Excellence was abundant on The Patch Hardwood Tour during this past hoops season. From the gloriously outstanding campaigns of the Huntley Red Raiders and Crystal Lake Central Tigers to the late-season victories finally garnered by struggling squads from Prairie Ridge and Lake Zurich, effort earned rewards. In that same spirit, this column wraps up the 2010-11 basketball season by acknowledging the teams and individuals who made following the 17 clubs on The Tour an enjoyable experience. I want to point out that selecting the top guards of this season was an especially difficult task. I could…

Four remaining survivors of the 17 Patch Hardwood Tour teams advanced into week 16 of the high school basketball season, but by the end of the seven-day stretch, the uncompromising tournament known as March Madness had swallowed the quartet whole.    Such is the one-and-done nature of the IHSA prep basketball tournament, which snuffed the hopes of Huntley, Crystal Lake Central, Grayslake Central and Fremd. Each had managed to survive the first week of exhilarating cut-throat tournament play, earning hard-won Regional championships along the way. But the arduous task of conquering increasingly…

At halftime, a cheerleader from each Crystal Lake team flip-flopped wildly across the basketball court from opposite ends, then slammed violently together in mid-spin near the center line to the concerned gasp of the full-house crowd.      Thankfully, neither of the young girls suffered serious injury, but their unintended meeting symbolized the full-bore battle that took place Friday night between the Crystal Lake Central Tigers (22-4) and the Crystal Lake South Gators (15-11).   The cross-town rivals put on the best show before the largest and most enthusiastic crowd of any game I witnessed…

Jacobs coach Jim Hinkle seems to squeeze every bit of talent  from the players on his Golden Eagles team. In my eyes, he has two seasoned guards, Nick Hofman and point-man Mike Peterson who are above average high school players, and about seven other role players who fit the system and regularly get things done.     Saturday night against a taller, more talented Libertyville team, Jacobs demonstrated how they have managed to stay above .500 all season and challenge for the Fox Valley title (before finally falling short). Watching Jacobs choreograph its offense against Libertyville, I saw the …

Prior to Wednesday night, the big game always got away.    But when the Grayslake North Knights bagged the powerful Tigers from Crystal Lake with an impressive 59-56 home win, the hunt for basketball respect was finally fulfilled.    This is as meaningful a triumph as any in Grayslake North’s short five-year hoops history and is easily its most important win this season.    The Knights came into the game with an 11-4 record that was impressive on the surface, but lacking in the kind of giant-killing victory that makes basketball fans sit up and take notice.  A majority of the Grayslake North’…

From the heady 5-1 start of the Grayslake North Knights to the rugged 1-4 beginnings of a Prairie Ridge Wolves team still finding it's basketball legs, Patch.com-area teams have already experienced wide-ranging degrees of success this young season. But all the clubs and their coaches have the same overall goal in mind, even this early in the campaign. They all want to put the game experiences into proper perspective, learn something from each outing  and, most importantly, improve in the process. Here's a few examples of  highs and lows  witnessed in week two. LOSING WITH GRACEIt can often …

Thanks to an immediate spate of Thanksgiving tournaments, no start of a high school sports season comes charging at its fandom with more in-your-face immediacy than does the boys basketball campaign. It's a stimulating part of the year, as preseason expectations quickly come face to face with reality. Players and coaches get their first looks at their teams' strong points and shortcomings as the stage is quickly set for another hoops campaign. The Patch Hardwood Tour made it to four area tournaments and was able to get a first-hand look at seven of the 16 teams in the region, Here's what was …