Sidelined by injuries the past two varsity seasons, Riverside Brookfield High School senior Arianna Hudson is excited about playing girls basketball again.
“I feel pretty good and I’m ready. I’m just hoping for the best,” Hudson said.
She hasn’t needed long to acclimate on the court. The Bulldogs’ roster has eight seniors, many of whom were part of last year’s 11-21 team that finished fourth in the Upstate Eight Conference East Division at 7-5. They won six of their last seven games after starting 0-5.
Seniors Addie Vaia and Abby Weinert and sophomore Claire Evans are returning full- or part-time starters. Weinert and Hudson have been on varsity since they were sophomores.
“Our senior group, we’ve played together since Junior Bulldogs, fourth grade, so it’s nice to be back together,” Vaia said. “I think we know how each other plays.”
Seniors Joselyn Hernandez, Kennedy Holakovsky, Maggie Porter, Giselle Rodgers and Maya Tennicott also return. Varsity newcomers are juniors Brynn Gizewski and Emma Walsh, sophomores Kate Hamilton, Eleanor Kowynia and Greta Lupfer and freshman Elizabeth Ryzewski.
“They’re really buying in, asking a lot of questions. They’re bringing energy to practice every single day,” RBHS coach Jordan Mack said. “They’re pumped up. We’re just really looking to get better as the season goes on.”
Vaia was third in scoring (7.5 points per game) last season. Evans and Weinert shared third in rebounding average (4.4 per game) and were fifth (4.4 ppg) and sixth (3.1 ppg) in scoring.
The Bulldogs hope to take the high energy to the court with a fast-paced tempo that exploits their team speed. They’re already well conditioned from Mack’s philosophy of becoming basketball fit mostly by playing basketball.
“I think one of our advantages can be just moving the ball and getting it out quick,” Vaia said.
“Sophomore year Mack really kicked our butts and we were running a crazy lot,” Weinert said. “I wasn’t prepared for that. Now as a senior, I think I’m more in shape.”
The Bulldogs also are prepared to compensate for their overall lack of height. Most of all, the seniors want to establish a supportive culture with their teammates.
“If we build a strong team bond right away, it honestly makes you play better as a team,” Vaia said.
“We’re going to bond. I want good team bonding and one of the goals is a stronger start to the season,” Weinert said.
Last year, RBHS lost its 4A regional opener to Mother McAuley. The Bulldogs were 17-14 two seasons ago and last won regionals in 2019.
“If we can have a winning record, that’s a great goal, and be one of the top teams in our conference. No. 1 or 2, that would be great,” Mack said.
LTHS girls basketball
Coming off a program record for victories by going 31-3, the Lions return three outstanding seniors in Cornell recruit Emma O’Brien, Avery Mezan and Gwen Smith. It’s a great foundation after the Lions won the West Suburban Conference Silver Division with a perfect 12-0 mark and reached the Class 4A sectional semifinals before losing to Whitney Young.
“I think everyone’s pretty enthusiastic, knowing what kind of season we’re capable of,” Smith said. “I think [last year] will be hard to match. Everybody knows that, but it’s a motivating factor to work hard and see how successful we can be compared to last year.”
The Lions graduated Nora Ezike (Stanford), the program’s all-time leading scorer, but several players return with a good mix of talented newcomers. Sophomore Sydney Munson also started or was the first player off the bench. There’s also seniors Anna Bigenwald and Fiona Sullivan, juniors Colleen Chambers, Amelia Chomiak, Nyla Kuta and Sinclair Zieba and freshmen guards Kennedy Moore and Evie Riopell.
“We can’t wait to play just to see our growth over the last few weeks,” said LTHS coach Meghan Hutchens, whose team opened against Benet Academy Tuesday. “[It helps] to have three returning seniors kind of set the tone just with their leadership and hard work and what they put into the game and carry that on to our juniors and incoming freshmen.”
Last season, O’Brien was named 4A third-team all-state. O’Brien, Smith and Mezan were All-WSC Silver. The 6-foot-1 O’Brien was second in scoring (16.6 ppg) and rebounds (193) with a team-best 65 three-pointers while surpassing 1,000 career points. O’Brien also had team bests of 134 assists and 111 steals primarily as the high-point person for the Lions’ 1-3-1 zone defense that again should be a mainstay.
“She can play from the three-point arc all the way to her back to the basket so she’s a special player to watch,” Hutchens said.
The 5-5 Mezan (3.5 ppg, 106 rebounds) returns at point guard and has had a knack for coming through in crunch time. She’ll be joined by the freshmen in the back court. The 5-11 Smith (12.0 ppg with 22 threes, 160 rebounds, 63 steals), third in scoring, contributes at guard and forward. She was important in the transition game and handling key defensive assignments during her breakthrough junior season. O’Brien and Mezan have been on varsity since freshman year and Smith since she was a sophomore.
“I’ll continue doing the same things [as a senior veteran],” Smith said. “I’m just trying to lead on and off the court and help the team stay super-connected and our younger players learn our playing style and be confident to take their own shots.”
The 5-11 Munson averaged 2.5 points last season. A Loyola soccer goalie recruit and all-stater in flag football, the 5-8 Bigenwald is a new starter who will provide a physical presence.
Besides seeing how quickly the Lions gel as a unit is how soon they can replace Ezike’s 21.0 points per game.
“That’s the question,” Hutchens said. “We are capable. Everyone’s going to get a few more opportunities to shoot. We’ll have to find our shots earlier and be consistent.”