Boys basketball IHSA sectional preview: McHenry, Crystal Lake South get their shots

Before his first game as McHenry’s boys basketball coach, Corky Card noticed something different about his new team.

The Warriors arrived for their opener in the Woodstock Thanksgiving Tournament and got off their bus. Card checked to make sure everything necessary was unloaded from the bus and then disembarked, only to see the players waiting outside the door of the school.

Card asked what they were doing, to which assistant coach Rob Niemic responded that they go everywhere as a group.

“He said they don’t go in a building unless everyone’s together,” Card said. “They all sit together at games. I’ve coached a long time, and I haven’t seen that.”

Card lauded former coach Chris Madson, who now is McHenry’s athletic director, and Niemic for building that kind of culture. That is part of why the Warriors (25-8) are one of two area teams still playing in the boys basketball sectional tournaments this week.

McHenry faces Hononegah (13-16) at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Class 4A Guilford Sectional at Rock Valley College in Rockford.

Crystal Lake South (29-3) meets Freeport (21-12) in a Class 3A Kaneland Sectional semifinal at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Maple Park.

McHenry beat Mundelein 65-46 on Friday for the Jacobs Regional championship, the Warriors’ first since 2012. South defeated Wheaton Academy for the Cary-Grove Regional title, giving the Gators back-to-back regional titles for the first time since 1992 and 1993.

[ Read more: McHenry tops Mundelein for first regional title since 2012 ]

Card was 251-182 in 15 seasons as Prairie Ridge’s head coach, leaving after the 2017 season and coaching four years at Dunlap. He was hired late in the summer to replace Madson, who moved over to the AD position. Card’s Prairie Ridge teams won five regional championships.

“You don’t win without players,” Card said. “We have a deep group of kids here. We have had different kids start and play more time depending on matchup and how others are playing, and they sacrifice what’s best for them for what’s best for us. Their attitude has grown throughout the year.”

McHenry, which has tied its school record for wins, had most of its top players returning, led by seniors Marko Visnjevac and Hayden Stone, junior Caleb Jett and sophomore Adam Anwar. The Warriors have won every tournament they have played in this season, Woodstock at Thanksgiving, Marengo’s E.C. Nichols Holiday Tournament and the regional.

“It means the world to me [to still be playing],” said Visnjevac, who passed 1,000 points this season. “I’ve been waiting three years to make a run like this, and to do it with this group of guys is just magical.

“We knew last year we had the right pieces, but we were just young. Coming into this year we knew what we all wanted to accomplish, and making a big playoff run is definitely something we have talked about.”

Visnjevac said the players enjoy what Card has done, as well as what Madson did previously.

“Coach Card will be known as one of the best coaches in FVC history,” Visnjevac said. “His knowledge and passion for the game took me a little bit to get used to, but I understand now.”

Hononegah got hot at the right moment, hitting 12 3-pointers in each of its regional games to beat Huntley and top-seeded Guilford.

Coach Card will be known as one of the best coaches in FVC history. His knowledge and passion for the game took me a little bit to get used to, but I understand now.”

—  McHenry guard Marko Visnjevac

The Indians were 8-10 and finished sixth in the Northern Illinois Conference-10, but they knocked out the unbeaten league champion Vikings on Friday.

“They’re doing what you want to do: They’re playing really good basketball at the right time,” Card said. “They’ve found their stride and what’s been working for them.”

Jett (12.9 ppg.), Visnjevac (12.9), Anwar (11.3) and Stone (7.9) lead the Warriors in scoring.

South won its first regional title since 2002 last season, beating Freeport 71-58 for the Belvidere Regional title. Now, the two meet in a rematch one game later in the tournament.

Top-seeded South survived a regional semifinal scare against Prairie Ridge 59-57 in overtime, then was dominant in its win over Wheaton Academy.

“Anytime you advance, it’s a great feeling, whether it be by two or 21,” Gators coach Matt LePage said. “We had a good practice [Saturday]. Guys are focused and looking forward to competing at Kaneland.

“We played [Freeport] in the regional championship last year, and they have lots of guys back from that team. They have athletic guards that can get out and run. They have one guard who scores a lot, so we have to try and slow him down. He’s a very dynamic scorer.”

That would be Dedric Mason, who averages 15.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Kazion Morehead (8.8 ppg.), Jeaden Marian (7.4) and Reid Pearson (6.5) are the Pretzels’ other top scorers.

Freeport tied with Auburn for second in the NIC-10 at 14-4. The Pretzels enjoyed their first winning season since 2012.

Freeport coach Tee Jay Jackson said the reasons his team is still playing are “defense, defense and more defense.”

South will try to frustrate the Pretzels with its tough 1-3-1 zone defense, which features four starters 6-foot-5 or taller. Gators point guard AJ Demirov (20.3 ppg.) leads the team, and South has balanced scoring.

The Gators are trying to win their first sectional championship since 1983, the only one in school history.

“Hopefully, we keep winning,” Demirov said. “I see the board at school; we want to keep making history. We want to keep going.”