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tinleyjunction.com sports
The tinley junction | November 21, 2018 | 27
‘No excuses’ - it’s time for
TP to start winning again
PHIL ARVIA, Freelance Reporter
D.J. Brown is entering his
12th season as Tinley Park’s
boys basketball coach. He
hasn’t had a winning season
since 2010-11.
But if you think the thrill
is gone for the Titans mentor,
think again.
“We’re excited about this
team,” Brown said. “This is
the biggest group of seniors
we’ve ever had — I’m carrying
10.
“We have senior leadership.
We have guards. We
have some guys who can go
inside.
“We don’t have excuses.”
Yet, Brown also conceded
of his senior-laden team,
“We’re pretty green.”
Graduated are last year’s
leading scorer (Josiah Bickhem,
14.4 points per game),
rebounder (Mark Cross, 6.6
rebounds), distributor (Jason
Cook 4.7 assists) and ball
hawk (Solomon Wilson-
Smith, 3.1 steals).
Off guard Christian Hooker
(6-foot-0) is the only returning
full-time starter.
He’ll be joined in a threeguard
lineup by Kameron
Holmes (5-10), an occasional
starter last year, and point
guard Mario Lawrence, who
has transferred back to Tinley
Park from Harlan after
starting for the Titans as a
sophomore.
The front court will be
occupied by two more seniors,
6-2 Adam Gaydos
and 6-3 Collin Wilma. Neither
played basketball last
season, but both played for
Tinley’s regional championship-winning
baseball team
as juniors. Wilma was an allconference
player in baseball
and golf.
“They’re really taken to
Tinley Park junior Yitonis Nash works the rope in a
preseason practice. JEFF VORVA/22ND CENTURY MEDIA
what we’ve been teaching,”
Brown said. “For being off
their junior years, in terms
of picking up concepts, they
haven’t missed a beat.
“Their mentality will help
our guys. They understand
the best teams are player-led
teams.”
Count Hooker in that
group as well.
“He’s a four-year varsity
guy,” Brown said. “He
was our leading three-point
shooter last year. We’re expecting
big things from him.
“He has really established
himself as being the guy on
the team we look to as an extension
of the coaching staff
on the floor.”
With no players taller than
6-3, the Titans will look to
run on offense and press on
defense.
“We’ll do a lot of things that
benefit us in terms of having
moveable parts,” Brown said.
“Transition is going to be big.
… We are deep, so that helps
in being able to throw bodies
on the floor.”
Seniors Matt Joren and
Ryan Powers should see
heavy minutes coming
off the bench. Freshman
Aa’Reyon Munir-Jones,
who was bumped up to the
varsity football team midseason,
will likely take the
same path to varsity hoops.
“He has a lot of potential,”
Brown said. “He’ll start with
the sophomores, but I do see
him filling a role on the varsity
this season.”
Just 6-21 last season (4-9
in the South Suburban Blue),
Brown offered no hesitation
when discussing his hopes
for the season.
“To say we’re looking at a
.500 record is not too lofty,”
Brown said. “Essentially,
our goal is to be playing on
a Friday night for a regional
championship.”
His senior-heavy crew
should at least have a winning
mentality.
“We have guys that have
been around the program for
a while,” he said. “We took
some steps here to kind of
establish a culture, what our
expectations are, what we
tolerate. We were not going
to sacrifice culture in pursuit
of a couple of more wins.
“We’re seeing quality kids
coming through our program,
who we’re proud of.”
AREA SPORTS ROUNDUP
Murphy just misses goal in unforgiving 50 free race
JEFF VORVA, Sports Editor
As it has for many years, the 50-yard
freestyle continues to be unforgiving.
In an event in which an eye blink separated
the final 28 competitors, Andrew
senior Bailey Murphy finished 45th out
of 45 swimmers in the 50 free preliminaries
at the Illinois High School Association
Swimming and Diving Championships on
Friday, Nov. 16, at Evanston Township
High School.
Murphy swam the event in 25.24 seconds.
Had she shaved even one second off
that time, she could have finished 18th and
met her goal of :24.4, which was the Andrew
pool record of Christine Magnuson,
who went on to earn a silver medal in the
Olympics.
The Thunderbolts senior became the first
swimmer since 2013 to qualify for the state
meet when she posted a :24.90 at the Sandburg
Sectional on Nov 10.
Walking and running at the race track
Chicagoland Speedway will hold a Santa
THANKSGIVING
PREP MADE EASY
WITH PULL-OUT SHELVES FOR
YOUR EXISTING KITCHEN CABINETS.
5K run and one-mile stroll for charity at 9
a.m., Dec. 1. Gates will open at 8 a.m.
Participants are encouraged to wear
holiday apparel, including hats headbands,
beards, ugly sweaters etc.
Orland Park’s Scott Paddock, the president
of the track promises a special gift to
any runner who beats his time.
Entry fees are $35 for adults, $25 for students
and $15 for children 5-12. For more
information visit the website at chicago
landspeedway.com.
Shooters seeking players
The Southside Shooters boys basketball
team is looking for one or two players
to fill their seventh and eighth grade
teams.
Games, leagues, and tournaments are
all local with practices at Moraine Valley
Community College.
For a private tryout or more info contact
coach Bill Finn at 708-508-0170 or email at
finn@morainevalley.edu.
Visit the website at southsideshootersbas
ketball.com.
CALL NOW!
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