 1,000 career point, making him
just the 42nd player to achieve this mark over the program’s 51-year history. He is also now No. 19 in ONU history in three-pointers, at 135. “I was just trying to snap the streak (six straight losses),” Crater said. “I didn’t know about coach’s record until after the game. As for the scoring mark, it’s good company to
be in, but we really just needed a win.” It’s that kind of team first, single-minded attitude that has endeared the onetime two-sport star to all of his coaches and teammates alike. For as long as he can remember, Crater has played both basketball and baseball, and when he was settling on a college to attend, part of his decision was based on which institutions would allow him to continue that tradition. Hodgeand ONU baseball coach Tom Reid got together and devised a schedule to allow Crater to do just that, and for two seasons, he did without either of them having any regrets about the sacrifices they made. “He’s the one who put in all the work, so from Day 1, neither of us had had a problem,” Hodge said. “He set a great example. All his teammates saw how hard he was willing to work, and many of them started to push themselves a little harder.” In Crater’s mind, it was all just a case of the situation allowing Tyler to be Tyler. “It’s allowed me to get to know so many
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Page 10
Can No. 1 Alton live up to the hype? BY JOE BLOW PREP SPORTS WATCH
After 38 seasons of calling all the shots at his alma mater, legendary Olivet Nazarene coach Ralph Hodge finds senior star Tyler Crater to be the rarest of special breeds. “I’ve had some outstanding guys over my time, but Tyler has always been a viable guy for us,” Hodge said. “He’s always been able to light a fire under us with his offensive production that few players have. It’s been great to have him around.” Much of the reasoning for the level of affinity Hodge and Crater hold for one another lies in the details of what they’ve been able to accomplish side by side. Hodge recently notched his 750th career victory in a game in which Crater was again the biggest star for ONU, notching a team-high 16 points to lead the Tigers past Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference rival Calumet College of St. Joseph (Ind.) 97-88 at McHie Arena. Before the night was over, Crater also bagged his 1,000 career point, making him just the 42nd player to achieve Tyler Crater this mark over the program’s 51-year history. He is also now No. 19 in ONU history in three-pointers, at 135. in, but we really just needed a win.” “I was just trying to snap the streak (six It’s that kind of team first, single-minded straight losses),” Crater said. “I didn’t know attitude that has endeared the onetime twoabout coach’s record until after the game. As sport star to all of his coaches and teammates for the scoring mark, it’s good company to be alike.
For as long as he can remember, Crater has played both basketball and baseball, and when he was settling on a college to attend, part of his decision was based on which institutions would allow him to continue that tradition. Hodgeand ONU baseball coach Tom Reid got together and devised a schedule to allow Crater to do just that, and for two seasons, he did without either of them having any regrets about the sacrifices they made. “He’s the one who put in all the work, so from Day 1, neither of us had had a problem,” Hodge said. “He set a great example. All his teammates saw how hard he was willing to work, and many of them started to push themselves a little harder.” In Crater’s mind, it was all just a case of the situation allowing Tyler to be Tyler. “It’s allowed me to get to know so many people,” he said. “Around the university, I have two sets of friends now, and we all have a great time of being friends and onetime teammates.” What comes next for the shooting guard/catcher and Academic AllAmerican (3.8 PPA) remains to be seen, though the potential communications major is adamant that he wants to stay close to the field. “No matter what I get my degree in, I would want to stay close to sports,” Crater said. “For a lot of athletes, the perfect fallback is coaching, but I don’t think it’s my thing. Either way, I want to be around sports for as long as I can be.”
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Edwardsville Tigers Mascot: Tigers Colors: Orange, Black Home court: 6161 Center Grove Road, Edwardsville
HEAD COACH: MIKE WALDO
NATHAN KOLESA
CALEB STROHMEIER
MARK SMITH
A.J. EPENESA
OLIVER STEPHEN
JACK MARINKO
JACKSON BEST
R.J. WILSON
MALIK ROBINSON
LAVONTAS HAIRSTON
Page 12
Name
Height
Year
Mark Smith
6’5
Sr.
Oliver Stephen
6’4
Sr.
A.J. Epenesa
6’5
Sr.
Caleb Strohmeier
6’7
Sr.
Jack Marinko
5’10
Jr.
Nathan Kolesa
6’2
Sr.
Jackson Best
5’10
Sr.
R.J. Wilson
6’2
Jr.
Malik Robinson
5’10
Soph.
Lavontas Hairston
6’3
Soph.
Tyler Tepen
5’10
Soph.
Trenton Moore
6’4
Soph
Jaylan Tuggle
6’1
Soph.
Zach Doornik
6’5
Sr.
TYLER TEPEN
TRENTON MOORE
JAYLAN TUGGLE
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Grayslake North hoopster helps power team to sizzling start BY JOE BLOW PREP SPORTS WATCH
Jamal Thomas is the engine for the Grayslake North boys basketball team. As a 5-10 senior point guard, Thomas averages 21 points, eight assists and five rebounds in leading his team to a 4-1 record. “We are a team that likes to get up and down the court as much as possible, and Jamal has the ability to lead us in transition, even when the other team scores,’’ Grayslake North coach Todd Grunloh told the Lake County Gazette. “He has tremendous endurance, which allows him to push the ball at our pace for a full 32 minutes. He is a strong kid that also has a great touch around the basket.’’ Grunloh said the best thing about Thomas is that he is a team player. “When you watch Jamal, you will always notice that it is not just about Jamal – he is always setting up his teammates and putting them in position to succeed as well,’’ Grunloh said. Thomas knows he has a lot to work on. “I work on finding my open teammates, and I have been working on my shot,’’ Thomas said. “I have also been working on my defense.’’ Grunloh said he is especially happy at how much progress Thomas has made defensively. “One of the things that I am most proud of is
how much better Jamal has become on the defensive side of the court,’’ Grunloh said. “When he first transferred, he was a work in progress on defense, and he has really pushed himself to become a better defender.’’ Thomas transferred to Grayslake North during his sophomore year from his home in Pontiac, Michigan. His mother received a promotion to the Chicago area through her job at Volkswagen credit. Thomas did not play with the basketball team until his junior year, but the year off was beneficial.
“I played in open gym with guys on the team, and it helped me get used to them,’’ Thomas said. Grunloh also said the time off helped Thomas. “I think what helped Jamal is that he transferred in April of his sophomore year, so that allowed him to be more acclimated with our school and his teammates, which he was able to become more comfortable with in open gyms,’’ Grunloh said. “He took that a step further and continued to understand what we do as a program throughout summer camp, and by the time we started basketball in November of his junior year, he was completely comfortable with his surroundings and with what we expected him to do on the basketball court.’’ Besides being talented on the court, Grunloh said Thomas has something else going for him. “I’m not sure I have met a high school kid that is more caring and more respectful than Jamal,” Grunloh said. “The great thing about Jamal is that this applies to his teachers, his coaches, his teammates, opponents, etc. He is a very hardworking, humble kid.” Thomas has the majority of his senior year ahead of him and hopes to lead his team to another 20-win season and a possible sectional title. After his high school career, Thomas said he would like to go to college and play some college ball.
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Schedule Nov. 21-26 At Highland Battling Bulldogs Tournament Nov. 21 vs. Waterloo, 8 p.m. * Nov. 22 vs. Carbondale, 6:30 p.m. * Nov. 25 vs. Highland, 7 p.m. * Nov. 26 vs. Althoff, 5 p.m. * Dec. 3 at Belleville West at SIUE, 6:30 p.m. Dec. 6 vs. Belleville East, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9 at Collinsville, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 16 at Granite City, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 28-30 at Collinsville Tournament Jan. 3 vs. East St. Louis, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 6 vs. O’Fallon, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 13 at Alton, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 18-21 at Salem Tournament Jan. 27 vs. Belleville West, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 31 at Gateway Tech, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 3 at East St. Louis, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7 vs. De Smet, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10 vs. Granite City, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14 vs. Collinsville, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17 vs. Alton, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21 at O’Fallon, 7:30 p.m.
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Edwardsville in the IHSA Tournament 2015-16 2014-15 2013-14 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11 2009-10 2008-09 2007-08 2006-07 2005-06 2004-05 2003-04 2002-03 2001-02 2000-01 1999-00 1998-99 1997-98 1996-97 1995-96 1994-95 1993-94
25-5 30-4 31-3 35-3 24-6 13-16 19-9 22-6 26-3 19-9 30-1 23-4 22-7 21-7 18-9 12-15 22-7 23-6 19-9 23-4 20-8 24-5 17-8
State Semifinals (4th) State Semifinals (3rd) State Semifinals (3rd) Supersectional
State Semifinals
State Semifinals
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Good luck to the
Edwardsville Tigers
from your biggest fans!
Sammy’s Sandwiches —open 24 hours—
Dedication Dedication Dedication 555 St. Louis St. spot AD 1 spot AD 2 spot AD 3 Edwardsville (618) 555-1212
Dedication Dedication Dedication spot AD 7 spot AD 8 spot AD 9
Dedication Dedication Dedication Dedication Dedication Dedication spot AD 4 spot AD 5 spot AD 6 spot AD 10 spot AD 11 spot AD 12
2016 IHSA Class 1A Results
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2017 IHSA Class 1A Tournament
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