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York junior guard A.J. Levine is motivated for a better result this season.
Starting with the upcoming Jack Tosh Holiday Classic, Levine said his teammates are aiming to make a memorable run.
“I’m definitely excited to play in the Tosh this year, so is the whole team,” Levine said. “There’s a lot of great competition and we believe we can compete with any team. Last year we didn’t have the greatest showing at our own tournament, but I think this year we can step it up a lot and be a contender for the championship.”
York basketball coach Mike Dunn is also ready for another stab at winning the prestigious Jack Tosh Holiday Classic.
The 32-team tournament is one of the top events of the holiday season, featuring two games played at the same time along with some of the elite teams and players from Chicagoland. Last season, Glenbard West dominated the field to win the tourney title en route to the program’s first Class 4A state championship.
Dunn said the 2022 version is filled with teams from throughout the area, with Glenbrook South, Waubonsie Valley, Glenbard North and Yorkville new entries this season.
The five-day tourney will announce pairings on Wednesday, as the tourney starts on Dec. 26.
“We’re excited because it’s going to be a great tournament,” Dunn said. “I think it’s one of the best, maybe from top to bottom, in the state. It’s an extremely well-run tournament, and it’s a special thing to be a part of.
“The tradition of it, from former athletic director Jack Tosh. It brings out great crowds and great basketball fans and has competitive games all day long. It was hard to seed because we have a lot of conference opponents and we’re trying to stay away from them playing each other. It’s also a special time, right after Christmas. We’re all looking forward to it.”
One of three returnees for the Dukes, Levine has become a go-to player. He’s averaging a team-high 16.6 points per game. Junior forward Braden Richardson and junior Brendan Molis also are the key returnees for the Dukes (4-5). Richardson is averaging 6.3 points and 4.5 rebounds.
“We’ve won two of our last three years, and that includes a one-point loss to Downers Grove North,” Dunn said. “We have eight juniors, but three of them played up as sophomores. We have a lot of inexperience, but each game I’ve been very impressed with the kids. They’ve been working extremely hard learning our system on the run. We play in one of the best conferences in the West Suburban Silver. There’s a lot of senior dominated team.
“A.J. Levine has been playing really well and improved a lot from last year. Braden Richardson is playing well and Brendan Molis has really come on strong in the last two weeks. I’m really excited where we’re at. We have to continue to improve. The schedule doesn’t get any easier.”
Levine credited his strong play this season to his workouts in the offseason, which helped him prepare for a larger role. Levine said he’s noticed a big difference in his conditioning, athleticism and vertical.
“In the past year, I’ve done a lot of lifting which has made a huge difference for my game,” he said. “I’ve gotten bigger and stronger and that’s helped a lot with my inside game and finishing. I’ve put a lot of work with my shot.
“Another big thing is confidence for me. My coach running a lot of plays and putting a lot of trust in me in the offense has definitely added to my confidence. He truly believes that I can create my own shot and get the right shot for our offense, so scoring wise that’s helped a lot because I don’t second guess any shot I take.”
Timothy Christian update
After a run of several high-volume scorers in the past few years, Timothy Christian is adjusting to a new phase. The Trojans (4-3) lost their opener in the Metro Suburban Blue Conference, but coach Scott Plaisier said his team is on the right track.
“This team has really demonstrated the work ethic and focus it takes to improve as a group,” he said. “We had to identify a number of roles within our team due to graduating a large senior class but a number of players have really stepped into those roles and taken advantage of their opportunities. We have also installed a number of new concepts and ideas this season and this team has demonstrated the ability to adapt to the changes and continually improve on the details of our systems. "
Plaisier said senior guard Kyle Steiner, junior forward Thon Bill and junior wing Alex Keizer have played instrumental roles through the first month of the season.
“Kyle has really stepped into a leadership role for this team,” he said. “He’s a very explosive player and is learning to be our lead scorer. His energy and athleticism allow him to make a number of big plays for us, both offensively and defensively. At 6-foot-7, Thon Bill is really developing into a solid player. He’s learning how to anchor our interior defense and alters a number of shots due to his length and athleticism. Alex is continuing to show that he can really stretch the floor with his ability to shoot. He’s a tremendous shooter and learning how to score in multiple ways as his role has increased this season.”
Extra notes: Downers Grove South recorded 12 charges in a 69-49 win over Morton on Saturday. Junior forward Justin Sveiteris scored a team-high 24 points and Daniel Sveiteris added 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and took three charges.