Tournament of the 2000s: boys basketball edition

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Alongside the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, the Northwest Herald put together its own brackets of girls and boys basketball teams since 2000 on which fans can vote.

The girls tournament toook place last week on McHenryCountySports.com. This week, it’s the boys’ turn.
The results of both tournament’s will be announced March 29 in the Northwest Herald and on McHenryCountySports.com.

Here’s how it works: Four teams will be posted at a time on McHenryCounty Sports.com, just like the poll questions, and you can vote for the team you think is best. Four will go up today and Tuesday, then four more will be posted Wednesday and Thursday.

The top two in each group advance to the final four, which will play out Friday through Sunday.

Here is the rundown on the eight boys teams:

Cary-Grove 2001

The Trojans, led by Dan Evans, Kevin Cooper and Chris Frosaker, set a school record for wins at 26-5, won their Class AA sectional and were one basket from becoming the first team in the McHenry County area to make the IHSA Class AA State Tournament. C-G lost to Moline in overtime, 45-42, in the Moline Supersectinal.

Huntley 2001

Northwest Herald Player of the Year Jason Kalsow and Pat Kalamatas helped Huntley to its best season (27-3) in school history. Huntley lost to Bureau Valley in the NIU Supersectional, but went 4-1 at the Jacobs Holiday Tournament and won 19 consecutive games.

Johnsburg 2003

The Skyhawks (30-2) are the only team in area history to make the IHSA Class AA Boys Basketball State Tournament, defeating East Moline, 51-22, in the Moline Supersectional. Northwest Herald Player of the Year John Smith, a 6-foot-8 center, and point guard Brad Preston led Johnsburg.

Prairie Ridge 2004

Brett Cole and Todd Babington were the top scorers on the Wolves’ best team in school history. Prairie Ridge (29-3) rolled through the Fox Valley Conference at 10-0 and won the Jacobs Holiday Tournament. The Wolves lost to Moline, 58-45, in the Rockford Metro Center Supersectional.

Johnsburg 2006

Northwest Herald Player of the Year Chad Hettermann, Dan Oziminski and Kyle Fiedorowicz led the Skyhawks to a 29-1 record. They won the Jacobs Holiday Tournament, the Big Northern Conference East Division and finally suffered their first loss to Warren, 60-40, in the Waukegan Sectional championship.

Jacobs 2008

Johnny Moran finished his illustrious career by leading the Golden Eagles to their second consecutive 27-win season and a Class 4A regional title, their first regional championship in 10 years. Junior center Conrad Krutwig was Jacobs’ other big scorer; Moran finished with just less than 2,000 career points and twice was named Northwest Herald Player of the Year. The Eagles lost to Boylan in the sectional semifinal.

Dundee-Crown 2009

The Chargers, led by Northwest Herald Player of the Year Jeff Beck, became the first FVC team to make it to the boys basketball state tournament, taking fourth place. D-C set school record at 24-5 and went 10-0 to win the FVC Valley Division.

Johnsburg 2010

Fourth-year starters Mike Dixon and C.J. Fiedorowicz led the Skyhawks to their fourth regional title since 2003. Fiedorowicz and Dixon moved to Nos. 1-2 on Johnsburg’s career scoring list. Johnsburg finished 27-3 after losing to St. Viator, 66-54, in the Class 3A Vernon Hills Sectional championship.