On Dec. 6, Hinsdale Central and Glenbard West faced off at Hinsdale Central High School for the first conference matchup of the season. Hinsdale Central came up just short and lost in the match with a final score of 40-42.
The first half had limited offensive production with the score being 21-23 Central to West. Both teams had trouble finding their rhythm and turned out to be a defensive battle, with points hard to come by and many turnovers being present. The Red Devils and the Hilltoppers had several offensive opportunities throughout the game but failed to capitalize.
“The game was very close the entire time,” said Nate Maydanchik, senior “It was a very intense game full of action and excitement. It ended in a sad loss but it was still fun to watch.”
“It was an intense environment…it was great to see everyone fired up,” said Salem Dweydari, senior.
The pace started to speed up near the end of the second half as both teams started scoring consistently. Hinsdale Central led for several minutes at the start of the second half with guard Vincas Buzelis, senior, scoring a team high of 12 points and guard Eric Kozys, senior, adding 10 points.
Near the closing minutes of the game, the score was tied 40-40 and both sides were playing defense. Glenbard West forward Logan Glover, senior, was fouled in the lane in the last seconds of the game. As Glover lined up for the free throws, the Hinsdale Central student section shook the gym with cheers. Glover sank both free throws, giving Glenbard West a 42-40 lead. Hinsdale Central missed the buzzer beater, and the game concluded with Glenbard West winning in this thrilling, low scoring showdown.
The Hinsdale Central Red Devils currently hold a 3-2 record for the season, but their winning record is at risk as they face the undefeated 5-0 St. Patrick Shamrocks next week. The players are putting the tough loss behind them and looking ahead to prepare for the Shamrocks.
“We’re not letting the tough loss bring us down, [and] we’ve jumped back into intense training to make sure we are ready for the Shamrocks,” said varsity small guard Joaquin Miyawaki, junior.
The team is scheduled to play against the undefeated St. Patrick Shamrocks on Dec. 10 at St. Patrick High School in Chicago. The Red Devils are staying positive ahead of the matchup against the Shamrocks, focusing on their strategy and staying confident in their preparation.
For schedule information, access this link.
