Plainfield Central looks for key to close games

Updated: July 14, 2011 2:40PM

When the Plainfield Central boys basketball team hit the floor last season, one thing was almost always certain: a close game.

In Southwest Prairie Conference play, Central went 8-6 and 10 of those games were decided by seven points or fewer. The Wildcats went 6-4 in those games and led midway through the fourth quarter in three of the losses.

“Every game we play in seems to come down to the wire,” Central coach Steve Lamberti said during the recent Joliet West Tiger Shootout. “I told the guys, ‘I’d rather lose every game this summer, then try to find ways to win instead of winning each game by 15 or 20 points and never really putting yourself in position to figure out how to win in a tight game.’

“You know in our conference; every game comes down to five points with three minutes left. I’m OK with that. This summer has been good for us to figure out how to be successful late in games. I’m pretty happy where we’re at.”

Central is building momentum toward a breakout season, despite losing Boise State recruit and three-year starter Derrick Marks to graduation.

“We have a lot of guys returning, but only a few guys who were key contributors,” Lamberti said. “Those guys have really stepped up and helped those other guys along. We’ve got a lot of returning seniors who are going to get opportunities. During the summer they need to put themselves in position to show what they can do.”

Central’s success in the winter could come down to how many housekeeping items are dealt with over the summer.

“As always, in the summer you want to see where guys are at and how they are developing,” Lamberti said. “You want to see how guys are putting themselves in position to be successful in the winter. If they wait until the season starts to define their roles, it’s too late. They have to figure out where they are at, where we are at and what they can do to be successful. That’s what the summer is all about.”

The core returners for Central include seniors-to-be 6-foot-7 Andre Norris, 6-2 Eric Deloach and 6-foot Zach Warner and incoming junior guard Curtis Harrington.

Norris, an All-SPC selection last season, led the league in blocks and rebounds while averaging 12 points and 10 rebounds during the Wildcats’ 20-9 campaign.

Their continued development and bringing along the seniors and juniors new to the varsity are two of the main goals during the summer.

“You never start the season talking about going 15-5 in the summer,” Lamberti said. “You never know who is going to be there. We have guys who can’t be here and that’s understandable. We want them to be there, but other guys are getting opportunities to play. It’s great to win every game. Ultimately, how are we getting better and finding ways to be successful in certain situations are the things we’re looking for.”

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