Varsity After winning last weeks Downers Grove North Sectional the Hornets advanced to the Hinsdale Central Sectional to face Wheaton North. The Hornets entered the post season as the 10th ranked team out of 22 and survived and advanced all the way to the final 4 teams left out of those teams.
The Hornets got off to a good start getting out to an early 5-2 lead. Good defense kept the Hornets in the game throughout but cold shooting and Wheaton North Rebounding made the Hornets have to continue to chase the Falcons for a majority of the game. In the 4th Quarter the Hornets picked up the pressure and started to score at a quick pace. Steals for layups and dunks helped cut into the lead but free throws helped the Falcons keep some distance. With 1:39 left on the clock the Hornets put together one last push and made this one of the most exciting games of the season. Strong finishes by DJ Anderson and Terreon Hopkins combined with a late Zion Griffin 3 pointer got the game to 1 point with less than 30 seconds left. The Hornets Defense couldn’t come up with a steal and had to foul. Wheaton North was able to make 1 free throw to extend their lead to 2 points. The Hornets weren’t done yet. Christian Lopez quickly inbounded and found Zion Griffin who was able to drive into the lane and draw a double team. Zion passed out to Karol Lipiszko who hit a huge late 3 for the second game in a row to give the Hornets the lead. Unfortunately the late game heroics were not finished as Wheaton North hit a buzzer beater 3 to advance the Wheaton North Falcons to the Championship game.
Zion Griffin led the Hornets with 20 points while Karol Lipiszko added 11 points and DJ Anderson added 10. The Hornets finished with a 19-12 record on the season. They also made history by repeating as Regional Champions and winning the Western Suburban Conference for the first time in school history.
Week of February 27
Varsity The Hornets Boys Basketball Team had a record breaking week once again this week. The Hornets were rated the 10th best team out of 22 in their sectional, and the third seed in their regional. At the end of the week the Hornets upset the top two seeds in the Downers Grove North regional, and earned a spot in the Hinsdale Central Sectional. This is the second regional championship in a row for the hornets and the fourth in school history.
On Wednesday night the Hornets took on the Regional Host Downers Grove North Trojans. The Hornets got off to a great start and finished the first quarter with a 16-1 lead. The Hornets were able to keep the lead for the first three quarters of the game and led by 3 points entering the 4th quarter. The 4th quarter saw several lead changes but in the end Zion Griffin was able to hit a game winner with 8 seconds left in the game.
Zion Griffin, DJ Anderson, and Karol Lipiszko all scored 12 points to lead the Hornets to a 36-35 victory.
On Friday night the Hornets took on the #1 Regional seed Geneva who came into the game with a 28-2 record for a chance to win a regional title. The Hornets were able to withstand a hot start from Geneva and used a 9-0 run late in the first quarter to take control of the first half. The Hornets went into halftime with a 23-21 lead. The second half wouldn’t disappoint and fans would see one of the most exciting finishes in the state. Geneva attempted to hold the ball for the final 90 seconds of the game, but the Hornets tough defense proved to me up for the test. Robert Barnes tough defense led to a Geneva turnover with 3.5 seconds left in a tied game. The Hornets used two timeouts to get the right look but were able to go the length of the court and Karol Lipiszko hit a game winning three pointer as time expired. The win improved the Hornets overall record to 19-11 and gave them back to back Regional Championships.
Zion Griffin led the Hornets with 14 points and DJ Anderson added 11 points.
Week of February 20
Varsity Hinsdale South participated in the Western Suburban Conference Crossover this week. The Hornets won the Western Suburban Gold Conference but due to a tie breaker had to play the 2nd place team from the Western Suburban Silver. This matchup saw the Hornets take on their District rival the Red Devils of Hinsdale Central. This game was the second matchup of the two teams this season.
The Hornets played a tough game against the Red Devils but were never able to get control of the game. The Hornets played a close game throughout but were only able to take a lead one time early in the third period. An exciting second half saw the Hornets battle to stay in the game and hit several big shots down to the finish to extend the game. Zion Griffin led the Hornets with 15 points and 7 rebounds. Nick Perry added 12 points and hit several big shots in the 4th quarter to give the Hornets a chance down to the end of the game.
This was the last regular season game for the Hornets who finished with a 17-11 regular season record.
Sophomore Last week the Sophomore Hornets finished up their season playing Hinsdale Central.
The game started off back and forth with the Hornets taking an early lead. At the end of the first quarter it was Hinsdale Central 11 Hinsdale South 10. In the second quarter the Red Devils came out hitting shots. They rallied to take a 24-14 lead into halftime.
The second half saw all twelve Hornets contribute. Nick Angus, Karl Zinis, Evan Zenger, Trevor Lehmann, and Jolo Ayala carried the load in the 4th quarter with each of them scoring and getting big rebounds. The final score was Hinsdale Central 51 Hinsdale South 37.
The Hornets finished the season 11-11 overall but that doesn't tell the whole story. The Hornets showed mental toughness and togetherness all season long. They battled back after early season struggles to finish 8-5 in their last 13 games. This group of Hornets has a bright future at Hinsdale South, not only with basketball but also in football, baseball, cross country, and water polo. They represented Hinsdale South very well with great sportsmanship at every game.
Freshman A The Hornets had a busy week once again, with 4 games in a 7 day span to conclude their 2016-2017 basketball season. The Freshman A Hornets faced off in a crosstown matchup versus Hinsdale Central on Wednesday, and were also participating in a 3-game Wheaton North Tournament.
On Wednesday, Hinsdale South traveled across town to Hinsdale Central High School, for the second time this season. The game was close in the first half with Central leading by 1 at the end of the first quarter, but South would take a 6 point lead going into halftime. Marquese Garrett would lead Hinsdale South at the halfway mark with 9 points. At the end of the third quarter, Central would once again find themselves up 1 point. But things would get interesting in the fourth quarter. Down the stretch with 15 seconds left South was up 1 point, and found themselves having to stop Central for the win. With 6 seconds left, Central attacked the basket looking to score. On a Central head fake, Daeshawn Amy would jump and landed hard on his side, staying down for the remainder of the quarter. On the Central 5 on 4 advantage, they would get an open shot that went in winning the game by 1 point. Central only tallied 3 team fouls in the game, while South had 6. Marquese Garrett totaled 20 points in the game for South.
Thursday, the Hornets traveled to Wheaton North High School for the first round game of the tournament against Batavia High School. Batavia is a great all-around team with their size, outside shooting, and playmaking on both ends of the court. At the end of the first quarter the score was tied at 12 a piece, but South would take a 3 point lead going into halftime. South was able to take the lead at half by isolating Batavia with their offense and matchups. James Ruzicka would lead the scoring for the Hornets at the half with 12 points. The score would remain tied at the end of the third quarter and after the fourth quarter going into overtime with a score of 30 a piece for each team. In overtime, the scoring would slow down, and the free throws picked up. In overtime Batavia was 5 for 6 from the free throw line, while South was 2 for 2. Batavia was up 1 point with 20 seconds left in overtime, with the possession. The young Hornets team would need a stop and score to win the game. On the press, South was able to cause a Batavia turnover to gain possession. Coach Belcaster would then call a timeout to draw up one last possession for the Hornets. Out of the time out, the Hornets would execute the play, but came up short on a missed layup with no time remaining in overtime. Batavia would go on to win 45-44, making it the second loss for the Hornets in 2 nights, by a total of 2 points. James Ruzicka would lead the Hornets’ scoring with 15 points.
On Saturday, the Hornets traveled back to Wheaton North High School to compete against Elk Grove High School. After a high scoring 20 point first quarter by the Hornets, Elk Grove battled back with their exceptional outside shooting to tie the game at the end of the 3rd quarter at 41. After the three quarters, Daeshawn Amy lead the Hornets with 13 points. But, Elk Grove’s outside shooting would be too much for the Hornets. Number 23 on their team made 3 three-pointers in the game, and finished with 19 points. Elk Grove would end up winning the game by a close score of 57-53.
The Hornets would step immediately back on the court to compete in their final game of the season versus St. Francis. Hinsdale and St. Francis played in a tight game the entire time. The Hornets were up 10 points early in the fourth quarter, but St. Francis would fight back. Hinsdale was able to stop St. Francis with their final possession of the game, sealing a season-ending win with a score of 57-59.
The Freshman A Hornets’ ended their 2016-2017 season with a record of 7-5 in the conference, and 15-13 overall.
Freshman B The hornets struggled to score against Batavia on Thursday night and lost 37-22 in a game that was close most of the way, but ultimately the lack of offense cost Hinsdale South. They fall to 9-13 on the season as a result.
The Hornets finished the freshman b season 1-2 to end up with double digit wins in a year that saw all kinds of ups and downs. For the first time in four years the freshman b team beat every team in conference at least once. They were a gritty, hard working group that I will miss very much. Final record 10-14.
Week of February 13
Varsity The Hornets came into the week needing a little bit of luck and two great road wins to win their first ever Western Suburban Conference Title. By 9PM on Friday night each of these things had happened and the Hornets were celebrating the school’s first ever conference title.
The Hornets traveled to Addison Trail on Tuesday to play a key conference matchup. The Trail Blazers had won 5 out of their previous 6 conference games. The Hornets came ready to play and led the game from start to finish. The Hornets started the game hot scoring 20 points in the first quarter. The Hornets would never look back and outscored the Trail Blazers in 3 of 4 quarters to get a 69-56 win on the road. The Hornets were led by Zion Griffin who had 25 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Nick Perry added 14 points and DJ Anderson had 13 in the victory.
On Friday the Hornets went into the game at Proviso East knowing they needed a win for a potential share of first place in conference. The Hornets came out on fire outscoring the Pirates 28-15 in the first half. The Hornets carved up the Proviso East press to control the game going into the half. The Pirates came out determined to create havoc in the second half but were unable to get back into the game. Good ball movement and key moments of composure led the Hornets to a 68-61 win. Nick Perry led the Hornets with 21 points and 7 rebounds while also dominating the pace and space of play. DJ Anderson added 18 points, and Zion Griffin had yet another double double with 15 points and 13 rebounds.
These two huge road wins set up a nervous bus ride home for the Hornets while they awaited the outcome of the Willowbrook vs. DGS game. The Hornets needed their rival Mustangs to win for there to be a three way tie atop the Western Suburban Conference. The Mustangs did just that and the Hornets got to celebrate a share of their first ever conference title.
Hinsdale South has never won a Western Suburban Conference Title until this year. The last Conference Title for the Hornets came in 1981 in the now defunct Des Plaines Valley Conference.
Sophomore On Tuesday, the Hornets traveled to Addison Trail to take on the Blazers.
The Hornets had a great start hitting three 3 pointers in the first quarter to take a 14-9 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Blazers did not give up after a tough first quarter and came back to take a 27-26 lead at halftime.
After halftime, the sophomore Hornets regrouped and refocused to try and get a big road win. The 2nd half started off with Aaron Tims getting 3 layups and Billy Durking hitting three 3 pointers to carry the Hornet offense. Patrick Savage, Jolo Ayala, Nathan Dahms and Terrill McCray played outstanding team defense to hold the Blazers to just 9 points in the 3rd quarter. The start of the 4th quarter was all Hornets. Breaking the press and having hard drives to the rim propelled the Hornet offense in the 4th. Half way through the 4th quarter the Blazers started to come back, they brought the lead down to as little as 3 points. Hinsdale South continued the theme of the season, staying tough and handling pressure situations well. They broke the blazer press, hit clutch free throws and got big stops when they were needed.
At the end of the game, the final score was Hinsdale South 54 Addison Trail 50.
On Friday, Hinsdale South traveled to Proviso East for the last West Suburban Gold conference game of the year. Proviso went into this game in first place for the sophomore level.
The Hornets came out struggling and the Proviso East press was too much to handle. After a 14-3 defict and a time out the Hornets went on a run. The rest of the first quarter was a 9-5 run by the Hornets ending the first quarter down 7, 19-12. During the second quarter the Hornets gained more and more confidence. Driving hard to the basket, moving the ball and hitting free throws propelled Hinsdale South to a 18 point quarter. The defense also stepped up in the second quarter holding Proviso to just 9 points in the quarter. At the end of the half Hinsdale South was leading 30-28.
The third quarter saw more struggles for the Hornets. Hinsdale south struggled to handle the pressure and forced some tough shots to help Proviso East get easy baskets. At the end of the third quarter it was Proviso East 46, Hinsdale South 36.
The resilience the Hornets have showed all season returned in the 4th quarter. 5 different Hornets scored in the 4th quarter and outscored the Pirates 11-7. Unfortunately the comeback came up short and Proviso East won 53-47. The Hornets play their final game of the season at Hinsdale Central this Wednesday.
Freshman A The Hornets had a busy week, with 5 games in a 7 day span. Not only were the Freshman A Hornets finishing up their conference schedule on the road at Addison Trail High School and Proviso East, but they were also participating in a 3-game Bolingbrook High School Tournament.
On Tuesday, Hinsdale traveled to Addison Trail High School. This would be the third time since the season start that the two teams would meet in a head to head contest. The game was close in the first half, with Bryan Johnson scoring 7 points in the half off of the bench. The Hornets rallied off of Bryan’s scoring, and came out in the third quarter ready to play. The Hornets would win the game by a score of, 48-18.
Wednesday, the Hornets traveled to Bolingbrook High School for the first round game of the tournament against Thornridge High School. The Hornets started the game on a 15-0 run, but Thornridge would battle back keeping the game within a few possessions. Jason Williams scored 11 points in the first quarter, and had a total of 17 points in the first half, a season high. In the second half, Daeshawn Amy would take over for the Hornets with his outside shooting. Amy scored 17 second half points, finishing with a season high 24 points in the game. The Hornets would advance to the semi-finals of the tournament, finishing the game with a score of 65-45.
On Friday, the Hornets traveled to battle the Proviso East Pirates in a conference matchup. The Hornets would find themselves up by 6 at the half with a score of, 39-33. Jason WIlliams had 10 points in the first half, while Bryan Johnson added with 8 points. The Hornets allowed the Pirates to only score 7 points in the fourth quarter through their pressure defense and clock management. The Hornets would continue their win streak with a final score of 66-56. Daeshawn Amy continued his relentless scoring with a game high 23 points.
Saturday morning the Hornets traveled back to Bolingbrook High School to take on the Bolingbrook A Team in the semi-finals of the tournament. This game had a varsity feel throughout. Bolingbrook made four 3-pointers in the first quarter, and gained a 30-27 lead over the Hornets at halftime. The second half would become a free-throw battle for both teams. Bolingbrook would go 15-21 in the game from the free-throw line, while Hinsdale was 12-15. Hinsdale would take the lead by 8 late in the 4 quarter, but Bolingbrook wouldn’t back down. Bolingbrook would go on an offensive run to conclude the game, pulling ahead of the Hornets with a final score of 58-48.
After the loss, the Hornets stepped immediately back on the court to compete against the Bolingbrook B Team in a third place matchup. After a 8 point first quarter, the Hornets picked up the scoring. The Hornets would win the game by a score of 62-54, finishing the tournament in third place. James Ruzicka finished the game with 23 points (12-12 from the free throw line).
The busy week now moves the Hornets’ record to 7-5 in the conference, and 14-10 overall.
Freshman B The freshman b hornets blew Addison Trail out of the gym Tuesday by a score of 41-22. It was never really close as Hinsdale South was looking to bounce back from a disappointing loss on Saturday night. They are now 9-10 on the season and 7-4 in conference.
The freshman b hornets lost a heartbreaker in overtime 39-38 against Proviso East on Friday night. In a game that was extremely physical and in which two different Hornets fouled out, hinsdale south just didn't quite have enough gas left at the end. The Hornets are now 9-11 on the year and finished the conference 7-5.
Week of February 6
Varsity The Hornets played two key games this week as the conference season is getting closer to being finalized. The Hornets traveled to Downers Grove South to take on the rival Mustangs in a key conference matchup. The Hornets got out to a 8-2 lead early in the game thanks to two Robert Barnes steals for scores. The Hornets struggled to keep up with the Mustangs as they struggled to score points against a tough Mustang defense. The Hornets finished the game with 27 points. Zion Griffin led the Hornets with 10 points.
On Saturday the Hornets played their final home game of the season vs. Leyden. The Hornets came out hot and never looked back. The Honets scored 22 points in the first quarter vs. Leyden to take a commanding 22-7 lead. The Hornets continued to extend the lead outscoring the Eagles in each of the first three quarters. Zion Griffin led the Hornets with 16 points. Karol Lipiszko finished with 11 points including 3 three point field goals in the first quarter. Christian Lopez also added 8 points and 2 three pointers.
The Hornets now have a record of 15-10 on the season and are 7-3 in conference play.
Sophomore On Friday the Hornets traveled to Downers Grove South to revenge a 43-39 loss to the Mustangs in January.
The Mustangs got off to a hot start and led the Hornets 13-6 after the first quarter. The second quarter was all Hinsdale South, the Hornets out scored DGS 16-5 to take a two point lead at halftime.
Billy Durkin led the Hornets in the second half hitting 5 of his 6 three pointers in the third and fourth quarters. The Hornets had a five point lead with three minutes to go before the Mustangs scored twice to bring it to one. Patrick savage went 4-4 from the free throw line to hold off a mustang come back. The Hornets won 52-49. Billy Durkin led the Hornets with 18. Aaron Tims scored 12 points while Patrick Savage had 8 points in his first game returning from injury.
On Saturday Hinsdale South played host to the Leyden Eagles for the last home game of the 2016-17 season.
The first quarter was a back and forth, fast paced quarter. Billy Durkin continued to hit from behind the three point line hitting two early threes to help the Hornets take a 15-12 lead after one quarter. The Hornets followed up the first quarter with a 20 point second quarter to lead by 12 going into halftime.
In the second half the Hornets saw their lead get as high as 15 points and as low as 5 points. In the end Hinsdale South kept up the strong team defense, and outstanding communication to limit the Eagle's offense. In the final home game of the season the sophomore Hornets won 54-45. Aaron Tims lead the Hornets with 21, Billy Durkin scored 12, Terrill McCray had 10 and Patrick Savage had 8.
Freshman A The Hornets played in back-to-back West Suburban Gold Conference games on Friday and Saturday.
On Friday, Hinsdale traveled to Downers Grove South to compete against a very talented Mustang freshman team. In front of a fan filled gymnasium, the Hornets came out ready to compete, leading the Mustangs 9-5 after the first quarter. Early into the second quarter, the Hornets once again faced foul trouble with their guards. Due to the Hornets’ foul trouble, the Mustangs went on a 21-9 run and led at halftime, 26-18. After the break, the Hornets came out scoring. The Hornets scored 17 third quarter points, led by James Ruzicka with 12 points in the quarter. Late in the fourth quarter the Hornets were getting scoring opportunities, but were not able to capitalize on the attempts. The resilient Mustang team would hold on to win the entertaining basketball game with a score of, 48-44. James Ruzicka led all scoring in the game with 21 points. Jason Williams also added 14 points for the Hornets.
On Saturday, the Hornets looked to bounce back and get a victory over Leyden High School. The last time the two teams met, the Hornets traveled to Leyden, and only scored 18 total points in the game. This would be the lowest game total in the season for the Hornets. This wouldn’t be the case in this game. The Hornets came out and scored 17 first quarter points in front of their home crowd, while holding the Eagles to only 2 points. Scoring came from 5 different players for the Hornets. Hinsdale kept the momentum up from the first quarter and brought it with them into the second, where they would find themselves leading at halftime, 26-12. In the third quarter, the Hornets once again were able to hold the Eagles to 2 points in the quarter. The Hornets would be able to hold onto the lead in the fourth quarter and win the game, 44-30. Jason Williams led the Hornets with 10 points, Daeshawn Amy with 9 points, and James Ruzicka with 8 points.
The 1-1 weekend puts the Hornets’ record to 5-5 in the conference, and 10-9 overall. Freshman B The Hinsdale South B team upset DGS 42-31 in a game that was back and forth the whole time. Logan McGinley carried the team on offense with 17 points. The Hornets are now 8-9 overall and 6-3 in conference.
The Freshman B Hornets lost to Leyden 28-27 in game that swung back and forth several times. In the end, Logan McGinley made two free throws to put the Hornets up 1 with 6 seconds left. After a foul, Leyden made both of its free throws to get the 1 point victory. The Hornets are no 8-10 on the season and 6-4 in conference.
Week of January 30
Varsity The Hinsdale South Hornets had a great week going 2-0.
On Friday night the Hornets traveled to Willowbrook to play in the Comcast game of the week. The game was aired on TV and included brodcasters and interviews before, during and after the game of coaches and players. This was chosen as the game of the week as it saw the First place Willowbrook Warriors play the second place Hinsdale South Hornets. Willowbrook entered the game 21-1 with their only loss coming to the Hornets on December 15th.
A packed gym witnessed the Hornets dominate the game and come away with a 62-50 win. The Hornets outscored the Warriors in each of the first three quarters to take a 44 to 29 lead into the fourth. The Hornets withstood a hostile crowd and a big comeback attempt by Willowbrook in the 4th quarter to get a 62-50 win.
The Hornets were glad to have a huge cheering section travel to the game which made playing in a big road game even better.
Zion Griffin led the Hornets with 23 points. He scored 18 points in the second half. Karol Lipiszko torched the Warriors for 19 points and outscored Willowbrook by himself in the 2nd period by burying 4 three point attempts in the quarter. His hot shooting demanded Willowbrook defenders attention and opened up the court for his teammates. Nick Perry added 10 points and dominant ball handling to seal the victory. Robert Barnes added 5 rebounds and 4 blocks to lead the defense.
The victory moves the Hornets back into first place in the conference race.
On Thursday the Hornets hosted the Richards Bulldogs for 8th grade night at the Hornets Nest. The Hornets dominated the game from the tip outscoring the Bulldogs 24-10 in the first quarter, 19-11 in the 2nd and 20 to 10 in the third period. A high flying game witnessed an alley oop from half court connected between Nick Perry and Zion Griffin. Karol Lipiszko added 5 3’s in the first 3 periods as well.
Zion Griffin scored 28 points before leaving the game half way through the 3rd quarter to rest for the next nights big conference game. Karol Lipiszko added 17. The game saw 12 hornet players enter the scoring column.
The Hornets finished the week with a 14-9 overall record and a 6-2 record in conference.
Sophomore On Thursday the Hornets faced off against Richards High School. Richards started off the game hot from the field and started the game off 11-2. After the first 4 minutes of the first quarter, the Hornets started to get their offense going. Terrill McCray had 8 points in the first quarter to keep the game close. After a strong second quarter, the Hornets pulled within 4 points at halftime.
To start the second half the Hornets offense kept its pace out scoring Richards and reducing the lead to one point. In the fourth quarter the Hornets played some of their best basketball of the season. Billy Durkin hit two clutch 3s including the game winning 3. The Hornets won 45-43. Terrill McCray led Hinsdale South in scoring with 16 points and Billy Durkin had 11 points.
On Friday, Hinsdale South traveled to Villa Park to play Willowbrook High School. The game started off as a back and forth battle and to end the first quarter it was 15-15. In the second quarter the hornet offense slowed down while willowbrook kept up their hot start. At halftime the Hornets trailed 31-24.
To start the 3rd quarter the Hornets started off hot. Billy Durkin, Lukas Rainis and Aaron Tims carried the way for the Hornets to take a 42-40 lead going into the 4th. After a tough quarter, Willowbrook rallied to win 61-48. Aaron Tims lead the Hornets with 17, Lukas Rainis scored 11.
Freshman A The Hornets played host to Richards High School on Thursday, in a non-conference matchup. The Richards freshman team currently have an overall record of 17-1. The Hornets came out in the first quarter ready to play. Jason Williams lead all scorers in the first quarter with 6 points, giving the Hornets a 16-6 lead. In the first half Hinsdale was aggressive going to the basket, and was able to hold their ten point lead going into the third quarter. Richards wasn’t ready to give up just yet. Richards battle back, and found themselves up 3 points with 8 seconds left on the clock in the fourth quarter, Hornet basketball. The young Hornets drew up a play in the huddle, but just came up short on the shot, and Richards would find themselves extending their winning record to 18-1. The Hornets were held to zero points in the fourth quarter, and made none of their 3-point attempts in the game.
The following night wasn’t going to be any easier. Friday night the Hornets traveled to Willowbrook High School to take on the Warriors in a conference matchup. The Warriors are undefeated this season with a record of 18-0. Due to foul trouble early in the first quarter, the Warriors were in the double bonus to start the second quarter. After the first half the team fouls were Hinsdale 12, Willowbrook 4, with a score of Hinsdale 22, Willowbrook 37. Willowbrook was 15-19 from the free throw line, while Hinsdale was only 4 for 7 in the first half. The stingy Willowbrook defense was relentless, giving up just 16 second half points to the Hornets. The Willowbrook Warriors would end up winning the game, 59-39.
These 2 losses now push the Hornets’ record to 4-4 in the conference, and 9-8 overall. The Hornets will travel to Downers Grove South High School on Friday.
Freshman B The freshman b hornets lost 40-31 on Wednesday night in their game against the Morton Mustangs. The loss snaps a three game winning streak in the conference. It was a poor shooting effort overall, but the hornets will look to bounce back next week vs Richards. They are now 7-8 overall and 5-2 in conference.
The freshman b hornets lost a heartbreaker to the willowbrook warriors Friday night 40-37. In a back and forth game that ultimately went into overtime the Hornets just didn't quite have enough at the end. They are now 7-9 overall and 5-3 in conference.
Week of January 23
Varsity On Wednesday the Hornets took on the Morton Mustangs in a conference game. The Hornets were celebrating Senior night honoring all seven seniors before the game. The Hornets got off to a good start and led most of the first half. The second half saw the Hornets struggle to score consistently. A close game saw the Hornets and Mustangs tied 46-46 with 16 seconds to go. The Mustangs rallied for a last second field goal and moved South’s record in conference to 5-2 on the season and 12-9 overall.
The Hornets were led by Nick Perry’s 15 points and Zion Griffin’s 11 rebounds.
Sophomore This week the Hornets played the Morton Mustangs in a rematch from the beginning of the season.
The Hornets started off the first quarter hitting 3 three pointers. Billy Durkin had two early three pointers while Lukas Rainis hit one. The Hornets continued that success in the second quarter to lead the Mustangs 26-22 at halftime.
The third quarter was a big quarter for Hinsdale South. The Hornets scored 17 points while holding the Mustangs to just 7. Five different Hornets scored in the third quarter while eight different Hornets contributed to great defense and effort.
The fourth quarter saw Morton pressing, trapping and trying to speed up the Hornets. The Hornets stood tough by continuing to rebound, handle pressure and hit clutch free throws. Hinsdale South was able to withstand the Morton run and win the rematch 56-53. Terrill McCray and Billy Durkin led the Hornets with 14 points. Nathan Dahms had 11 points while Aaron Tims had 9 points. The Hornets play this Thursday at home against Richards High School, and then Travel to Willowbrook High School on Friday night. Freshman A The Hornets played host to the Morton Mustangs on Wednesday, January 25 in a West Suburban Gold Conference matchup.
Coming off of a 2-game winning weekend, the Hornets looked to sweep the Mustangs this season. The Hornets started the game mixing up defensive sets, and the Mustangs had a hard time getting into their offense because of it. The Hornets held the Mustangs to only 1 point in the second quarter. The second half was much like the first. Through exceptional sharpshooting from the Hinsdale guards, and a strong defensive presence from the Hinsdale big men, the Hornets were able to top the Mustangs with a final score of 55-28. James Ruzicka led all players in the game with 22 points. The Hornets hit a total of nine 3-pointers in the game.
This win now pushes the Hornets’ record vs Morton to 2-0 on the season, 4-3 in the conference, and 9-6 overall. The Hornets will host Richards High School on Thursday at home, and play against the first place Willowbrook Warriors away on Friday.
Freshman B The freshman b hornets lost 40-31 on Wednesday night in their game against the Morton Mustangs. The loss snaps a three game winning streak in the conference. It was a poor shooting effort overall, but the hornets will look to bounce back next week vs Richards. They are now 7-8 overall and 5-2 in conference.
Week of January 16
Varsity On Monday the Hornets traveled back to Wheaton Warrenville South for the final 2 games of the MLK Tournament. The Hornets took on a very tough York team and faced a 15-7 first quarter deficit before getting back into the game. The Hornets outscored the Dukes 18-12 in the second quarter and 16-3 in the third quarter. The Dukes erased a Hornet lead in the 4th quarter and forced overtime. In overtime Mike Stoltz won the game with a steal and 3 point play late in the game. Zion Griffin led the Hornets with 19 points while Mike Stoltz added 13 points and Nick Perry added 12.
The last game of the very busy weekend saw the Hornets take on Notre Dame in the Consolation Championship. The Hornets were able get back into a game that saw them trailing from the very beginning, and had 3 great shots of sending the game into Overtime. A half court shot at the buzzer went in and out and saw Notre Dame win the game 73-70. Nick Perry led the Hornets with 19 points. Zion Griffin added 17 points and DJ Anderson added 14.
The Varsity Boys Basketball team had two important conference games this weekend at home. On Friday the Hornets played Proviso East for the first ever hall of fame night. A great crowd came out to support the Hornets. The Hornets led for most of the first half, but were unable to hang on to the lead in the second half. The Hornets were led by Zion Griffins 26 points.
On Saturday the Hornets played another home game against Addison Trail. The Hornets struggled early in the game but were able to use big scoring runs in the second and third quarters to get the lead. The Trailblazzers answered a 14-0 run by the Hornets with a 16-0 run of their own. Karol Lipiszko answered in the 4th quarter with a couple of huge 3 point shots to get the hornets a 61-57 conference win. Zion Griffin added 22 points, Karol Lipiszko 18, and Robert Barnes 10 for the Hornets. Karol Lipiszko hit 5 three pointers in the second half to carry the Hornets.
After playing every team in the conference one time the Hornets are in first place in the WSC with a record of 5-1 and 12-8 overall
Sophomore On Friday night Proviso East traveled to Hinsdale South to take on the Hornets. The Pirates started off the game hot from three hitting the first three shots of the game giving them a 9-0 lead. The Hornets showed toughness fighting back from the early deficit with Aaron Tims dominating inside. The Hornets went into halftime only giving up six points in the second quarter.
In the second half the Hornets continued their fight. The strong defense that has carried the Hornets most of the season did the same thing throughout the second half. Lukas Rainis and Billy Durkin each hit two second half threes to keep the game close. Ultimately Proviso East prevailed after a tough fight by Hinsdale South 43-38. Aaron Tims led the Hornets with 14 points.
The next day had a rested Addison Trail heading to Hinsdale South for a tough Saturday night game. The Hornets started off hot from the field. Terrill McCray hit an early three pointer to start the game. Billy Durkin followed that with two three pointers in the first quarter giving the Hornets a 11-10 lead at the end of the first quarter. The second quarter was a back and forth one that had Addison Trail leading 20-19 with 3.5 seconds left before halftime. Nathan Dahms received the inbounds pass from behind the Hornet basket and drove to half court hitting Billy Durkin with a perfect pass. Durkin caught the pass and made his third three pointer of the game as the buzzer sounded. The Hornets went into the locker room leading 22-20.
The second half was all Hornets with great ball movement and defense. The ball movement lead to four second half three pointers. Terrill McCray lead the Hornets finishing with 16 points, Billy Durkin had 12 points, Aaron Tims had 9 points all in the second half and Lukas Rainis had two big three pointers in the second half. Hinsdale South 51 Addison Trail 45.
The Hornets have a quick turn around looking for a big win over Morton at home on Wednesday.
Freshman A The Hornets played host to two consecutive conference games this weekend.
Coming off of a three-game losing streak, the Hornets faced the Proviso East Pirates Friday night. For the first time since the second game of the season, the Hornets would be at full-strength, no longer suffering from injuries. The Hornets would be in control for the entire game lead on the offensive end by Jason Williams with a game high 13 points and Jacob Stukas with 11 points. The Freshman A Hornets won the game, and defeated the Pirates by a score of 30-39.
On Saturday, the Hornets would face for the second time this season, Addison Trail High School. The Hornets were able to win by a margin of 26 points due to their aggressive style of defensive pressure, along with their sharpshooting from the perimeter. For the second night in a row, Jason Williams lead the game with 13 points. Marquese Garrett added with 8 points, James Ruzicka with 7 points, and Josh Hargrove with 6 points (2/2 from 3pt). The final score of the game was Hinsdale South 50, Addison Trail 24.
These two wins now push the Hornets record to 3-3 in the conference, and 8-6 overall. The Hornets will host the Morton Mustangs on Wednesday, January 25 at 6pm. Freshman B
The freshman b hornets kept their conference play rolling with a 52-36 win over Proviso East on Friday night. It was really an all around effort by the hornets who continue to fast break mercilessly on their opponents. They are now 6-7 overall and 4-1 in conference. Behind a furious display of shooting by Kyle Cattaneo, the freshman b hornets won convincingly over Addison Trail on Saturday 46-20. The Hornets continue to hold opponents under 40 points per game defensively, and they are now 7-7 overall and 5-1 in conference.
Week of January 9
Varsity The Hornets Varsity Boys Basketball team had a very busy and successful weekend. The Hornets played a total of 5 games, 3 of which were in less than a 24 hour time frame. A very tired Hornets team was able to finish the highly completive weekend with a 3-2 record which moved there overall record to 11-7.
On Friday the Hornets traveled to Leyden for a big conference game. The Hornets entered the game in sole possession of first place of the Western Suburban Gold Conference. The Hornets used a fast start to get out to a 9-2 lead early in the first quarter and never let the Eagles back into the game. Zion Griffin led all scorers with 19 points. The win moves the Hornets to 4-0 in conference play.
On Saturday morning the Hornets traveled to Wheaton Warrenville South to participate in a Martin Luther King Basketball Tournament. This Tournament is one of the top Tournaments in the State. The Hornets played great competition throughout the tournament. The Hornets opened up with a very good Benet team in the first round and fell 71-55. The Hornets were led by Zion Griffin who had 23 points. Zion scored 14 points in the first quarter.
The Hornets played Huntley for their third game in less than a 24 hour span on Saturday afternoon. The Hornets led 23-16 at half but were able to go on a 17-0 run in the third quarter to put the game away. The Hornets held Huntley to zero points in the third quarter behind an impressive pressure defense that caused havoc. The Hornets were led by Zion Griffin with 13 points and both Karol Lipisko and Destin Talbert’s 8 points. Karol Lipisko and Zion Griffin came up with 4 steals each to lead a tough Hornet Defense. Sophomore The Hinsdale South Sophomore basketball team traveled to East Leyden on Friday night to play their 4th conference game of the season.
The game started off as a defensive battle. Patrick Savage, Aaron Tims, and Nate Dahms played aggressive defense early in the first half to keep the game close. Terrill McCray, Trevor Lehmann, and Billy Durkin all hit three pointers in the first half. At the end of the half the Hornets held a 4 point lead 20-16.
The second half began and the Hornets were on fire from the three point line. Nate Dahms and Terrill McCray each hit one while Billy Durkin hit an incredible 6 three point shots in the second half. The strong defense continued all second half with the entire team contributing to the win. Hinsdale South 54 Leyden 35. Seven Hornets scored; Billy Durkin led the team with 23 points (7 three pointers), Aaron Tims had 8 points, Patrick Savage and Terrill McCray each scored 6 points. The sophomores play next friday at home versus Proviso East and next Saturday at home versus Addison Trail.
Freshman A On Friday, January 13, the Freshman A Basketball Team traveled to Franklin Park, Illinois to face off against Leyden High School in another West Suburban Gold Conference matchup.
The Hornets started the game leading after the first quarter 8-6. Early into the second quarter the Hornets would run into foul trouble, sending leading scorer and starting guard, James Ruzicka to the bench with two fouls. With Ruzicka on the bench, the Hornets had difficulties finding scoring against the zone defense of Leyden. Hinsdale would find themselves down four points at halftime.
The Hornets came out of the half with energy, but once again would run into foul trouble at the guard position. Ruzika picked up his third foul in the early moments of the third quarter, along with speedy guard Deshawn Amy also picking up his third foul late in the quarter.
The Hornets had one last opportunity down two points with a minute left to tie the game, but Leyden’s impeccable zone defense was able to withstand the Hinsdale offensive attack. Leyden would hold on for the win, 23-18. This loss now pushes the Hornets’ conference record to 1-3, and 6-6 overall. The Hornets will host the Proviso East Pirates this Friday, and the Addison Trail Trail Blazers Saturday, in back-to-back conference game matchups.
Freshman B The freshman B hornets blew Leyden out of the gym Friday night 50-30. It was really an all-around effort behind some clutch shooting by Kyle Cattaneo and strong fast break play led by Jayden Arquines. The Hornets are now 5-7 on the season and 3-1 in conference.
Week of January 2
Varsity The Hornets had a huge conference win over Rival Downers Grove South to remain on top of the Western Suburban Gold Conference. The Mustangs came to Hinsdale South tied for first place with the Hornets. The game was played in a packed gym despite it being during Christmas Break. The Hornets jumped out to an early lead but saw DGS hit 3 3’s to end the first quarter in a tie. The Hornets used a hot second quarter to create separation from the Mustangs and led 40-31 at half. The Hornets also added 20 points in the third period and 21 points in the final quarter to clinch a 81-71 win in their first meeting with the Mustangs.
The Hornets were led by Zion Griffin and Nick Perry who both scored 20 points. DJ Anderson added 13 points, Karol Lipisko 10, and Robert Barnes 9 points chipped in for the Hornets. This win moves the Hornets overall record to 8-5 on the season and 3-0 in Western Suburban Gold Play.
Sophomore This past Friday the Hornets faced off against rival Downers Grove South.
The game started off with Billy Durkin hitting a three pointer with the mustangs quickly answering with a layup. The first half was an exciting back and forth game. The Mustangs and Hornets exchanged baskets with Hinsdale South up 23-22 at the half.
The Hornets struggled to start the second half giving the Mustangs a five point lead to start the 4th quarter. Throughout the fourth quarter the Hornets kept fighting and keeping the game close. After a great comeback and exciting finish the Hornets lost 43-39. Terrill McCray lead the Hornets with 11 points while Billy Durkin had 9 points. Hinsdale South goes on the road this Friday at Leyden.
Freshman A On Friday, January 6, the Freshman A Basketball Team faced off against a West Suburban Gold Conference rival, the Mustangs of Downers Grove South High. Both teams have had successful seasons so far, and look to extend their winning records.
The game was intense and competitive throughout. After the first quarter, the score of the game was DGS 12, Hinsdale South 10. Daeshawn Amy got the starting job on Friday at the guard position, and lead the way after the first quarter for the Hornets with 5 points.
The second quarter was just as interesting as the first. The Hornets were able to breakdown the Mustang defense on many occasions through their variety of offenses, but were unable to take advantage of these opportunities by finishing at the basket. Downers Grove South would be leading at the halfway mark 20-15. Jason WIlliams lead the Hornets with all scoring at the half with 6 points.
Late into the third quarter and into the fourth, Downers Grove South would pull away. The final score of the game would read Hinsdale South 30, Downers Grove South 46. Marquese Garrett would lead all Hornets players with 10 points.
The Hornets now sit 1-2 in the conference standings, and 6-5 overall. The young Hornets team look to bounce back on Friday, January 13, when they travel to Leyden High School for yet another WSG Conference matchup.
Freshman B The freshman b hornets lost a heated exchange with Downers Grove South of Friday night. In a game that changed leads several times, the Mustangs were ultimately victorious 48-46. Jayden Arquines led the team in points for the Hornets who are now 4-7 overall and 2-1 in conference.
Week of December 26
Varsity The Hornets traveled to York High School in Elmhurst to play in the Annual Jack Tosh Christmas tournament this week. The 32 team Jack Tosh Tournament is considered to be one of the best Tournaments in the state. The Hornets performed at a high level throughout the Tournament with impressive come from behind victories and good games in every round.
The Hornets opened up with Waubonsie Valley and erased a 9 point half time deficit to win by 4 in the opening round. The second round saw the Hornets play the #1 Seed Conant. Both teams played a great game, and the Hornets were able to play Conant to a closer game than any other team in the tournament. In the third round South erased a 10 point led for the second time in the tournament and beat Sandburg by 15 points. The Hornets outscored Sandburg 22-2 in the fourth quarter. The fourth round saw an exhausted Hinsdale South team run out of gas in the 4th quarter and fall to Naperville North. The Hornets were led in the Tournament by Zion Griffin who was named to the All Tournament Team by averaging 17 points per game to go along with 10 rebounds.
Freshman A The Freshman A Basketball Team participated in a very competitive holiday tournament hosted by Lyons-Township High School. The tournament consisted of three consecutive games against Kenwood High School, Stagg High School, and Lyons-Township High School.
The Hornets opened the holiday tournament against Kenwood High School. Kenwood came out with energy, and focused on their inside game on offense. Kenwood’s center finished the second half with 16 points, while holding the Hornets to just 20. The second half was much like the first half as Kenwood continued to focus on getting their presence down low the ball, and his size would be too much for the Hornets. James Ruzicka would finish the game with 11 points for the Hornets. The Final score of the game was Kenwood 71, Hinsdale South 43.
The following day the hornets took on the freshman a team of Stagg High School. The game opened up slow for both teams on offense. After the first quarter the score was Hinsdale 8, Stagg 7. The Hornets started the second quarter like the Hornets we saw early in the season. They came out with energy, and smothered the offense with their defensive pressure and length. To end the first half, the Hornets went on a 6-0 run lead by Marquese Garrett with 10 points. In the fourth quarter, Zach Rynkar hit two 3 pointers and a layup late in the game to seal the Hornets victory over Stagg, 54-44.
In the final game of the holiday tournament, the young Hornets team competed against Lyons-Township High School. Through well-executed, half-court team defense, the Lyons team was able to hold the Hornets to a season low points scored in the game. The Hornets showed toughness, and full team effort the entire competition. The Freshman A Basketball Team finished the holiday tournament with a record of 1-2, and puts their overall record to 6-4 on the season at the halfway mark.
The Freshman A Team look forward to their next game at home on Friday, January, 6 at 4:30 pm versus a very skilled, inter-town rival, Downers Grove South.
Freshman B The freshman b hornets lost a scrappy game 35-25 on Monday morning vs Kenwood. They couldn't hold on to a 3 point lead at half behind some poor shooting against Kenwood's 1-2-2 zone. The hornets will be back at it Tuesday against Stagg HS. They are now 3-5 on the season and 2-0 in conference play.
The Hinsdale South freshman b hornets won convincingly on Tuesday 40-27 behind some great defense and an offensive effort that saw 4 different players with 6 or more points. The Hornets are now 4-5 on the season and 2-0 in conference.
The Hinsdale South B team put a scare into Lyons Township, but ultimately lost Wednesday 42-31. It was a scrappy game that saw the hornets down 21-20 at half, but in the end the LT big men were too much for Hinsdale South. The Hornets are now 4-6 on the season and 2-0 in conference.
Week of December 19
Sophomore The sophomore basketball team played at the Marian Catholic sophomore basketball tournament last week.
The first game of the tournament was against St. Rita High School. In the first half of the game the Hornets played tough defense forcing St. Rita to take tough shots. It was a low scoring first half. Aaron Tims and Patrick savage anchored the defense in the post. Going into halftime the Hornets were down 10. In the second half St. Rita's size took over and was too much for the Hornets to handle. Billy Durkin led the Hornets in scoring. St. Rita 42 Hinsdale South 21.
The second day of the tournament was vs Bloom High School. The Hornets started off hot with Patrick Savage having 9 points in the first quarter. Patrick showed a great combination of strong offense, defense and leadership early in the first half. The Hornets went into halftime up 5. In the second half the Hornets continued to play well. Billy Durkin's outstanding shooting led to five second half 3 pointers which helped get the lead to as much as 10. With the Hornets leading by 8 with 3 minutes left in the 4th quarter Bloom began to press. Unfortunately the Bloom pressure led to turnovers that let Bloom send the game to overtime. The Hornets were not able to hit the last shot of the game in over time and lost Bloom 52 Hinsdale South 51. Billy Durkin led the Hornets with 15 while Patrick Savage had 14.
In the last game of the tournament Hinsdale South played Tinley Park. The Hornet offense was clicking early. Ball movement and kick out 3 pointers led to the Hornets getting wide open layups and threes. At the half The Hornets led 26-12. After the half Hinsdale South did not look back. The Hornets kept their foot on the gas allowing just 9 points in the second half. Six different Hornets hit a 3 pointer while totaling 10 total threes in the game. Terrill McCray led the Hornets with 10 points including 2 three pointers. Robert Jones had 9 points (3-3 from 3) and Lukas Rainis had 8 points including two 3 pointers. The Hornets next game is January 6th at home vs Downers Grove South.
Week of December 12th
Varsity After starting the season with 7 road games the Hornets finally played their home opener vs. Willowbrook on Friday. The Willowbrook Warriors came into the game with a 7-0 record, but ran into a pumped up Hinsdale South team and crowd that saw a 69-57 Hornet Vicory. A wild and loud crowd packed the student section and gave the game it’s typical rivalry atmosphere. Willowbrook started the game with a 4-0 lead and that would be the last time this game would see the Hornets trailing. The Hornets went on a 18-4 run to finish off the first quarter. The Hornets used two Mike Stoltz 3’s to extend their lead to 28-18 at the half.
The Hornets were able to contain an early second half push of Willowbrook pressure to score 22 points in the 3rd period. DJ Anderson added 10 points in the quarter. A high scoring 4th Quarter saw the Warriors score 20 points, but the Hornets were up for the challenge and answered with 19 points of their own.
With the win the Hornets move to 5-3 overall on the season and are tied with DGS at 2-0 for first place in the early conference season.
DJ Anderson 22 points Zion Griffin 14 points 13 rebounds Nick Perry 14 points Karol Lipizko 10 points
Player of the Week- Hornet Student Section. One of the best crowds we have had in 4 years!
Sophomore This Friday the Hornets squared off against the Willowbrook warriors. It was the home opener and was an exciting game. The first quarter started off back and forth with both teams hitting shots. By the second quarter the Hornets started moving the ball and making simple plays. At the half the score was Willowbrook 24 Hornets 21. It was a low scoring 3rd quarter with both teams scoring in the single digits. The 2nd half was a defensive battle going back and forth with great plays. The Hornets had the ball to end the game down 1 but unfortunately couldn't get a shot to fall. The final score was Willowbrook 45 Hinsdale South 44. Patrick Savage led the Hornets in scoring with 12 points including 5-6 from the free throw line. Billy Durkin had 11 points including three 3 pointers and Aaron Tims had 10. The sophomore Hornets play their Christmas tournament at Marian Catholic this week and open with St. Rita High School on Tuesday night.
Freshman A The Freshman A Basketball Team played their home opener against Willowbrook High School on Friday. The Willowbrook Freshman A Team came into this conference matchup undefeated, with an overall record of 6-0. The Hornets were looking to push their conference record to 2-0.
The young Hornets team started the game off slow, with Willowbrook beginning the game on a 11-0 run. James Ruzika continued his stellar shooting from three point territory keeping the Hornets in the game. Daeshawn Amy also provided the Hornets with a defensive spark off the bench, creating Warrior turnovers into points for the Hornets. Still, the Freshman A Hornets Team would see themselves trailing by four points at halftime for the first time this season.
Willowbrook would once again begin the second half on a run. This time, the Warriors went on an 8-0 run to begin the half and maintained a lead of double digits throughout the majority of the game. The Hornets were left with little time to battle back into the lead. In the end, the Hornets lost to Willowbrook by twelve points. This loss now puts the Hornets’ conference record at 1-1 and 5-2 overall.
The Freshamn A Team will play their next game on Monday, December 26th versus a very athletic Kenwood High School team, in the Lyons-Township High School Holiday Tournament at 10am. They will also play on Tuesday the 27th versus Stagg High School at 10am, and lastly Lyons-Township High School Wednesday, December 28th at 11:30am.
Freshman B The Hornets won a scrappy one on Friday night against the Willowbrook Warriors 54-48. HSHS was up but early, the Warriors closed the distance to take the lead in the 3rd quarter, only to see the hornets come back again in the 4th. The freshman b team is now 3-4 on the season and 2-0 in conference.
Week of December 5th
Varsity The Varsity boys traveled to Morton East on Friday night to play their first conference game of the season. The Western Suburban Gold conference is going to be full of exciting games this year and Friday night was no exception. The Hornets started off the game with a 5-0 run, and continued to lead most of the first half. The Hornets dominated the 3rd quarter outscoring the Mustangs 24 to 16. The Hornets extended a 6 point 3rd quarter lead to 10 points early in the 4th quarter. The Hornets were able to hold off a late Morton rally and get their first conference win of the season with a 71 to 67 victory.
Zion Griffin lead the hornets with 24 points while DJ Anderson added a season high 18 and Robert Barnes added a season high 15 points in his first Varsity start. Sophomore The Hornets opened up conference play this past Friday at Morton East High School. The game started off back and forth in the first quarter. At the end of the first quarter the score was 14-12 Morton.
After a tough second quarter, the Hornets came out of halftime ready to go, hitting five 3s in the third quarter. Patrick Savage, Nathan Dahms, Trevor Lehmann, Lukas Rainis, and Terrill McCray all connected from 3 to start the second half. At the end of the third quarter it was Morton 41 Hinsdale South 36.
The 4th quarter saw a lot of pressure defense and trapping by both sides. Ultimately, the Hornets couldn’t continue their hot shooting from the third quarter and fell to the Morton Mustangs 46-42. Terrill McCray lead the Hornets with 9 points while Lukas Rainis scored 8, and Robert Jones scored 7.
Freshman A The Freshman A Basketball Team concluded their season opening road trip in a conference game matchup versus Morton High School on Friday, December 9. Hinsdale caught a strong Morton team on their third game in seven days.
The Hornets started the game with relentless defensive pressure, along with a strong presence under the basket by Cecil Fisher; who had a couple of great blocks on the defensive end. The Hornets received a spark offensively from off the bench by Malcom Brown. As usual, the Hornets found themselves up big with a sixteen point lead at the end of the first half. Unfortunately, that lead did not last long as the Hornets came out in the second half sluggish, and found themselves in a single digit game versus the Mustangs. The Mustangs chipped their way back into the game through their strong post offense.
The young Hornet team was able to recover from the Morton run, and Hinsdale freshman Jason Williams took over. Williams scored ten of his eighteen points in the fourth, helping the Hornets get the win. This win now brings the Freshman A Team’s overall record to 5-1, and 1-0 in the West Suburban Gold. The Freshman A Team will play their next game at home on Friday, December, 16 at 4:30 pm versus Willowbrook.
Freshman B The freshman b hornets came all the way back from a 15 point deficit to beat Morton Friday night 41-37. It was a scrappy game all the way around, but ultimately solid offense by Logan McGinley, Jayden Arquines, and Eric Lipisko down the stretch was enough to tie the game late and then take the lead with under a minute to play. The Hornets are now 2-4 overall and 1-0 in conference.
Week of November 28
Varsity The Varsity Boys Basketball team started the regular season this week with road games vs. Andrew High School and Hinsdale Central.
On Tuesday the Hornets played their best game of the season so far and defeated the Andrew Thunderbolts by a score of 71 to 32. The Hornets came out firing on all cylinders as they took charge with a 21 to 4 first quarter lead. The Hornets outscored the Thunderbolts in each of the 4 quarters.
The Hornets finished the game with a season high 17 assists. The Hornets also dominated the boards by out rebounding the Thunderbolts 41 to 16.
Zion Griffin lead the Hornets with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Mike Stoltz added 11 points and DJ Anderson had 10. Nick Perry led the Hornets passing attack with 6 assists.
On Friday the Hornets traveled to Hinsdale Central for a rivalry game with the Red Devils. The Hornets played strong defense throughout the game and held Central to 46 points but were unable to overcome a high number of turnovers. Zion Griffin led the Hornets with 11 points, 5 blocks and 15 rebounds.
Sophomore The sophomore Hornets finished the past week with a 1-1 record. On Tuesday the Hornets traveled to Andrew high school and finished with a 52-36 win. The Hornets started off hitting 3s by Terrill McCray and Lukas Rainis. The 3 pointers kept coming throughout the game with Billy Durkin finishing with 15 points including four 3 pointers. Also, Aaron Tims dominated in the post and finished with 16 points.
On Friday the Hornets traveled to rival hinsdale central. It was a slow start for the Hornets. Hinsdale Central had everything going and The Hornets struggled to come back. While the Hornets put up a good fight and it was a competitive second half, they lost 42-23.
Freshman A The Freshman A Basketball Team once again had a string of away games this week. The Freshman A Team first traveled on Tuesday to Andrew High School in Tinley Park. Both Andrew and Hinsdale South teams had undefeated records of 3-0 following their thanksgiving tournament wins. The game was close the entire time. Great offensive plays surrounded the 1st half by both programs, and Hinsdale was able to pull ahead at halftime by a lead margin of four points. To start the second half, Hinsdale came out with a lack of fire, giving up the lead for most of the third and fourth quarters. The Hinsdale Freshman A Team didn’t back down. South was able to keep it a two or three possession game for the remainder of the half. Down the stretch, Hinsdale was down three points with eight seconds left, when they found the hot hand of James Ruzicka who knocked down the game tying three pointer. Hinsdale was able to hold off Andrew’s last possession sending the game into overtime.
In overtime, South saw themselves headed to the charity stripe for two free-throws, down by two, with ten seconds left remaining in overtime. Unfortunately, Hinsdale missed the first free-throw, but made the second, leaving Andrew’s with a one point lead. Andrew High School was able to hold of the Hornets, giving the Hornets their first loss of the season by three points.
Hinsdale continued their road trip on Friday against cross-town rival Hinsdale Central. With South’s size, quickness, and defensive pressure they were able to go into a comfortable lead at halftime, led by James Ruzika and Jason Williams. The bigs of Hinsdale South led by Marquese Garrett, Messiah Edwards, and Cecil Fisher were also a strong presence in the paint on the defensive end. Just like the previous game against Andrew High School, Hinsdale came out slow to start the second half. Faced with many unforced turnovers, South saw their lead dwindle down to as little as 10 points. Late in the game the offensive pressure, and control of the game clock were too much to match for the Devils, giving the Hinsdale South Freshman A team the 45-32 victory. This win improves South’s record to 4-1. Hinsdale South will be back on the road versus a strong Morton team this upcoming week. The game begins at 4:30pm Friday, December 9th at Morton High School.
Freshman B The freshman b hornets lost a dogfight 32-31 against Andrew high school Tuesday night. After trailing by double digits early, they battled their way back to take the lead late in the fourth but ultimately missed free throws cost Hinsdale South in the end.
The freshman b hornets lost 39-25 at Hinsdale Central on Friday night. It was a tough shooting night for Hinsdale south who otherwise played great defense. Jayden Arguines led the team with 8 pts and, as always, Logan McGinley was a solid rebounder and defender in this one.
Week of November 21
Varsity The Varsity basketball team started off the regular season this week. The Hornets finished with a 2-1 record at the Lyons Township Thanksgiving Tournament and captured 2nd place.
In the first game of the week the Hornets started off the season with a signature win over Maine South. The Hornets trailed most of the game but were able to mount a strong 4th quarter run behind 3 Mike Stoltz 3 pointers to win 42 to 39. Mike Stoltz led all scorers with 12 points. Nick Perry and Zion Griffin also added 10 points.
In the second game of the tournament the Hornets took on the Host Lyons and lost 77 to 43. Zion Griffin led the Hornets with 15 points.
The final game of the LT Thanksgiving Tournament saw a Hinsdale South vs. Plainfield North matchup. The Hornets used strong defense to take a 18 to 6 lead and never look back. The Hornets saw three players score in double digits. DJ Anderson had 10, Karol Lipisko 12, and Zion Griffin 16. The win moved the Hornets record to 2-1 and 2nd Place in the tournament.
Saturday saw all 4 teams from the LT tournament Match up with teams from the Glenbard Thanksgiving Tournament. The Hornets were matched up with Glenbard West.
The Hornets fell behind early in the first quarter after struggling to get shots to fall and saw themselves trailing 29 to 13 at the half. The Hornets came out very strong in the 2nd half and fixed many of the problems ailing them early in the game to get as close as 2 points in the 4th quarter. Karol Lipisko and Zion Griffin led the comeback with Karol scoring 14 points in the 2nd half and Zion chipping in 9 with 2 coming from a monster steal and dunk.
Sophomore The sophomore basketball team played in their first tournament of the season over the Thanksgiving weekend. The Hornets finished in 2nd place with a 2-1 record at the Lyons Township Thanksgiving Tournament.
In the first game of the season the Hornets played Lyons Township. It was a back and forth first half with the Hornets trailing by 5 at halftime. The lions pulled away in the second half and gave the Hornets their first loss of the season.
In the second game of the tournament the Hornets took on Maine South. The Hornets started off the game hot and carried the momentumn through the first half, leading by 13 at halftime. The second half saw a change in momentum by Maine South, and the lead down to 8 by the end of the 3rd quarter. Ultimately the Hornets held off Maine South with a strong finish in the 4th quarter and got their first win of the season. Hornets 53 Maine South 42. The Hornets were lead in scoring by Aaron Tims with 16 points and Billy Durkin with 14 points.
In the finale of the Lyons Township Thanksgiving Tournament the Hornets faced off against Plainfield North. The Hornets had another strong start ignited by the defense. The Hornets ball movement on offense and teammwork made their offense hard to stop. The strong team play carried the Hornets through the entire game giving them a 47-22 win and 2nd place in the Lyons Township Thanksgiving Tournament. Terrill McCray lead the team in scoring with 11 points while Patrick Savage scored 10 and Aaron Tims had 8. Freshman A The Freshman A Basketball Team started off the regular season this week with 3 consecutive games on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. The Freshman A Hornets finished with a 3-0 record at the Reavis High School Thanksgiving Tournament, captured 1st place, and won all 3 games by a total combined point margin of 83 points.
In the first game of the week, the Freshman A Hornets made a statement of who they are when they faced off against Evergreen Park on Monday. The Hornets experienced adversity right off the bat dealing with 10-2 fouls in the first quarter. Through strong team leadership and depth off the bench, the Hornets were able to stay focused and take a commanding lead going into half time all the while combating a foul gap of 16-4 in the first half. All 11 players on the roster contributed to the 70-41 victory. The depth of the Hornets’s roster is not only very unique, but extremely skilled.
In the second game of the tournament, the Freshman A Hornets played a West Suburban Gold conference team, Addison Trail. With aggressive team defense, and quick transition offense, the Addison Trail team was no match for the Hornets. Jason Williams, Marquese Garrett, and Jacob Stukas played great on both the defensive and offensive ends for the Hornets. Cecil Fisher also added some great defensive blocks in the paint. Bryan Johnson, Daeshawn Amy, and Messiah Edwards created a huge offensive spark for the Hornets off of the bench. The Freshman A Hornets finished the game with an impressive score of 22-62.
In the final game of the Reavis Thanksgiving Tournament, the Freshman A Hinsdale South Team played against the tournament host Reavis Rams, in a championship game matchup. The Hornets came out of the gates with 3 quick 3-pointers made by James Ruzicka, who finished the first quarter with 11 points. Cecil Fisher continued his strong prescience in the paint on the defensive end with 2 huge blocks to conclude the first half. After a slow start in the first half, Jason Williams heated up in the second half by creating offensive points through his aggressive full court defense. Malcom Brown came off the bench and provided the Hornets with strong defensive and rebounding play, while Zach Rynkar provided benefits on the offensive end with his three-point shooting. Aman Tezeno also played huge minutes late in the second half with his offensive ball handling. The Freshman A Hornets were once again victorious with an end game score of 55-41, and are your 2016 Reavis Rams Thanksgiving Tournament Champions!
Freshman B The freshman b hornets lost Tuesday night to Larkin HS 57-38 in a game that was much closer than the score indicted. Surviving a press the whole game, the Hornets tied it in the third only to run out of gas down the stretch. Safe to say, this was basically football on the court.
The freshman b hornets won a barn burner on Wednesday night 41-37. After trailing much of the game, the Hornets clawed their way back into it by sheer will and sharp shooting. Eric Lipiszko hit the go ahead three with 15 sec left and Faustus Narmontus scored off an ensuing steal to seal the game.
The freshman b hornets lost a tough one 46-16 against West Chicago on Saturday. It was just a bad day all around coupled with some poor shooting for the boys coming off thanksgiving. On the positive side, Kyle Cattaneo contributed positively with two threes in his first game of the year.