Boys’ basketball getting hot as the playoffs approach

Steven Baer, Staff Reporter

February 1, 2013

Heading into the end of the season, the boys’ basketball team has been on a roll.

On January 18, the Bulldogs improved to 6-0 in conference by beating a very persistent Elmwood Park team. The Bulldogs were led by senior big man Miki Ljuboja who scored 24 points, and also snagged 9 boards. Junior Jack VandeMerkt continued his exceptional play by dropping 20 points, and securing 9 rebounds. The Tigers were in the game throughout, but in the end the Bulldogs were too much for the Tigers to handle, as they coasted to a 73-53 victory.

After the Bulldogs’ conference win over Elmwood Park, the Dogs traveled downtown to Whitney Young High School to participate in the Martin Luther King Dream Classic tournament on January 20. The Bulldogs went up against a highly touted Bogan team, that as of Wendnesday, was ranked 20^th in the state according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

The Bulldogs got off to a very slow start as they fell behind 16-0 to the Chicago Public League power. The Bulldogs, however, fought back and tied the game at 20 early on in the second quarter. Throughout the second half the Bulldogs kept within striking distance, trailing by around 15. In the end however, the Bulldogs fell 83-63 in a hard fought loss.

Following their loss to Bogan, the Bulldogs bounced back by demolishing Fenton. It was buisness as usual for senior Miki Ljuboja, who dropped 17 points, and secured 9 boards. Senior guards Jack Gibson and Tyler Campbell also chipped in 11 points en route to a 78-48 blow out win.

After the victory against Fenton, the Bulldogs went up against Marshall of the Chicago Public Red Conference. There is no love lost between Riverside-Brookfield and Marshall. Back in 2010, Marshall hit a half court shot to defeat the Bulldogs in Sectionals. The Bulldogs were determined to seize revenge. The Dogs were trailing for the majority of the game. In the third quarter the Bulldogs were down by 6. The RB squad however, was not going to go down that easily. RB went on a blistering 14-0 run, and never looked back as they captured a 62-54 victory. The win helped the Bulldogs propel to 16-5 overall.

The Bulldogs will look to continue their undefeated conference record on Friday, February 1 as they take on Timothy Christian.