Coming off a 15-13 campaign last year, the Cats are once again ready to prove themselves as a contender in the North Suburban Conference.
Libertyville finished off the 2013-2014 season 4-7 in conference, placing them fifth out of seven teams. In last season’s playoffs, the Cats had a two-game stint, winning against Mundelein, while falling to Highland Park in the second round to end their season.
“I think last year was a pretty good year, but it could have been a little bit better. Considering who was in our conference, I think we played very competitive. We lost some close games against Highland Park and Carmel specifically, and the biggest thing for us last year was that we could have finished better,” Coach Scott Bogumil stated.
Last season brought the players and fans tense and exciting play, such as the heartbreaking loss to Carmel on a last-second shot, as well close games at the Proviso West Tournament like the 62-54 loss to Homewood-Flossmoor. One game that still stands out in Coach Bogumil’s eyes is the Cats’ victory against Warren on the road.
“I believe when we beat Warren on their floor was the highlight of our season because of how we stepped up at the end and made a few key defensive stops to secure the win,” commented Mr. Bogumil.
With another tough year ahead of conference games with veteran players on most teams, the Cats look to improve the manner in which they finish games. This may prove to be an even taller task than expected, with LHS losing some experienced players from last year like Jack Lipp, Matt Reed, and Anthony Monken among others.. This year’s team looks to have few returning senior varsity players, including Joe Borcia and Conor Peterson.
Libertyville has a large front court with Borcia and Ben Kimpler manning the middle. That being said, the Cats need their junior guards to produce for a successful season.
There’s not much game experience outside of those two guys, so we have a much younger group. We’re going to need some more juniors to step up who haven’t played much on varsity,” Bogumil commented.
A few juniors who might have to carry a heavier load include guards Cam Chen and Paul Steinhaus. Their exposure to the varsity levels as sophomores will be a huge help for the Cats according to Coach Bogumil.
“I think definitely [playing] last year and learning from the graduated seniors helped me gain experience overall,” said point guard Chen.
Chen came off the bench last year and proved to be a very capable ball handler; he was also a formidable game manager. With the season almost upon him, Chen looks to be more of a leader both on and off the hardwood.
“Being a point guard, I know it’s my responsibility to be a vocal leader on the court. The other big thing for being a leader is keeping the locker room chemistry up and staying positive throughout the season — something I know I can influence.”
Chen believes that this young group of guys will have their ups and downs, but they will be better because of it.
“I know for a fact there’ll be growing pains and what not, but we have the potential to play as well as any other team on the schedule,” retorted Chen.
The Cats’ first test of the year will come with a Thanksgiving tournament (The Warrior Classic) with the first game on Monday the 29. They will first face off against Maine South in the main gym at 5:00. Coach Bogumil feels that in terms of goals, he and his team needs to take things day-to-day and just get better every opportunity they can.
