Skyhawks know the deal

Johnsburg's Mike Dixon (left) attempts to score after avoiding Lakes' Tyler Swindle on Friday at the Johnsburg Regional final in Johnsburg. The Skyhawks won, 60-58. (Catalin Abagiu – cabagiu@nwherald.com)

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Johnsburg might have the most experienced boys basketball team in the state.

Seniors Mike Dixon and C.J. Fiedorowicz are fourth-year starters, junior Mike Dombrowski is a third-year starter, and seniors Tyler Chambers and Derek Talbot have started for two years after playing significant minutes as sophomores.

Although, hard numbers are not available, the Skyhawks (24-2) probably have more than 350 career starts among their regular lineup, a factor Johnsburg hopes will play to its advantage this week in the IHSA Class 3A Vernon Hills Sectional.

The Skyhawks face Chicago Gordon Tech (10-17) at 8 p.m. Tuesday in the second sectional semifinal. North Chicago (19-7) meets St. Viator (22-6) at 6 p.m. in the first game. The championship will be played at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Marian Central (20-9) advanced to the Hampshire Sectional with a 56-52 overtime victory against Prairie Ridge on Friday.

The Hurricanes play 2009 state runner-up Oswego (22-6) at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Freeport (14-12) and DeKalb (23-8) play in the other sectional semifinal on Wednesday.

“This is our year,” Dixon said. “We’ve put a lot of time and effort into it, every kid on the team, all that hard work goes out to these last few games.”

Johnsburg is certain that experience paid off Friday night when Lakes made a furious run at the Skyhawks in the Johnsburg Regional championship. Johnsburg hit 17 of 22 free throws in the final quarter to seal its first regional title since 2006.

“I’m totally blessed to coach this team,” Skyhawks coach Luke Ravlin said. “We haven’t played a ton of close games. ... We haven’t been in those spots, but when guys needed to step up and hit free throws, we did it.”

In 2006, Chad Hettermann, Dan Oziminski and Kyle Fiedorowicz led the Skyhawks to a 29-1 record and lost in a Class AA sectional championship to Warren. The following season, Dixon and C.J. Fiedorowicz were starters as freshmen, and Johnsburg fans looked to 2010 as a season which could be very special.

Chambers said he remembers watching the 2003 team as well, a group led by 6-foot-8 center John Smith which is the only area boys team to ever qualify for the Class AA state tournament.

“When we watched those teams, we were thinking someday that was going to be us,” Chambers said. “Now, that’s kind of where we’re at.”

The Skyhawks are the fifth Johnsburg team to win a regional, and now can be the third in eight years to reach a sectional final.

“We have about 14 years of playing experience [in the starting lineup], that’s a huge advantage to our ballclub,” Dixon said. “It makes a big difference, mentally and physically.”

When Dixon was sitting with foul trouble Friday, he did not waver in thinking his teammates had his back.

“A couple of years ago, we may have lost that game,” Dixon said. “We have a little pressure on us. Everybody wants to knock us off.”

Ravlin says Gordon Tech plays in a tough league and is better than its record indicates.

“And they’re playing their best basketball right now,” he said.

Fiedorowicz and Dixon passed Hettermann as Johnsburg’s career scoring leader this season and now rank Nos. 1-2. Dombrowski, Chambers and Talbot have shown ability to hit big shots and the Skyhawks, like their predecessors, play a 2-3 zone defense that can cause headaches for opponents.

“Our chances should be pretty good,” Chambers said. “We need to get to Friday and see how focused we are.”