Trevians' Youth Shows In Season-Ending Loss to Schaumburg

Through the second half of the season, New Trier coach Scott Fricke has often complemented his young team’s growth and development. Compared to the beginning of the year, the Trevians had grown up and looked like a playoff-ready team.

But some of that youth and inexperience finally showed up in New Trier’s regional final against Schaumburg on Friday night. The Trevians lost their composure in the third quarter and couldn’t rally back, losing to the Saxons, 49-46, in the IHSA Class 4A Evanston Regional final.

“Regardless of what the reason is, that’s unacceptable. We don’t want to ever lose our composure,” Fricke said. “When you work so hard for something, like these kids did, and you see it going south, it’s hard. This is a young team. It’s a learning experience for everyone.”

Down by only two points at halftime, New Trier unraveled in the third quarter and saw Schaumburg’s lead grow to 12 midway through the quarter. They scored only nine points in the quarter – all on three-point field goals – and struggled defensively.

But it was the team’s physical play and reactions to the referees that got New Trier in trouble. Already in foul trouble with three personal fouls, Bragiel was called for an intentional foul after tripping a Schaumburg player. It was the junior guard’s fourth foul and Schaumburg extended its lead to 10 points.

New Trier’s foul troubles started early in the game when starting guards Reid Berman and Bragiel both picked up their second fouls early in the second quarter and were forced to sit for the remainder of the half. Fricke went to his bench and called upon seldom-used Jordan Williams. The senior guard gave the Trevians four crucial minutes and some much-needed energy.

After converting two free throws from the charity stripe, Williams’ offensive rebound on the Trevians next possession led to a three-pointer from Eric West. With less than a minute to go, Williams found Angel on a backdoor cut on the baseline for an easy layup.

“Jordan Williams came in and had a big back-cut layup,” Fricke said. “I was proud of the kids who stepped up in that situation.

Schaumburg closed the half with four points in the final 30 seconds to go up by two points at halftime, 20-18.

Despite their struggles in the third quarter – eight minutes in which Connor Boehm did not attempt a shot -- New Trier rallied in the final eight minutes after switching out of their zone and going to a man-to-man defense.

They made a better effort of getting the ball inside to Boehm, who scored eight of his 12 points, in the last five minutes of the game.

“We guarded him as a team; certainly Kurt Kempema did a whale of a job and had the primary assignment to guard him,” Schaumburg coach Matt Walsh said. “But I thought we pressured the ball well and had great weak side help.”

Boehm’s layup with under a minute go brought the Trevians to within three points at 45-42, but New Trier never quite got over the hump. Williams’ desperation three-point attempt from just across half court was off the mark and Schaumburg advanced to the sectional semi-finals.

In the fourth quarter, the Saxons’ Javon McDonald and Kyle Bolger combined to go 12-for-15 from the free-throw line.

“You have to give them credit; they shot in their free throws,” Fricke said. “I was really proud of our kids, their effort to come back. We came back like that; I was really proud of our effort.”

New Trier will lose one starter – forward Matt Diceasare – and a couple of key role players in forward Brian Kost and defensive ace Eric West when they graduate this summer. Still the Trevians have to be encouraged at the growth they’ve shown over the course of the year.

“I thought we grew a lot during the season. We were 6-8 at one point and we played really tough down the stretch,” Boehm said. “All of our seniors contributed something and it sucks to see it end on this note.

“I thought we played tough towards the end of the season; it just sucks not being able to win this one.”