By Jeff Vorva
“Sad that the ride is over, but what a ride it was!”
That sentence found on the Beecher Basketball’s X social media page, complete with the exclamation point at the end of it, put the exclamation point on a wild and historic boys’ hoops season.
It was a season that came to an end on March 4, with a 73-58 loss to Phillips at the Class 2A Joliet Central Super-sectional.
The Bobcats finished the season 34-1 and set multiple school records along the way.
For weeks, they enjoyed the distinction of being the only unbeaten team in Illinois. They won the second regional title in school history and the first sectional title.
For 34-½ games, the team played well, including the first half of the Phillips game, when the Bobcats got out to a quick 15-9 lead.
But the Chicago Public League team, which finished the season winning the 2A state title, had a 32-31 halftime lead and poured it on in the second half to end Beecher’s big season.
Adyn McGinley closed his high school career with 26 points on 11-of-15 shooting. Zack Johnson had 14 points, while Orlin Nesbitt tallied 11 points and eight rebounds.
The core of this team have played together since kindergarten and now the players will head their separate ways, although none have announced commitments to colleges just yet.
McGinley was named Class 2A All-State First Team by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association. He was also named to the Illinois Media’s All-State team, as well. That was previously known as the Associated Press All-State team.
Some of the season highlights for the Bobcats include:
•Starting the season on the right note by going 4-0 and winning the Manteno Thanksgiving Tournament.
•Sweating out a 55-53 victory over St. Joseph Ogden on December 22.
•Winning the Cliff Warkins Memorial Holiday Tournament with a 49-42 triumph over Mercer County on December 30.
•Getting through a rough game against Peoria Notre Dame and winning 43-40 on January 6 at the Taylorville Shootout.
•Celebrating homecoming with an 85-53 win over Clifton Central January 19.
•Winning a doubleheader with a 64-51 win over Clifton Central and a 62-40 win over Rockridge on January 27 at the Beecher Shootout.
•Scheduling a game at Byron at the last minute and pulling off a 55-51 win. Byron finished fourth in the state in Class 2A.
•Beating St. Anne 81-46, to win the River Valley Conference Tournament title on February 13.
•Overcoming a five-point halftime deficit and going on to beat Joliet Catholic 64-55, to claim the Westmont Regional.
•Knocking off Fieldcrest 60-43, to win the Clifton Central Sectional.