Boys Basketball: Metea Valley meets Waubonsie Valley in key UEC matchup

Updated: January 10, 2012 9:17PM

Learning how to win and knowing how to win are two different traits.

Metea Valley has been receiving a crash course in that topic during its first 14 games — all victories.

With a pair of tournament titles and a second consecutive victory over one of its District 204 rivals — Neuqua Valley — already in the rearview mirror, the attention of Metea Valley turns toward earning a second consecutive victory over its other District 204 rival, Waubonsie Valley.

A 15th straight victory to start the season for the Mustangs Wednesday on the road would not only match their victory total from their inaugural season in 2010-11, but a win would also keep their competitors in the Upstate Eight Valley at bay.

“We talked about it with our guys how that’s our first goal is to win conference and hopefully some more after that,” Metea Valley coach Bob Vozza said. “They’re in conference with us and it’s an important game going on the road. Rivalry put aside, it’s just an important game for us to get to the goals we want.

“It’s a big game atmosphere. The kids know each other, but like we said, we like to be in those games. We wanted to be in those games as we started this program and that’s the type of atmosphere we’re gonna have for the rest of the year.”

Carrying only a two-point lead into halftime Saturday at home against Lake Park, the Mustangs put together a stronger second half in winning 61-45 victory to grab sole possession of the Upstate Eight Valley lead.

Sitting a game and a half behind Metea Valley in the division, Waubonsie Valley (10-4, 3-1 Upstate Eight Valley) has won four straight after a stretch where it lost four of five following a 5-0 start to its season.

“I think our defensive intensity has picked up. We weren’t guarding very well, especially the Geneva game and the Lyons game,” Waubonsie Valley coach Steve Weemer said. “We hit some shots, but we weren’t defending at a level that I think we’re capable of. So I kind of challenged our guys a little bit from that standpoint.

“Now we score 60 points a game, that’s enough to win ballgames in high school. But you can’t give up 60, so I think it started there, that week of practice and after the Christmas tournament. We held Bartlett to 40 last (Friday) night, so I think that has been the key. Our defense has continued to get better.”

That defense will be severely tested against a Metea Valley offense averaging 71.7 points a game — topping the 60-point mark 13 times.

South Elgin has been the only team this year to hold the Mustangs to under 60 points, but the Mustangs still pulled out a 55-43 victory last month.

“They’re a team that can score in bunches,” Weemer said. “So we’ve got to minimize their runs. They can be in a tied ballgame and all of a sudden they go on an 8-0 run like that and open it up. We’ve got to minimize their runs and try to control their fast-paced tempo.”

The main task for the undefeated Mustangs (14-0, 5-0 Upstate Eight Valley) will be how they deal with Warriors’ junior guard Jared Brownridge, who is averaging 22.6 points per game.

As its best perimeter defender, Metea Valley senior Ryan Solomon will get the first crack at limiting Brownridge, who scored 11 points in the Warriors’ 63-52 victory over the Mustangs back on Jan. 14, 2011.

“Just a matter of trying to deny the ball the best we can, get it out of his hands. I know they do a great job of trying and getting him the ball in their sets,” Vozza said of Brownridge. “Even after a quarter or two, we might be doing a decent job, but there are always those 30 and 45 (second) and minute spurts where he can just take off and get a quick nine or 10 points on his own.

“So we just can’t relax. We’ve got to keep Ryan fresh and other guys are gonna have to guard him, too. It’s just gotta be a whole team (effort).”

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