In the team’s final regular season game, Naperville Central’s boys basketball team was defeated by Waubonsie Valley 75-59 on Feb. 19. The Redhawks kept it close in the first half, but the Warriors pulled away in the second half.
The Warriors, with a 29-1 record, are the top seed in the Benet Academy sectional for the IHSA State Series, while the Redhawks are seeded 16th.
Central started strong, taking a brief lead in the first half. With under two minutes remaining before halftime, the Redhawks were ahead by one point. However, Waubonsie outscored Central late in the second quarter to lead 33-26 at the break.
“We held them pretty well in the first half,” senior Alex Liabo said. “I felt like my shot felt good tonight, but we could have had a few more go in. I felt like my defense was pretty physical.”
The Redhawks struggled to contain the Warriors’ offense after the break. They failed to capitalize on easy buckets, allowing the Warriors to pull ahead.
“We’ve been trying to build our chemistry, especially with a new coach, and I think we’ve been working on cutting to the basket more, getting closer to the basket, and trying to get easy finishes,” Liabo said. “It feels crazy, the time goes by fast.”
Waubonsie continued to hit several tough shots throughout the game, with a three-point buzzer beater as the third quarter ended.
“That’s a basketball team that can win a state championship,” head coach Mike Wilson said. “They haven’t lost a conference game in two years. It’s a tall order to play them because they’re hitting some tough shots, and they continue to hit tough shots. We kind of slowed down in the second half. I was proud of how the team reacted. They didn’t complain, they didn’t respond poorly to anything, and they just stayed positive. So, overall, it’s a success for us.”
Wilson is in his first season as head coach after the retirement of Pete Kramer, who led the team for 21 years
“Although we haven’t gotten a ton of wins, they’re changing the program in the right direction,” Wilson said. “And for that, we’re really proud of them.”
The Redhawks will face East Aurora on Feb. 24 at home for their first regional matchup and the last home game of the season.
“I look forward to the playoffs next week,” Liabo said. “I really hope we can beat East Aurora and move on to Boilingbrook.”