Post by title1parent on Jul 16, 2011 7:42:17 GMT -5
Metea builds on strong finish with successful summer
By Rick Armstrong
rarmstrong@stmedianetwork.com
Jul 15, 2011 05:02PM
Breathe deep.
One year into it, coach Bob Vozza’s Metea Valley varsity boys basketball program still has that new-car smell. Or is it the sweet smell of success? Could be a little bit of both.
“We always expected a lot and the kids did a nice job,” said the former Neuqua Valley assistant, whose first team that featured 10 juniors and five sophomores posted an impressive 15-13 record.
“It was definitely exciting. We had some big wins down the stretch.”
Did they ever.
Kenny Obendorf, a 6-foot-2 guard, scored a season-high 34 points on Jan. 22 when the Mustangs upset East Aurora. Raysean Parker, a 6-1 junior guard, had a game-high 20 points in an upset of Neuqua Valley on Feb. 25. Metea also went 1-1 with district rival Waubonsie Valley in Upstate Eight River Conference play.
“In our biggest games against our best opponents, Kenny raised his level of play and competed at a high level with the best players in the area and state,” Vozza said of the Beacon News All-Area (3rd team) selection. “Kenny’s approach and understanding of the game made him an instant leader.”
Parker, added Vozza, “consistently played at a high level in the second half of our season. His offensive presence made it difficult to defend Metea Valley.”
The team’s season-ending stat sheet was reminiscent of many of those successful Todd Sutton-coached Neuqua Valley teams Vozza assisted with, as five players averaged 8.1 points or better. Obendorf — at 14.9 per game — was the only double-figures scorer as Vozza went deep into his bench and was rewarded for it.
This summer, it looks like the Mustangs are ready to continue the process.
“Last year was our first experience at the varsity level in the summer and we took the same approach this summer. We just tried to get better and improve every day,” Vozza said.
The team did, capping Geneva Summer League play by going a perfect 6-0 and winning its postseason tournament title.
“Kenny had a great summer and really stepped it up and our (other) seniors-to-be, like Tresean Mackey, Ryan Solomon, Lashawn Cargo, Parker and Milan Bojanic were all starting to come together.”
Several have drawn recruiting interest from Division III schools and it could increase as many of the team’s players move on this month to play with various AAU teams.
“We stressed to them to continue to work independently, too,” said Vozza, noting that his summer contact days with them have concluded.
The Mustangs also took part in four summer shootouts, at Oswego East, the University of Illinois, Joliet West and Glenbard East.
“We lost to Oswego by a point in the second game the second day at Oswego East,” Vozza said. “We did well in pool play at Illinois and at Joliet West we made it to the title game of the second-place pool and won that in one of our better showings.
“Then, at Glenbard East, we made it to the championship round and lost in the semifinals to Proviso East.”
Last spring the Mustangs got their first taste of postseason play. Seeded 12th at the Bolingbrook Regional, they fell in overtime to the 22nd-seeded hosts, but rallied from a nine-point halftime deficit to force overtime.
“It was a good experience. We would have liked to have won and seen what happened (with Neuqua next up),” Vozza said. “The guys were disappointed but it left them a little hungry this summer.”
Everyone will be back this winter but several juniors who played on the frosh-soph team last year have also stepped up their games and will continue to push for playing time as the wheels keep turning for the up-and-coming program.
By Rick Armstrong
rarmstrong@stmedianetwork.com
Jul 15, 2011 05:02PM
Breathe deep.
One year into it, coach Bob Vozza’s Metea Valley varsity boys basketball program still has that new-car smell. Or is it the sweet smell of success? Could be a little bit of both.
“We always expected a lot and the kids did a nice job,” said the former Neuqua Valley assistant, whose first team that featured 10 juniors and five sophomores posted an impressive 15-13 record.
“It was definitely exciting. We had some big wins down the stretch.”
Did they ever.
Kenny Obendorf, a 6-foot-2 guard, scored a season-high 34 points on Jan. 22 when the Mustangs upset East Aurora. Raysean Parker, a 6-1 junior guard, had a game-high 20 points in an upset of Neuqua Valley on Feb. 25. Metea also went 1-1 with district rival Waubonsie Valley in Upstate Eight River Conference play.
“In our biggest games against our best opponents, Kenny raised his level of play and competed at a high level with the best players in the area and state,” Vozza said of the Beacon News All-Area (3rd team) selection. “Kenny’s approach and understanding of the game made him an instant leader.”
Parker, added Vozza, “consistently played at a high level in the second half of our season. His offensive presence made it difficult to defend Metea Valley.”
The team’s season-ending stat sheet was reminiscent of many of those successful Todd Sutton-coached Neuqua Valley teams Vozza assisted with, as five players averaged 8.1 points or better. Obendorf — at 14.9 per game — was the only double-figures scorer as Vozza went deep into his bench and was rewarded for it.
This summer, it looks like the Mustangs are ready to continue the process.
“Last year was our first experience at the varsity level in the summer and we took the same approach this summer. We just tried to get better and improve every day,” Vozza said.
The team did, capping Geneva Summer League play by going a perfect 6-0 and winning its postseason tournament title.
“Kenny had a great summer and really stepped it up and our (other) seniors-to-be, like Tresean Mackey, Ryan Solomon, Lashawn Cargo, Parker and Milan Bojanic were all starting to come together.”
Several have drawn recruiting interest from Division III schools and it could increase as many of the team’s players move on this month to play with various AAU teams.
“We stressed to them to continue to work independently, too,” said Vozza, noting that his summer contact days with them have concluded.
The Mustangs also took part in four summer shootouts, at Oswego East, the University of Illinois, Joliet West and Glenbard East.
“We lost to Oswego by a point in the second game the second day at Oswego East,” Vozza said. “We did well in pool play at Illinois and at Joliet West we made it to the title game of the second-place pool and won that in one of our better showings.
“Then, at Glenbard East, we made it to the championship round and lost in the semifinals to Proviso East.”
Last spring the Mustangs got their first taste of postseason play. Seeded 12th at the Bolingbrook Regional, they fell in overtime to the 22nd-seeded hosts, but rallied from a nine-point halftime deficit to force overtime.
“It was a good experience. We would have liked to have won and seen what happened (with Neuqua next up),” Vozza said. “The guys were disappointed but it left them a little hungry this summer.”
Everyone will be back this winter but several juniors who played on the frosh-soph team last year have also stepped up their games and will continue to push for playing time as the wheels keep turning for the up-and-coming program.