Boys Basketball: New Trier earn respect after second at Proviso

Updated: January 3, 2012 7:08PM

New Trier tried valiantly to record history.

While it lost the war, it gained something valuable and lasting in the process. The Trevians gained a lot of respect.

Playing in its first Proviso West tournament championship game since 2001, New Trier fell behind early but refused to wilt, pulling within four points in the closing minutes before a final Proviso East burst allowed the Pirates to pull out the 68-55 victory.

New Trier finished second for the fifth time in school history.

“It means a lot to the school, the program and the community how far we got,” senior forward Austin Angel said.

New Trier impressed quite a few people.

“I told the kids at halftime there’s a reason (New Trier) is playing for the championship,” first-year Proviso East coach Donnie Boyce said after the Trevians sliced a 13-point deficit to two at the break.

Proviso East’s quickness, speed and athleticism was too difficult for the Trevians to overcome.

“We gave up too many easy baskets,” New Trier coach Scott Fricke said.

The strong showing confirmed what Fricke, his staff and players privately knew. New Trier has a chance to be truly special. The Trevians enter the second half of the season the only unbeaten conference team (3-0) in the Central Suburban South.

Dartmouth-bound Connor Boehm turned his final Proviso West appearance into a private showcase. He was named first-team all-tournament and led the Trevians to impressive victories over Fenwick, Homewood-Flossmoor and Morgan Park.

Boehm scored 72 points, averaging 18 points in the four games. His 7.5 defensive rebound average marked the third-best rebound rate in the field. He was hardly alone. Senior guard David Bragiel was also a revelation. He opened the tournament in high style, shooting 5 of 5 from the field and making four three-pointers in the first-round victory over Fenwick.

He was the headliner but he was hardly a one-man crew. Fricke was particularly pleased at the way different players stepped up in each game.

Bragiel also made crucial late-game three-pointers against Homewood-Flossmoor and Morgan Park that decisively changed the momentum. He led the tournament in three-point percentage, shooting 9 of 17 in the four games. He also led the Trevians in assists and was named second-team all-tournament.

The No. 8-ranked Trevians (12-2) showed poise, toughness and cohesion against ranked programs Homewood-Flossmoor and Morgan Park. Angel’s two fourth-quarter three-pointers spelled the difference in the 50-41 semifinal victory.

Junior forward Steve Cook stood out for his all-around play. He was active at both ends, and he made crucial intangible plays.

“Last year I dressed but I didn’t really see any action at the tournament,” he said. “I was a little nervous at first, but as the games wore on, I started making plays and getting more confident.”

Junior guard Reid Berman provided steady leadership and selfless play, illustrated by constantly being assigned to stop the other teams’ top individual scorers. He also hit several key three-pointers against Homewood-Flossmoor in the quarterfinals.

Sophomore Jordan Thomas was the sparkplug off the bench, making key plays against Homewood-Flossmoor and especially Proviso East. He scored 12 of his 15 points in the second quarter to help the Trevians stage their comeback. The only potential downside was the team’s lack of depth; Fricke rarely played more than six players.

“We’re beaten-up and tired right now,” he admitted, “after playing four games in four days. We’re looking forward to the rest, but we know we have a good team and this (tournament) is going to prepare us for the rest of our season.

“We have a tough schedule, in our league and we’re also playing teams like (ranked) St. Rita. This was a great experience. We’re disappointed we didn’t win it, but very pleased with how we fought and never gave up.”

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