Boys Basketball: Oak Park preps for Hinsdale Central

Updated: December 13, 2011 6:08PM

Oak Park-River Forest will try to find out just how good it is without standout point guard Ka’Darryl Bell.

The Bradley University-bound Bell injured his right wrist Dec. 3, when he fell hard to the floor attempting a layup in the first quarter against Downers Grove South. After getting a second opinion, Bell discovered last week that he has torn ligaments in his wrist and will remain out of the lineup until early January.

“He will not need surgery as of now,” said OPRF coach Matt Maloney. “We are hoping that the injury heals faster than expected and he returns sooner than we originally thought.”

The injury takes away some of the hype from conference favorite OPRF’s early season showdown against Hinsdale Central. The Huskies (6-1, 2-0) host the Red Devils (5-1, 2-0) at 6 p.m. Saturday.

Hinsdale Central, which won only five games last season, enters the contest on a four-game win streak, and is the unlikely challenger in the West Suburban Silver this season. Glenbard West (6-0, 2-0) remained perfect after beating Lyons Township 59-46 Friday night, but the Hilltoppers don’t play another conference game until facing York (3-4, 0-3) Jan. 6.

After beating Walther Lutheran 61-24 Friday night, OPRF is 2-1 without Bell. After the Hinsdale Central game, the Huskies visit Fenwick (2-3) at 7 p.m. Dec. 20.

Without Bell, some of the scoring load has been distributed to 6-foot-7 Gabe Levin and new starter Alex Nesnidal. Levin was the MVP at the season-opening St. Patrick Invitational.

“We’ve had two (full) games without (Bell), so we’ve adjusted fine,” Levin said. “We always miss him. He is such a great player.”

An internet report last week proclaimed Levin as one of the Chicago area’s most overlooked players. He’s earned a scholarship offer from Loyola University, but is also considering playing NCAA Division II college basketball or at an East Coast prep school next season. He has applied and visited only one prep school, St. Thomas More in Oakdale, Conn., which graduated current UConn freshman star Andre Drummond.

“I’m doing it because I feel I want to be a better basketball player,” said Levin, who recently turned 17. “It would be a big help to me to get an extra year of school work in. I’m young for my grade.”

Jakari Cammon, the OPRF football team’s leading rusher, takes over at point guard, and Alex Gustafson shifts to guard.

The Huskies lost to Downers South with the Mustangs missing standout guard Jerron Wilbut (suspension). OPRF hasn’t played a team with as many sharp-shooters as the Red Devils, who made 10 three-pointers against Rolling Meadows Saturday night.

“They have size and physical play,” Maloney said. “(Tom) Garvin is one of the best players in the conference, and they have great confidence this year.”

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