2014-2015 Lake Zurich Basketball
Toughness & Togetherness
LAKE ZURICH BASKETBALL
2014-2015 Roster
Number
Position
Player
Year
Height
Weight
2
Guard
Michael Bens
10
6’
160
4
Guard
Kunal Kothari*
12
5’8”
145
10
Guard
Nate Rathe
11
5’11”
140
12
Guard
Jarek Koscielniak
11
5’10”
175
14
Guard
Jeremy Brown
11
5’11”
165
20
Guard
Nick Penny*
11
6’1”
165
22
Guard
Brett Hensley
10
6’
165
23
Forward
Nick Meyer
11
6’3”
175
24
Guard
Dan Spear
11
6’
140
30
Guard
Jack O’Neill*^
12
6’3”
160
32
Forward
Cam Long
11
6’3”
165
34
Guard
Mike Travlos*^
12
6’3”
190
40
Forward
Karl Gerlach
11
6’3”
170
42
Forward
Tim Spears
11
6’1”
195
50
Forward
Will McClaughry*^
12
6’7”
220
52
Center
Andrew Gilbertson
11
6’6”
215
* Returning Letterman
^ Team Captains
Varsity Coaches – Billy Pitcher, Don Rowley
Sophomore Coaches – Tom Reagan, Jim Pfeifer, Tyler Schmitz
Freshmen Coaches – Jordan Kardos, Bud Zasadil, Paul Carrubba
Manager – Wagme Ravindram
Athletic Director – Rolly Vazquez
Principal – Kent Nightlinger
Scorekeeper: BJ Lange
2014-2015 Season Summary
Opponent (Final W-L)
Date
*Won Regional
LZ
Opp
W-L
Top Scorer
Pts
Chairman
Reb
Mailman
Ast
Inaugural Grant Thanksgiving Tournament
Nov 25
Nov
26
Waukegan (6-24)
62
57
1-0
Travlos
20
McClaughry
9
Penny, O’Neill,
Travlos
4
North Chicago (13-16)
61
48
2-0
Travlos
29
Meyer
9
Penny
6
Nov 27
Grant (3-26)
64
31
3-0
Travlos
18
Penny
7
Travlos
3
Nov 29
No. Lawndale (17-13)*
70
55
4-0
O’Neill
21
Penny
6
Penny
6
Nov 30
Urban Prep W. (15-11)
7
67
5-0
Travlos
23
McClaughry
10
Spears
4
Dec. 5
Zion-Benton (18-9)
73
68
6-0
Travlos
27
Meyer
11
Penny
6
Dec. 6
Dec.
10
Dec.
17
@ Mundelein (3-27)
66
52
7-0
Travlos
17
Penny
8
Travlos
7
@ Lake Forest (28-3)*
54
60
7-1
Travlos
19
Penny
6
Penny
5
Libertyville (15-13)
69
69
7-2
Travlos
19
Meyer
8
O’Neill
3
50th Annual Pekin Insurance Holiday Tournament
Dec 29
Richwoods (11-17)
70
64
8-2
Travlos
28
Penny
9
O’Neill
6
Dec.
30
Lanphier (18-13)*
73
60
9-2
Travlos
23
Travlos
McClaughry
12
11
Penny
8
Pekin (16-13)
62
42
10-2
Travlos
25
Penny, O’Neill,
McClaughry
6
O’Neill
8
Plainfield East (17-12)*
62
59
11-2
Travlos
20
Penny
8
Penny
6
Dec.
30
Dec.
31
Milwaukee Bucks Preps Series Shootout at BMO Harris Bradley Center
Jan. 2
Crystal Lake So. (18-11)
57
53
12-2
Travlos
19
McClaughry
9
O’Neill
3
Jan. 6
Stevenson (29-4)*
41
71
12-3
Travlos
17
Meyer
7
Penny
4
Jan. 9
Warren (15-15)
36
23
13-3
Travlos
16
Travlos
6
Penny
3
Penny
3
O’Neill
6
rd
3 Annual Lake Zurich Martin Luther King Classic
Jan. 13
@ Streamwood (4-26)
56
34
14-3
Travlos
11
Spears
6
Jan. 17
Carmel (11-20)
82
74
15-3
Travlos
McClaughry
35
20
McClaughry,
Penny, Spears
8
Palatine (23-9)*
60
65
15-4
McClaughry
19
McClaughry
8
O’Neill, Penny,
McClaughry
3
Jan. 17
Jan. 19
Elgin (6-24)
59
38
16-4
Travlos
15
Penny
10
O’Neill
4
54
17-4
McClaughry
Travlos
20
19
McClaughry
Penny
11
10
3
Vernon Hills (27-5)*
71
Penny
Jan. 19
Jan. 23
Lake Forest (28-3)*
49
52
17-5
O’Neill
15
McClaughry
5
O’Neill
4
Jan 28
@ Zion-Benton (18-9)
66
70
17-6
Travlos
28
Penny
9
Penny
7
Jan. 30
@ Grant (3-26)
72
41
18-6
Travlos
19
Spears
8
Penny
8
Jan 31
@ Libertyville (15-13)
63
47
19-6
Travlos
22
McClaughry
6
McClaughry
4
Feb. 3
@ Stevenson (29-4)*
49
69
19-7
14
Meyer
8
O’Neill
5
Jan 7
@ Warren (15-15)
46
49
19-8
Travlos
Travlos
Penny
11
Meyer
9
Penny
6
Feb. 14
@ Highland Park (20-8)
49
46
20-8
McClaughry
13
McClaughry
9
Penny
4
Feb 20
Mundelein (3-27)
65
39
21-8
Travlos
19
Travlos
8
Travlos
3
Feb. 24
North Chicago (13-16)
59
50
22-8
Travlos
16
Penny
11
Penny
3
IHSA Class 4A Regional at Wheeling High School
Mar 3
Schaumburg (12-18)
44
41
23-8
McClaughry
16
Penny
8
Penny
4
Mar
St. Viator (21-10)*
42
48
23-9
Travlos
16
Meyer
7
O’Neill
6
Combined Opponent’s Record: 490-460 (52%), 10 Regionals titles, 3 Sectional titles (Stev, SV, Lanphier)
Overall Record: 23-9
NSC Record 7-7
Daily Herald Ranked
Chicago Sun Times Ranked
Grant Thanksgiving Tournament Champions (5-0)
Pekin Holiday Tournament Champions (4-0)
Lake Zurich MLK Classic Champions (4-1)
LZHS Sophomore Record: 19-10
LZHS Freshmen Record: 16-13
INDIVIDUAL ACCOLADES
Kunal Kothari
-North Suburban Conference Sportsmanship Award
Will McClaughry
-All Tournament Team @ Pekin Holiday Tournament
-All Tournament Team @ Lake Zurich MLK Classic
-NSC All Conference, 1st Team
-All Area, Daily Herald
-IBCA All State, Honorable Mention
Jack O’Neill
-NSC All Conference, 1st Team
-All Area Honorable Mention, Daily Herald
Nick Penny
-All Tournament Team @ Pekin Holiday Tournament
-All Tournament Team @ Lake Zurich MLK Classic
-All Area Honorable Mention, Daily Herald
Mike Travlos
-IBCA All-State 4th Team
-MVP @ Grant Thanksgiving Tournament
-All Tournament Team @ Pekin Holiday Tournament
-All Tournament Team @ Lake Zurich MLK Classic
-Daily Herald MVP: December, 2014
-NSC All Conference, 1st Team
-All Area, Daily Herald
-All Lake County First Team, Lake County Pioneer Press
-2nd Leading Scorer, School history
North Suburban Conference Standings
Varsity
Prairie Division
Team
1. Vernon Hills
2. Lakes
3. North Chicago
4. Wauconda
5. Antioch
6. Grant
7. Round Lake
Lake Division
1. Stevenson
2. Lake Forest
3. Lake Zurich
3. Zion-Benton
3. Libertyville
3. Warren
7. Mundelein
Sophomore
Prairie Division
Team
1. Grant
2. Antioch
3. North Chicago
4. Vernon Hills
5. Lakes
5. Wauconda
7. Round Lake
Lake Division
1. Lake Forest
1. Zion-Benton
3. Warren
3. Libertyville
5. Lake Zurich
5. Stevenson
7. Mundelein
Freshman A
Prairie Division
Team
1. Vernon Hills
1. Grant
2. North Chicago
4. Lakes
5. Antioch
6. Wauconda
7. Round Lake
Lake Division
1. Libertyville
2. Stevenson
3. Warren
4. Mundelein
3. Zion-Benton
6. Lake Forest
6. Lake Zurich
Wins
12
9
8
7
3
2
1
Losses
0
3
4
5
9
10
11
Cross-over
Wins
Losses
1
1
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
12
10
5
5
5
5
0
0
2
7
7
7
7
12
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Wins
12
10
8
7
4
4
3
Losses
2
2
4
5
8
8
9
Wins
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
Losses
2
1
2
1
2
2
2
9
9
7
7
5
5
0
3
3
5
5
7
7
12
2
2
2
2
2
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
Wins
10
10
9
7
4
2
0
Losses
2
2
2
5
8
9
12
11
10
6
5
4
3
3
1
2
6
7
8
9
9
Cross-over
Wins
1
2
2
0
0
0
0
2
2
2
2
0
1
0
Losses
1
0
0
2
2
2
2
0
0
0
0
2
1
2
Boys basketball: Scouting the NSC Lake
Patricia Babcock McGraw
NORTH SUBURBAN LAKELAKE ZURICH BEARS
Coach: Billy Pitcher (5th season)
Last year: 19-12 (7-7 NSC)
Last year's tournament: Lost in the regional final to Fremd, 58-44.
Key players lost: G Brad Kruse (Carthage), G Matt Moon
Key players returning: G Mike Travlos, sr., F Will McClaughry, sr., G Jack O'Neill, sr., G Nick Penny,
jr., G Kunal Kothari, sr.
Newcomers: F Nick Meyer, jr., F Tim Spears, jr., G Nate Rathe, jr.
Outlook: Having won six straight games before losing to Fremd in the regional final, Lake Zurich was
starting to put together a momentum at the end of last season that could carry into this season. The
Bears return three of their top four scorers in Mike Travlos (19.5 ppg), Will McClaughry (9 ppg) and
Jack O'Neill 7 ppg). "This is the most talented and experienced team in my five years," Lake Zurich
coach Billy Pitcher said. "With good guard play and a lot of shooters, we have high goals and
expectations for this group." Travlos, a 6-foot-3 guard who earned a full scholarship to Division II
Hillsdale in Michigan, will become one of just six players in school history to join the 1,000-point club.
He's already scored 945 points despite being a marked man in the North Suburban Conference.
"Mike drew every team's best defender last year and surpassed all of our expectations, scoring-wise
in what may be the best conference in the state," Pitcher said. "He will get a lot of attention again, but
I think we have a balanced attack that teams won't be able to just key on one guy." At 6-foot-6,
McClaughry lends balance inside. He and O'Neill are being heavily recruited by most Division III
schools in Illinois and Wisconsin. Newcomer Tim Spears, a 6-foot-1 forward has filled the role of
lockdown defender, previously held by new alums Brad Kruse and Matt Moon. "We really need to
improve our defense," Pitcher said. "We're looking for that guy who is going to lock down and earn
playing time based on his D. Tim Spears is an early candidate, but it would be nice to have more than
one guy."
Opener: Monday vs. Waukegan at the Grant Thanksgiving tournament.
Lake Zurich basketball holds on in opener vs. Waukegan
Tim Froehlig / Special to the Tribune | @TFroehlig / Nov. 24, 2014 9:35 p.m.
FOX LAKE — Lake Zurich stormed to an early double-digit lead, then held on for dear life down the
stretch to beat Waukegan 62-57 in the first game of the Grant Thanksgiving boys basketball tournament
Monday night.
The Bears (1-0) trailed just once the entire first half — on Waukegan’s first basket of the game — then led
by 14 points three different times before intermission.
“I liked our first half,” Lake Zurich coach Billy Pitcher said. “But we got a little careless with the ball as the
game went on, and Waukegan started effectively trapping us. They’re an extremely athletic team, and that
threw us out of our rhythm a bit.”
The Bears led 31-23 at halftime, then 47-41 at the end of the third quarter, thanks in part to the hot
shooting of senior guard Jack O’Neill (career-high 17 points). He added four assists, and was 3-for-5 from
three-point range.
“My teammates did a great job of getting me and others involved tonight,” O’Neill said. “They were able to
drive to the basket effectively, which created a lot of open looks from the outside for everyone.”
Lake Zurich’s lead disappeared in a hurry, however. Waukegan opened the fourth quarter with a 10-2 run,
thanks to a stifling defensive effort and transition game. In what seemed like the blink of an eye, the
Bulldogs recaptured the lead at 51-49 with six minutes left.
The Bears refused to lose their composure. They took the lead back for good when senior guard Mike
Travlos (committed to Division II Hillsdale College in Michigan) made one of two free throws with 2:28
remaining. That gave Lake Zurich a 56-55 edge.
Travlos (game-high 20 points on 8-of-20 shooting) made it 58-55 on a gorgeous left-handed layup with
1:15 remaining, then O’Neill iced things with a pair of free throws with 29 seconds to go, making it a twopossession game.
“Every year my nerves get going a little bit extra in our first game, but a win right off the bat like this is
great for our confidence,” Travlos said. “We’ve got a good basketball team this season.”
Sophomore Carson Newsome and senior Jachai Taylor both finished with 16 points for Waukegan, but
Taylor was a force in the lane. He ripped down 12 rebounds, including six on the offensive glass. The
Bulldogs outrebounded the Bears, 37-24. Waukegan’s bench also outscored Lake Zurich’s, 19-0.
Those numbers didn’t stop Pitcher from praising his team’s effort. Lake Zurich’s 6-7 senior forward Will
McClaughry (10 points, nine rebounds) barely missed a double-double, and the Bears shot 47.7 percent
(21-for-44) from the field.
“The fact we got beat up on the glass a little and had some trouble late — yet still won against a really
tough opponent — shows me a lot,” Pitcher said. “A lot of teams in the position we were in would’ve
probably folded after letting such a big lead slip away.
“Even our guys who came off the bench and didn’t score were a factor. They played tough defense and
complimented the things our starting five did. It wasn’t pretty at times, but there were several key
moments where our guys did little things, like throwing a loose ball off one of their players to retain a
possession, that were significant. In a one- or two-possession game, things like that are huge.”
Looks like a win for Travlos, Lake Zurich
Jeff Newton, Daily Herald / November 25, 2015
Lake Zurich senior Mike Travlos simply couldn't help himself.
As he drove toward the basket in the Bears' second round game of the Grant Thanksgiving Tournament, he casually
glanced at the scoreboard to see he was just shy of a career high in points. Indeed, that magic number of 30 was just
calling out to him.
"To be honest, I did look," Travlos said. "I have never broken 30 before, and I kind of wanted it."
Style points was about the only thing missing for the Bears.
Travlos ended up tying his career-best with 29 points to lead Lake Zurich to an impressive 61-48 win over North Chicago
Tuesday night.
"I thought Mike did a nice job of dealing it tonight, and when it wasn't there he did a good job of finding our other guys,"
said Lake Zurich coach Billy Pitcher.
Lake Zurich (2-0) assumed control early in the third quarter after a sluggish start saw the Bears trail by as many as 7 in
the first quarter.
But a quick 7-0 run to end the first half and 10 third-quarter points from Travlos blew the game wide open for the Bears.
"North Chicago plays a similar type of game to that of Waukegan, who we played (Monday)," said Travlos, who scored
16 points in the second half, while the Warhawks managed only 19 second-half points. "They came out in a zone and we
didn't adjust right away -- but when we did, we got rolling."
When Travlos wasn't scoring, the inside game of senior Will McClaughry was a key element to the Bears' success. He had
a strong night on both ends of the floor with 20 points, 8 rebounds and 6 blocked shots.
"The second and third quarters were really great," Pitcher said. "Will really stepped up there at the end of the second
quarter."
McClaughry scored the last 7 Bears points before half as Lake Zurich took the lead for good at 30-29 at the break. A 16-5
third quarter surplus in favor of Lake Zurich broke the game open for the Bears as North Chicago went more than five
minutes without a basket.
The Warhawks put together a brief run early in the fourth quarter, cutting the margin to 57-44 with 2:24 left, but a
bucket by McClaughry on one end and a block on the other sealed the win for the Bears.
North Chicago, which is 0-2 for the first time since 2006, was led in scoring by Courtez Dixon and Kevin Burns with 15
points each.
Travlos' triumph helps Lake Zurich roll on
Patricia Babcock McGraw / November 26, 2014
It was a routine jumpshot that Mike Travlos has made hundreds of times before. Right around the free throw
line. Only this time, it went down in the record books with a bit more significance. It counted for his 1,000th
career point, and it helped pave the way for Lake Zurich's breezy 64-31 victory over Grant at the Grant
Thanksgiving tournament. The Bears are now 3-0 on the season.
Shortly after the milestone was announced over the loudspeaker, Travlos was subbed out of the game to
cheers from the Lake Zurich crowd and high-fives from his coaches and teammates.
Travlos, Lake Zurich's sharpshooting senior guard who recently committed to Division II Hillsdale College in
Michigan, was 7 points away from the 1,000-point milestone coming into the game. He finished with a gamehigh 18 points and was presented with the game ball after the game.
"It means a lot, I'm not going to lie, it does. But we got the win and that's what really matters," said Travlos,
who was brought up to the varsity midway through his freshman year. "Coach (Billy Pitcher) told me before the
game about it. It was good.
"I think we're really jelling right now. We've got our offense moving really good, we're playing really good
defense and we're playing well as a team."
Never seriously threatened, the Bears got off to a quick 8-2 lead and were up 24-11 by the end of the first
quarter. The lead was 41-14 at halftime and ballooned to 36 points in the third quarter.
Will McClaughry and Nick Penny also finished in double-figures for Lake Zurich. They each had 12 points.
"It's really cool for Mike and for our entire program to see a guy score 1,000 points," Pitcher said. "It's really
tough to get to it and that he did it with pretty much a whole season to go here is really special. He's really
committed. I mean, he came into the gym two or three hours before our bus time today to shoot. That's how he
is all the time. He's always putting a lot of work in. He plays basketball year-round, he's worked on his
conditioning and strength and it's really paid off for him."
Grant, which is 0-3 and starting two sophomores in Logan Lewis and Andy Kaye, struggled to get its
methodical offense flowing. The Bulldogs took only 16 field goal attempts in the entire first half. Lake Zurich
also forced 10 Grant turnovers in the first half.
James Mobley topped Grant with 11 points.
Verdict's a winner for O'Neill, Lake Zurich
Bill Pemstein / November 28, 2014
No, we aren't going to put Lake Zurich's Jack O'Neill on the stand to testify about how many shots he missed on Friday
night at the Grant Tournament.
That's because there were plenty of witnesses to his nearly perfect night of shooting
against Chicago's North Lawndale. Five of his long shots hit nothing but net. Those
five 3-pointers paid dividends in Lake Zurich's fourth straight victory of the season.
O'Neill was the leading scorer with 21 points in the Bears' 70-55 romp over
Lawndale. When asked about his favorite NBA scorer, O'Neill came up with the
sharpshooting Golden State Warrior Stephen Curry. And that special player certainly
would applaud O'Neill on his special night.
"I haven't had a night like this in awhile,'' O'Neill said. "My teammates did a great job
of giving me the ball when I was open."
Both the Bears and Lawndale came into the game having won three times each.
Lawndale showed early that it was a team to be reckoned with, as Fred Sims (21
points) was able to get to the hoop in a hurry. The Bears trailed early 6-2, but then the 3-point attack began to give the
Bears a lead for good. Nick Penny (9 points) had the game's first 3 and his team never trailed the rest of the way.
Lake Zurich coach Billy Pitcher knew it was a special night for his shooters.
"This is our most impressive win in three years,'' Pitcher said. "We played really well. We had watched Lawndale and we
thought they were the best team in the tournament. Of course, it helps when you make your outside shots."
O'Neill didn't land his first 3 of the night until halfway through the second quarter, and it gave his Bears a double-digit
lead at 26-14. He closed the halftime scoring with another 3-pointer and the Bears led at the break 33-20.
If there was some concern at the break, it was that the Bears' tallest player, Will McClaughry, was in some foul trouble.
And Lawndale had a few players who stood 6-foot-9.
Enter big Tim Spears (6 feet).
"We were already at a size disadvantage,'' Pitcher said. "Spears is 6-0 but he plays like he's 6-5."
Lake Zurich made only 5 field goals in the third quarter. One was a layup from O'Neill -- but the Bears closed the quarter
with three straight 3-pointers. O'Neil had 2 of them. Nick Meyer (12 points) also checked in from long distance.
"We are just a little more confident this year,'' Pitcher said. "It's great when you have five shooters on the floor."
Maybe this team had the book on Lake Zurich's top scorer, Mike Travlos. He was held to 2 field goals and 9 points.
"Give credit to Mike,'' Pitcher said. "He played unselfishly. He gave us good screens. He made good passes. He made
smart plays. He was a good teammate tonight."
O'Neill is feeling good about these Bears. "We have a lot of offensive weapons,'' he said. "And we work on our defense
every single night."
Trophy sure feels nice to Lake Zurich
Joe Aguilar / November 29, 2014
Having collected his 1,000th career point earlier in the week and then the
tournament MVP award Saturday night, Lake Zurich senior Mike Travlos
offered up the championship trophy to coach Billy Pitcher.
"No, you guys keep it. Thanks," Pitcher said to Travlos. "It's nice to feel it,
though." Lake Zurich's shooters were "feeling it" against Urban Prep West in
what amounted to the championship game of Grant's inaugural tournament.
The Bears won 77-67, as they sank 12 3-pointers -- all by Travlos, Nick Meyer and Jack O'Neill. Still, the Bears had their
hands full, so to speak, in capturing their first tournament title in Pitcher's five seasons.
"This tournament ended up being a lot harder than what we expected," Pitcher said after his Bears finished 5-0. "We
played two teams (Urban Prep West and North Lawndale) out of the top division (Red-West) of the CPS. Waukegan and
North Chicago are tough. They were pressing us all game long. Grant battled. I mean, it was a tough tournament. There
were no cupcakes, at all."
Travlos, O'Neill, Will McClaughry and Meyer accounted for all but 2 of Lake Zurich's points, as Pitcher used only two
players off his bench. Travlos led all scorers with 23 points (three 3-pointers), O'Neill finished with 19 (four 3s), alltourney pick McClaughry added 18 points and 9 rebounds, and Meyer tallied his 15 points on five treys.
"Our drive-and-kick game this year is pretty strong," O'Neill said. "We got a lot of guys that can drive effectively and kick
it out for a 3." One of those guys is Travlos, who hoisted the jumbo-sized championship trophy after the game and
shared it with his teammates. Winning the "big ol' trophy," as he called it, was the highlight of his special week.
"We worked our butts off," Travlos said. "We were really clicking the last couple of games. Urban Prep and North
Lawndale are good squads, and we played really well." The Bears needed to win the game to capture the championship.
Hitting 7 of 14 shots, including four 3s, in the opening quarter suggested they were not feeling pressure.
"You're always nervous before a big game like this," McClaughry said. "But I think we had confidence because we've
been playing teams like (Urban Prep West) the entire week. We were ready. We knew we could beat them if we played
well."
Urban Prep West (3-2) -- which got 21 points from Willie Walton and 18 from Jaquan Johnson -- led 10-6 four minutes
into the game. But Lake Zurich closed the quarter with a 14-4 run, as McClaughry took a pass from Nick McCoy and
flipped in a shot to beat the buzzer. The Lions were within 24-23 midway through the second quarter when O'Neill,
Travlos and Meyer hit consecutive 3-pointers to make it a 10-point game.
On the strength of nine 3s, the Bears were up 41-30 at halftime. Urban Prep West closed within three points on two
occasions in the third quarter. But Travlos went high off the glass to make it 53-48 and McClaughry's 2 free throws had
the Bears up 55-48 entering the fourth. Lake Zurich then started the final quarter with a 10-2 run, which included
O'Neill's three-point play, and the lead never dipped below double digits after that.
"We've got five shooters on the floor," said Pitcher, whose Bears also got 6 rebounds and 2 points from reserve Tim
Spears. "Everybody can stick the 3, so it makes them hard to guard. (Urban Prep West) did a good job. They were
switching a lot of their stuff, so then they took that away, but we were able to adjust and get the ball into Will."
Lake Zurich holds off Zion-Benton
Jeffrey Newton | For the Sun-Times
Dec. 5, 2014 11:26 p.m.
Lake Zurich junior Nick Meyer and his teammates learned a valuable lesson Friday night: no lead is safe.
The Bears led their North Suburban Conference Lake Division opener against Zion-Benton by as many as
22 points in the third quarter, only to see Tennessee recruit Admiral Schofield mount a furious comeback.
But in the end, Meyer and senior teammate Mike Travlos were too much for the Zee-Bees as Lake Zurich
(6-0, 1-0) stayed unbeaten with a 73-68 win. Zion-Benton fell for the second straight night after losing at
Lake Forest on Thursday.
“We learned that no matter what the lead is, you can’t let up,” said Meyer, who scored all 18 of his points
in the second half. “We just have to keep staying aggressive and play our game.”
It started for Meyer when he buried a long 3-pointer and continued with a pair of runners in the lane. His
burst turned a tight halftime contest into a 22-point lead midway through the third quarter.
“We are showing that teams cannot focus on just one guy,” said Lake Zurich coach Billy Pitcher. “Meyer
got hot there and his teammates did an excellent job of finding him.”
To get back into the game, the Zee-Bees utilized the services of the 6-6 Schofield. Schofield scored seven
of the nine Zion-Benton points during a 9-0 quarter-closing run that started the comeback. Schofield led all
scorers with 31 points including 17 after halftime.
Schofield had help in the form of senior guard Devonte Maynard. Maynard engineered the offense for
Zion-Benton (4-2, 0-2) by scoring 16 points with all but 3 coming after halftime.
The run extended into the fourth quarter as the visitors whittled the lead down to 68-64 with 2:13 left.
“Zion is a good team and we knew that they could score and score quickly,” Pitcher said. ‘We stopped
being aggressive and we started letting guys go by us on defense.”
To get the lead like they did, Lake Zurich rolled behind the very hot shooting of Travlos. The newest
member of the 1,000-point club, Travlos was on fire early in the second quarter as he hit for 18 of his
team-best 27 in the second quarter.
Travlos, at one point during a big second quarter run scored 10 points in a row as the Bears built their
lead to over 20 points.
Lake Zurich's big three take aim at big goals

From left, Jack O’Neill, Will McClaughry and Mike Travlos are united in leading Lake Zurich’s boys basketball team in
pursuit of some lofty goals. Steve Lundy | Staff Photographer
Patricia Babcock McGraw
Inside the boys basketball locker room at Lake Zurich, there are signs on every player's locker.
20 wins. Regional championship.
Those have been the team goals for the last three years. But seeing them in writing every day is supposed to help the
Bears finally turn them into a reality this season. Having one of the most talented teams at Lake Zurich in years, led by
senior captains Mike Travlos, Will McClaughry and Jack O'Neill, all of whom are hungry three-year starters, should help
the cause, too. Travlos, McClaughry and O'Neill are each averaging between 12 and 20 points per game right now.
"We would love for those things to happen," Travlos said of reaching the team's goals. "We think about that a lot."
Already, Lake Zurich is off to its best start in years, 7-1 after Wednesday's tough 60-54 North Suburban Conference Lake
Division loss to another unbeaten, Lake Forest. The Bears opened the season by winning the Grant Thanksgiving
tournament, the first tournament championship of any kind for Lake Zurich in at least seven years. Then they started
North Suburban Lake Division play with a signature win against a top-10 powerhouse in Zion-Benton, a team that Lake
Zurich hadn't beaten in at least a decade.
"We have a really talented squad and we worked hard in the off-season," said the 6-foot-3 Travlos, a shifty, sharpshooting guard who leads Lake Zurich in scoring with 20.5 points per game. "That's showing up on the court. We're really
motivated by our goals. They haven't happened here in a while."
The last time Lake Zurich won a regional title was in 2005. That same season, the Bears posted their last 20-win season,
finishing 27-3 overall. Since then, Lake Zurich has averaged just 13 wins per season.
But a major breakthrough came last year. Kind of.The Bears came just shy of accomplishing both of their goals, ironically,
at the same time. They lost in the regional championship game to Fremd. A win in that game would have given Lake
Zurich not only its elusive regional hardware but also its 20th win of the season. The Bears finished last season 19-12,
winning six of their final seven games.
"I've thought about last year and that loss (to Fremd) all during the off-season," said the 6-foot-3 O'Neill, a 3-point
specialist who averages 12.2 points per game. "That was really tough. We were so close. It hurt. I think it's feeding all of
us this season."
The Fremd loss also opened the Bears' eyes to their potential.
"I remember looking at that Fremd team and thinking that they were really good and they had a lot of seniors on that team,
a lot of experience," said McClaughry, a 6-foot-6 center who can also shoot three-pointers and is averaging 14.2 points
per game. "We have a lot of senior experience on our team now, too. I feel like we can be that kind of team this year, a
team like Fremd was last year."
The Bears' senior experience runs deep with Travlos, McClaughry and O'Neill. Travlos was brought up to the varsity
midway through his freshman year and McClaughry and O'Neill joined him as sophomores when all three were inserted
into the starting lineup.
"We've been around a little bit," said McClaughry with a laugh. "We've played so much together. We've been playing
feeder together since fifth grade. We've played AAU together since second or third grade. We just click. We all know what
we like to do and we're able to get each other the ball where we need it."
Clearly, all three senior captains like to shoot, as do Lake Zurich's other two starters, Nick Meyer and Nick Penny. The uptempo Bears are averaging around 60 points per game, nearly 20 points per game more than last season.
"We have a lot of shooters," Travlos said. "Our starting five can all shoot the three with confidence. Even our big guy, Will
(McClaughry), is a great shooter from out there.
"Defenses have to respect our shooters and that's opened up lanes for us to penetrate and get to the basket. I've been
doing that a lot more this year, driving, getting layups or kicking out to teammates."
Across the board, Lake Zurich is getting more respect. The Bears are ranked for the first time in years, fifth in the Daily
Herald's weekly poll. College coaches are taking notice, too. Travlos has already signed on for a full scholarship with
Division II Hillsdale College in Michigan while McClaughry and O'Neill have nearly every Division III school in Illinois and
Wisconsin after them.
"We've beaten some good teams and we're finally getting some recognition," O'Neill said. "Zion-Benton is such a good
team and when we beat them, people started to believe that we're actually pretty good, too. People haven't usually seen
us that way in the past. "It's been a lot different, but pretty nice. It would be really special if we could keep this going. It
would be something I would always remember."
Peterson’s double-double helps
Libertyville beat Lake Zurich
LIBERTYVILLE — If Libertyville’s boys basketball team needs a
blueprint for how to play winning basketball, it should keep a tape of its
game against Lake Zurich handy the rest of the season.
The Wildcats (4-4, 1-3) controlled nearly every aspect of the game in
their 69-63 North Suburban Lake road win over the Bears on
Wednesday night, picking up their first division win and climbing back to
.500 overall in the process. Libertyville was in celebration mode inside
its locker room following the upset.
“This is just a huge win for us,” Libertyville coach Scott Bogumil said.
“And it’s more proof that the North Suburban Conference’s Lake
Division is simply a meat grinder. I’ve gotta give our kids a heck of a lot
of credit for persevering on the road against a really good Lake Zurich basketball team. We played a great allaround game and got contributions from everyone.”
The game was tied at halftime, 33-33, but after Libertyville scored the first basket to open the second half, it
didn’t trail again. The Wildcats never led by more than seven until midway through the fourth quarter, when
they pulled ahead by 10 at one point. Lake Zurich’s late rally attempt fell short. There were several key reasons
Libertyville emerged victorious. Senior Connor Peterson’s double-double (team-high 19 points, 12 rebounds)
was one of them. He sank four of his five first-quarter shots to set an early tone, made eight of 11 free throw
attempts in the fourth quarter, and was crashing the boards like a man on a mission. He even threw down a
pair of early dunks.
“One of the biggest keys to this victory was our transition game,” said Peterson, who also dished out four
assists. “Whenever I got a rebound, I tried to push the ball up the court to our big guys as quickly as possible.
That’s a big part of our game when we’re successful.”
Those big guys made Peterson’s job at the guard position look easy. Center Joe Borcia (12 points, 11
rebounds, four assists, two blocks), who is 6-10, also notched a double-double, while 6-6 forward Ben Kimpler
(17 points, five rebounds) shot 6-for-9 from the field.
“Once I started scoring a lot of first-quarter points and made a few baskets, I kind of felt like I found a rhythm
and could keep attacking the rim,” Kimpler said. As a team, the Wildcats shot 47.9 percent from the field (23of-48). Defensively, they held the Bears to just 33.8 percent (20-of-59) shooting by forcing Lake Zurich’s
guards to alter their shots when they drove to the basket.
“Having so many tall players in our lineup was definitely a factor,” Borcia said. “It also made it easier for us to
pass out of the post, and we tried to take advantage of size mismatches in the lane whenever we could. Our
guards have a bit of a height advantage over Lake Zurich’s.”
Libertyville also got help from 6-2 guard Paul Steinhaus (12 points, 4-for-5 shooting) and 6-7 reserve forward
Peter Feely (four points on 2-of-2 shooting). Lake Zurich (7-2, 2-2) remains an extremely dangerous basketball
team. Its problems were compounded when 6-7 C/F Will McClaughry sat with foul trouble a large part of the
second and third quarters, then fouled out with six minutes left in the game. Bears senior guard Mike Travlos
(committed to D-II Hillsdale, Michigan) scored a game-high 25 points, but struggled from the field (7-for-24
shooting) while teammate Nick Meyer finished with 15 points and eight rebounds.
“Libertyville’s height advantages at some positions definitely helped them, but we also felt like our guards
would create a mismatch of our own shooting-wise, and that never happened,” Lake Zurich coach Billy Pitcher
said. “They were the aggressors all night and we weren’t. They got key rebounds, were strong in transition and
then shoved it down our throats.”
Lake Zurich wins Pekin title
Daily Herald report
The top-seeded team ended up winning the boys basketball tournament at
Pekin, but Plainfield East made sure Lake Zurich earned it.
In spite of a game-high 37 points from 6-foot-5 senior Aaron Jordan, the
Bears won 62-59 Wednesday night to finish a 4-0 tournament run and
clinch the tournament title for the first time in its 19 years. The Illinois
recruit Jordan won tournament MVP honors; no one else scored in double
figures for the Bengals against Lake Zurich.
Senior Mike Travlos led the way for the Bears (11-2), finishing with 20 points and earning all-tourney
honors. Will McClaughry had 15 points, Jack O'Neill had 11 and Nick Penny, who also earned an alltournament selection, finished with 8 for coach Billy Pitcher's team.
Travlos, however, fouled out with 3:57 left in the game and the Bears clinging to a 2 point lead.
“Tim Spears came in and we trusted each other to get the job done. I think how we dealt with that
adversity was a true sign of this team’s character. And Mike was our biggest cheerleader, supporting
his guys from the bench,” said Pitcher.
Nick Meyer's last-second 3 to win the game came on a dribble drive move and assist from Penny.
The Bears had jumped out to a 10-point lead at the half after not committing a single turnover.
"This is definitely the highlight of my five years here as head
coach," said Pitcher, "but we as a team know we have to
continue working hard and have bigger games and bigger
goals at the end of the season. We are going to celebrate
this one though. The guys played so hard and executed. I
cannot be more proud of them."
Travlos, O'Neill and Meyer each had a pair of 3s for Lake
Zurich, and McClaughry and Penny had 1 each.
Boys hoops | Penny, Travlos lead Lake Zurich to Pekin
title
By Mike Helfgot Chicago Tribune
The Bears returned from their trip Downstate
as first-time Pekin Holiday Tournament
champions.
Mike Travlos scored 20 points and Nick
Meyer hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift
Lake Zurich past Plainfield East 62-59 in the
championship game.
Lake Zurich beat Peoria Richwoods 70-64,
Springfield Lanphier 73-60 and host Pekin
62-42 in the first three rounds.
"We didn't play perfect but we handled our imperfection very well," Lake Zurich coach Billy Pitcher
said. "We just responded to every situation. I'm really proud of the kids, how they battled back. We
played some good teams, some athletic teams and we took care of the ball, we didn't panic."
Zero was the key number in the championship game. It was Lake Zurich's turnover total in the first
half as the Bears built a 10-point halftime lead.
Point guard Nick Penny's ball security helped earn him a spot on the all-tournament team alongside
Travlos.
Penny assisted on Meyer's game-winning shot, his 46th assist of the season against just 14
turnovers. The 6-foot-1 Penny's 33 rebounds led the tournament.
"Nick Penny did what we expected him to do all season," Pitcher said. "He took it to the next level.
Making all-tournament is a real accomplishment. We
haven't had anyone make all-tournament since 2007.
To have two is awesome. "
Michael O’Brien’s Super 25 rankings
10. Hinsdale Central (10-2) 17
Potential for Peoria
11. Benet (9-3) NR
Impressive run at Pontiac
12. Riverside-Brookfield (13-1) 12
Lost to Lake Forest
13. Kenwood (9-3) 13
Had the week off
14. Hillcrest (9-3) 14
Marcus Garrett can play
15. Proviso East (6-4) 16
Tumultuous season, talented team
1. Stevenson (12-1) 1
Lost to Chaminade, MO
2. St. Joseph (11-2) 2
Area’s best resume
3. St. Rita (8-2) 3
Don’t forget Simeon win
4. Simeon (10-1) 4
Dominant in Pontiac, West Virginia
5. Morgan Park (9-3) 5
Champs at Carbondale
6. Hales (13-1) 7
McDipper champs
7. Lake Forest (14-0) 8
Undefeated in January is amazing
8. St. Charles East (12-1) 10
Only lost to St. Joseph
9. Bogan (12-2) 6
Lost to O’Fallon
16. Lake Zurich (12-2) NR
Champs at Pekin
17. Curie (8-3) 9
Lost to Benet, Muskegon MI
18. Rich South (8-3) NR
Second place at McDipper
19. Thornton (9-2) 11
Lost to Rich South
20. Lyons (12-3) 20
Lost to Lake Forest
21. Maine South (10-2) 21
George Sargeant is a force
22. Larkin (12-4) 22
Christian Negron keeps improving
23. Lake Park (14-2) 23
Surprise of the season
24. Notre Dame (10-2) 24
At Lake Forest on Friday
25. Neuqua Valley (13-1) 25
Champs at East Aurora
Will McClaughry leads Lake Zurich past Crystal
Lake South in Milwaukee
Tim Froehlig
Special to the Tribune | @TFroehlig
Jan. 2 6:02 p.m.
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — For more than three-and a-half quarters, the Lake
Zurich boys basketball team struggled to find its rhythm during a
nonconference game against Crystal Lake South on Friday.
But thanks in large part to a stellar final minute by senior forward Will
McClaughry, the Bears rallied for a 57-51 victory at the BMO Harris Bradley
Center.
Lake Zurich (12-2) trailed most of the fourth quarter, until McClaughry made a
gorgeous over-the-shoulder pass near the top of the lane to teammate Nick
Penny for an uncontested layup with 50 seconds left. It gave the Bears the lead for good at 52-51.
“They double-teamed Will and instinctively I knew just to cut to the basket when they did,” Penny said. “It
was a great pass by Will out of the post. The guy who was guarding me completely left me to pressure the
ball when Will got it, and he made them pay.”
McClaughry wasn’t done. With 33.9 seconds to go, he sank the front end of a one-and-one to extend Lake
Zurich’s lead to two. On the ensuing possession, he blocked Gators senior guard Kyle Bartuch’s layup
attempt with 17 seconds remaining.
McClaughry pulled down a rebound after Crystal Lake South (10-4) missed a shot with 2.6 seconds left,
then swished a pair of free throws for good measure to complete his double-double.
Lake Zurich trailed by four with less than two minutes to play, before finishing the game on a 10-0 run.
“We just beat Plainfield East two days ago in a huge game, so it’s easy to come out kind of slow, or to
have a letdown after a win like that,” McClaughry said. “This was a potential trap game, even though
Crystal Lake South is a really good basketball team. Thank goodness we were able to pull it out in the
end.”
McClaughry plans on playing D-III college hoops, but hasn’t decided where yet.
“Will is a heck of a basketball player,” Lake Zurich coach Billy Pitcher said. “He’s more of a finesse player
for a big guy sometimes, but that’s because his game is so versatile for someone who’s 6-7. He also had
a key assist on Nick Meyer’s three that cut Crystal Lake South’s lead to one down the stretch [with 1:13 to
play].”
Meyer (11 points, three steals) and senior guard Mike Travlos (game-high 18 points) both finished in
double figures for the Bears, who face Stevenson next week in what could be their biggest test of the
season.
“We’ve been playing some tough games lately, so I’ve gotta give our kids credit for sticking it out today,”
Pitcher said.
Rebounds aplenty for Lake Zurich's Penny
Joe Aguilar / January 7, 2015
A penny doesn't get you much. Lake Zurich's boys basketball team is
receiving great value from its Penny, however.
Nick Penny was money, especially on the boards, during the Pekin
Insurance Holiday Tournament. The 6-foot-1 junior grabbed a tourney-best
28 rebounds over four games in helping the Bears win the championship for
the first time in their 19 years going to the tournament. Penny pulled down 5
rebounds, including 3 on the offensive glass, in Lake Zurich's 71-41 loss to
visiting Stevenson on Tuesday night. Not bad for a point guard.
"He's got a nose for the ball, and he attacks the glass," Lake Zurich coach
Billy Pitcher said. "You hate guarding him because he always goes for the rebound. You see guys that
stand around the perimeter. He always goes in there."
Penny was named to the all-tournament team at Pekin along with senior guard Mike Travlos, who scored
95 points in the four games. When Nick Meyer hit the game-winning 3-pointer in the closing seconds of
the title game against Plainfield East, it was Penny who delivered the pass. Penny's 14 assists in the
tourney ranked third. His tournament also included his two highest point games of the season. He had a
season-best 17 points (6 rebounds) against Lanphier and 16 points (6 rebounds) against Pekin. His best
performance on the boards came against Peoria Richwoods in the Bears' opener, as he grabbed 9.
"We'd like for him to shoot it more," Pitcher said after Penny attempted just 2 shots against Stevenson.
"We keep talking to him, ‘Shoot it. You're open.' " And Penny can shoot. Last season, he advanced
downstate in the three-point contest.
"He's a great shooter," Pitcher said. "But he's a real pass-first guy. His assists-to-turnovers are great. He's
58 (assists) to 14 (turnovers) on the season. It's unbelievable. He just makes good decisions." In Penny's
defense, the Bears' other four starters -- Travlos, Meyer, Jack O'Neill and Will McClaughry -- all have
three-point range. And Penny often yields to his older teammates: three-year varsity players Travlos,
O'Neill and McClaughry. As a sophomore, Penny played in a dozen varsity games.
"He's still feeling his way," Pitcher said. "Even the seniors tell him, ‘Shoot the ball more.' "
Lake Zurich (12-3, 2-3 North Suburban Lake), which had a five-game winning streak snapped against
Stevenson, hosts Warren on Friday. The Blue Devils are 4-9 and 2-3 in the division after losing to Lake
Forest 35-32 on Tuesday.
Lake Zurich Handles Vernon Hills
A physical game with two player technical fouls and some jawing back and
forth ended with hugs and pictures being taken of players from both teams
standing next to each other, smiling wide.
Even a humble, respectful tip of the hat from one side to the other was
overheard as Vernon Hills guard Robby Nardini headed to his locker room.
"Good job shutting me down," Nardini called out to Lake Zurich guards
Jack O'Neill and Mike Travlos. Nardini, O'Neill and Travlos are all good
friends who play on the same AAU team. But on Monday in the
championship game of the Lake Zurich Martin Luther King tournament,
O'Neill and Travlos made it their mission to make Nardini's life as difficult
as possible. And they succeeded.
They took turns closely face-guarding the high-scoring Vernon Hills 3-point sharpshooter, who wound up being named the
most valuable player of the tournament. They held him to just 2 points and zero field goals, the first time he's been held
without a field goal in his varsity career. That was key in Lake Zurich's 71-54 victory over the Cougars. Lake Zurich,
Vernon Hills, Palatine and Niles North all finished the tournament at 4-1, but Lake Zurich won the tie-breaker and thus the
tournament title on point differential in its victory over Vernon Hills.
"It was the biggest key," Travlos said of Lake Zurich's defense on Nardini. "Going into it, we knew this was the big game
and we knew that Nardini is their best player and that shutting him down is how you stop their team. "Me and Jack O'Neill
are very good friends with (Nardini) and we're just so competitive and we've had rivalries with each other since sixth
grade. We just really wanted this game."
Travlos and O'Neill also got it done on the offensive end. They were two of four players to score in double figures for the
Bears, who jumped out on Vernon Hills early. Lake Zurich (17-4) raced out to a 10-0 lead and took a 31-18 advantage into
the locker room at the break.Center Will McClaughry led the way for Lake Zurich with 19 points while Travlos finished with
18, O'Neill had 12 and Nick Penny added 10 points.
"We came out inspired, we came out with a lot of energy," Lake Zurich coach Billy Pitcher said. "It's so nice to have a guy
like Will (McClaughry) that you can feed it into. He can get easy shots and he can draw double teams and that gives us
open shots on the perimeter when he kicks it out. "We were able to get the inside out a lot."
With Nardini struggling to find his shot, Vernon Hills was still able to hang around in the first half thanks to a spark from
reserve Sam Rattner. He scored 11 of his 17 points in the first half.
"Shots weren't really falling for some of our guys in the first half and we kind of dug ourselves into a hole," Rattner said.
"It's not very often that Rob (Nardini) struggles and even if he does, he usually shoots himself out of it. But tonight it was
tough and so me, (Matt) Weaver and Corey (Levin) felt like we had to get to the rim to try to get us back in the game."
Weaver finished with a game-high 21 points for Vernon Hills, scoring 19 in the second half on three 3-pointers. Levin had
7 points. The Cougars (17-3) cut their deficit to 7 points twice in the third quarter but couldn't get any closer.
"They were real physical with us," Vernon Hills coach Matt McCarty said of Lake Zurich. "That definitely got to some of our
guys. We had moments when we had chances, but really, they deserved to win that game. They're a good team. "But we
still had a really good run this weekend in this tournament. We just need to keep our heads up and bounce back."
Lake Forest survives Lake Zurich's best shot
Joe Aguilar
Lake Zurich focused on its target and chucked Spears. At Evan Boudreaux. "Tim did a good job tonight," Lake Zurich guard Mike
Travlos said of teammate Tim Spears.
In an attempt to at least slow down the Dartmouth-bound Boudreaux and Lake Forest's once-beaten boys basketball team, Lake Zurich
started Spears, a 6-foot-1, broad-shouldered junior. Spears did his best, but Boudreaux was his usual tough self in the end, as visiting
Lake Forest pulled out a 52-49 victory in a North Suburban Lake Division thriller Friday night. Boudreaux finished with game bests of 20
points and 14 rebounds, as Lake Forest improved to 18-1 and 6-1 in the NSC Lake.
"That's probably his lowest (point total) against us since his freshman year," coach Billy Pitcher said after his Bears fell to 17-5 and 3-4
with their second loss to the Scouts this season. "He's killed us every year we've played them," Travlos said of Boudreaux. "We thought
if we could contain him, that would give us the best shot at winning the game." Lake Zurich's game plan to try to frustrate Boudreaux
looked like it might work, after Boudreaux was whistled for an offensive foul for pushing Travlos early in the fourth quarter. Lake Zurich,
which trailed by as many as 16 points late in the first half, had just taken a 44-43 lead on a pair of free throws by Jack O'Neill.
"It's been a long week for me," said Boudreaux, who rolled his left ankle against Lakes earlier in the week. "(The ankle) is getting a lot
better and it should be 100 percent by next week. I just had to adjust to playing on it and playing with it. I give my teammates a lot of
credit. They really stepped up big, in the first half especially, and built a big lead."
Lake Forest called a timeout after Boudreaux's offensive foul and responded. Boudreaux's putback gave the lead back to Lake Forest,
and Lake Zurich never caught up again. Boudreaux sank 4 of 6 free throws in the final 41 seconds, but the Scouts' win wasn't secured
until Travlos' half-court shot at the buzzer hit the back iron and stayed out of the basket.
"We just tried to ignore the refs and not pay attention to what (Lake Zurich) was trying to do," Boudreaux said. "We realized that we had
been executing all game and had been doing our stuff, and it had been working. We got away from it. Toward the end of the game, we
started running (the offense) again and started scoring." Spears, who's often been the Bears' first player off the bench this season, got
starts in Lake Zurich's MLK tournament when Nick Meyer was attending a volleyball tourney. "His defense is so good," Pitcher said of
Spears. "We thought if we bring him in off the bench, it might look like we're trying to bring a goon in or something because of the way
he's built and the way he plays."
O'Neill (team-high 15 points, 3 steals) sank the first of his three 3-pointers with 2:34 left in the opening quarter to tie the score at 9-9.
But Lake Forest's Noah Karras (16 points, four 3-pointers) answered with a 3. Travlos then missed a breakaway dunk, and Lake Forest
started pouring it on. "That hurt a little bit," Travlos said of his missed dunk. "But it is what it is." Boudreaux fed Steve Vogrich for a
layup, Karras drained his third 3 of the quarter, Boudreaux scored on a putback and when sophomore Justin McMahon beat the buzzer
with a half-court shot, Lake Forest was up 22-9.
"They had that (13-0) run to close the first quarter, and that was the difference in the game," Pitcher said. Lake Forest led 32-16 with
less than two minutes left in the second quarter and went into halftime up 34-21. But Lake Zurich chipped away, and O'Neill's 3 in the
closing seconds of the third pulled the hosts within 43-39.
After the Bears grabbed their brief lead early in the fourth, Scouts coach Phil LaScala talked to his players about keeping their
composure and taking good shots. Lake Forest also buckled down at the defensive end. When Travlos hit a 3-pointer to get Lake
Zurich within 51-49 with five seconds to go, it was just his third field goal. Travlos finished with a season-low 8 points. Will McClaughry
had 13 points and 6 rebounds for the Bears, while Meyer added 9 points (two 3s) coming off the bench.
"Jack (Traynor) and Steve (Vogrich) did a good job on (Travlos)," LaScala said. "We had two different types of guys guarding him: one
physical guy (Traynor) and one (Vogrich) with a lot of length. When you have those kind of guys defending, it makes it tough. (Travlos)
is a really nice player."
McClaughry, Lake Zurich handle Libertyville
Patricia Babcock McGraw
Not only did Lake Zurich even the score on Saturday, so did Will McClaughry.
McClaughry, the Bears' 6-foot-7 center, says he didn't have his best performance in an earlier game against Libertyville, a
loss, back in December. He was disappointed because he always enjoys the challenge of keeping up with Libertyville twin
towers Joe Borcia (6-foot-10) and Ben Kimpler (6-foot-6).
"I've been going up against Joe in AAU and in fall workouts and I know some of his moves and I think he got the better of
me last time," McClaughry said. "This time, I'd like to say I got the better of him."
McClaughry poured in 16 points, hit three 3-pointers and helped take Borcia and Kimpler out of the game in leading Lake
Zurich to a 63-47 North Suburban Conference Lake Division victory over the host Wildcats. The Bears move to 19-6 on
the season and 4-4 in the Lake Division. Libertyville, which got only 13 points from Borcia and Kimpler combined after a
total of 29 from them in the first matchup, drops to 10-10 and 3-6 in the Lake.
"Will (McClaughry), I thought we contained him the last time we played them," Libertyville coach Scott Bogumil said. "He
was the difference in the game this time. He stepped out and hit two 3-pointers and a long jumper and he was really
dominant." Lake Zurich also got big numbers out of guards Mike Travlos and Jack O'Neil. Travlos finished with a gamehigh 20 points on three 3-pointers while O'Neil had 11 points.
"I think we took away Libertyville's inside play," Travlos said. "That really killed us last time. But tonight, Kimpler (who
scored just 4 points and played less than half the game) got into foul trouble and that really helped, and with Borcia (9
points), I think we really contained him. I think that's why we won today."
Lake Zurich extended a 9-point halftime lead (29-20) to as many as 14 points early in the third quarter. "Our shooting was
a big difference in this game," said Lake Zurich coach Billy Pitcher, referencing his team's seven 3-pointers. "That's our
strength. We're a deep-shooting team."
The Bears maintained their double-digit advantage until about the midway point of the fourth quarter, when Libertyville
started to rally. The Wildcats had cut their deficit to 6 points with 1:18 left when guard Paul Steinhaus drove to the rim and
hit a runner. But the basket was waived off and Steinhaus was called for a charge. Bogumil vehemently argued the call
and was assessed a technical foul. He then plunked himself abruptly into a chair on the bench and was given another
technical and thrown out of the game. Lake Zurich guard Nick Penny promptly hit 3 of the 4 free throws on that exchange
and then the Bears closed out the game with 7 unanswered free throws.
"It was a bang-bang play, down 6 and if we go to the free throw line and make it, maybe we're down only 3 with 1:18 left,"
Bogumil said. "It was a big play, but we also had other chances to win." The Wildcats thought they missed their chance on
the defensive end. "We came out lethargic," Steinhaus said. "Help defense was bad, on-ball defense was bad. All defense
was kind of bad. We didn't pick up our intensity until the third quarter when we finally tightened things up."
Steinhaus finished with 10 points for Libertyville while Conor Peterson added 9 points. They combined for 10 of
Libertyville's 16 fourth-quarter points.Neither Borcia or Kimpler even attempted a shot in the fourth quarter. "Will
(McClaughry) played well and I have a lot of respect for him and me and Ben really weren't able to establish much today,"
Borcia said. "That was tough, but you've got to give them (Lake Zurich) credit."
Warren bounces Lake Zurich
Jeff Newton
The close calls are too many to count, as far as Warren coach Ryan Webber is concerned. But he and the rest of the Blue
Devils boys basketball team figured that a close one would eventually bounce in their favor.
On Saturday night in a North Suburban Lake Division contest with visiting Lake Zurich, the ball bounced the way of the
Devils on more than one occasion.
Of course, it certainly helps when senior Jovan Jokic and junior Maurice Chambers have the type of nights that they had.
Jokic was virtually automatic from long range, hitting 4 in a game-best 21-point performance, and Chambers tallied 11
points as Warren hung on to defeat Lake Zurich 49-46.
"We have kind of been a tough-luck loser to Zion, Lake Forest and even (Lake Zurich) at their place," Webber said. "We
just keep telling the guys not to focus on what the record says -- we feel like we can be a dangerous team."
For Warren (10-12, 4-6) it starts on the defensive end, and the Blue Devils defense set the tone early against the Bears by
shutting out the visitors in the first quarter. Warren took a 5-0 lead and built it to 20-14 by the halftime break.
"Five points for (Warren) is a good defensive first quarter for us," said Lake Zurich coach Billy Pitcher. "We told the guys it
was just a two-possession game, but we got too much on the perimeter."
Lake Zurich (19-8, 4-7) finally caught the Devils late in the third quarter on a long 3-pointer from Mike Travlos. Travlos tied
for team-best honors with Nick Penny scoring 11 points. Travlos' long ball gave the Bears their first lead of the night at 3129 with 51 seconds left in the third.
That's when Chambers and Jokic took over for Warren.
Jokic banged in a long 3-pointer off a feed from Chambers, then put back a Chambers miss with 5:01 to play to give the
Devils the lead for good at 38-37.
"I think the difference tonight was everyone played with confidence," Chambers said. "We came out with a lot of energy
and everybody was ready to go."
Lake Zurich wouldn't go quietly as the Bears trimmed a 6-point deficit down to just 1 point in the final minutes. The Bears
even had a chance to get a final shot off but Travlos had the ball deflected as time expired and Warren held on.
"This is the type of win where everyone had their fingerprints on it," Webber said. "We haven't been healthy and we have
played everyone. Hopefully we can build from this."
Will McClaughry added 10 points and 4 rebounds for the Bears.
Bears await seed for 'special team'
By, Tim Flroehlig
Earlier this season, there were plenty of people who took the Lake Zurich boys
basketball team for granted. That's changed in a hurry. The Bears enter the week
with a 20-8 record, and one heck of an impressive resume as the Class 4A playoff
seeds are about to be announced on Thursday. "I feel like we deserve a top-three
seed," coach Billy Pitcher said. "This season has been special. This is a special team,
and I'm glad to be a part of it."
Lake Zurich's 20 wins (with two regular season games remaining) are among the
most in program history. The 2004-05 Bears hold the school's high-water mark with
27 victories. According to the IHSA website, Lake Zurich won 23 games in 2001-02
and 21 games in 2000-01 and 1995-96. When did this group first realize this season
was different? "When we beat North Lawndale in the Grant Thanksgiving
tournament, that's probably when it really clicked in our minds I think," Pitcher
said. "They're a big, athletic team, and even some of the parents were telling me before we played them how worried they
were about the size disparity. But we ended up beating them by 15."
Not only did the Bears beat North Lawndale, they won the tournament. They also started the season with a 7-0 record,
thanks to unselfish basketball that seemed leaps and bounds ahead of their competition in November and early December.
In the two-week span prior to Christmas, the Bears stunned Zion-Benton in their North Suburban Lake opener, then beat
Mundelein the following night. They suffered their first two blemishes after that with a six-point loss at Lake Forest,
followed by another six-point loss a week later — at home — against Libertyville.
Instead of sulking, the Bears responded by winning eight of their next nine games, including the Pekin and Martin Luther
King Jr. tourney titles. They boasted a 15-3 record by mid-January. "I think that was probably one of the biggest defining
moments of our season, when we won the Pekin Tournament title," Bears senior guard Mike Travlos said. "Nick Meyer hit
a game-winning three-pointer against Plainfield East at the buzzer to give us the championship, and from there, our
confidence grew even more." Team chemistry has probably been the biggest key to Lake Zurich's success. The senior
leadership of players like Travlos, center Will McClaughry and guard Jack O'Neill has been instrumental, according to
Pitcher, while the toughness in the lane of juniors Meyer, Nick Penny and Tim Spears have given the Bears a balanced
inside-outside attack that forces opposing coaches to make difficult decisions. "
A lot of people still see our school as 'the football school,' " O'Neill said. "It's been exciting to be a part of a team that's
helped change that perception. But we're still in search of bigger and better things before we're done. We'd like to win a
regional and hopefully a sectional title. Those are things we talk about as team goals."
Advancing far in the postseason won't be an easy task. The Lake County area is loaded with talent, evidenced by the Bears'
4-7 division record, thanks in part to multiple losses against state-ranked powers like Stevenson and Lake Forest. Yet the
Bears are a stellar 16-1 against teams outside the North Suburban Lake. When reminded of those statistics, Pitcher views
the glass as half full, not half empty. "Playing in our division and conference has definitely helped prepare us for the
playoffs," Pitcher said. "We've seen it all. Not only has the competition we've faced in the three tournaments we won been
outstanding, but you've got division teams like Libertyville and Lake Forest who have incredibly skilled big-men like Evan
Boudreaux [Scouts] and Joe Borcia [Wildcats]. "Then you've got Stevenson and Zion-Benton, who are extremely athletic
and play a somewhat different style. All those different styles have helped prepare us for any situation we could possibly
face. We're excited for the playoffs to begin."
Lake Zurich Bounces Stubborn Schaumburg
Greg Swiderski
Saying the final 1:54 of the Class 4A boys basketball regional semifinal at Wheeling on Tuesday night was wild would be
putting it mildly. Anything that a high school sports fan could want happened in the final two minutes. When it was all said
and done, No. 4 sectional seed Lake Zurich escaped with a 44-41 win over No. 13 Schaumburg to advance to Friday
night's finale against St. Viator, which edged Prospect 49-48.
"We thought we had the ballgame put away with the 10-point lead," said Lake Zurich coach Billy Pitcher, whose squad led
41-31 late in the game. "We just didn't make some good decisions down the stretch. We knew they would be physical and
scrappy. Sometimes when you play a game already like Schaumburg did (Monday) night, it gets you more prepared for
your next one. Hopefully we got some of our jitters out of they way come Friday."
Nick Meyer gave Lake Zurich (23-8) the lead at 41-31 with 1:54 remaining. Brendan Parker (14 points, 5 rebounds)
connected on 2 free throws, which was followed by a 3-point basket by Charlie Quilico after a Bears turnover, pulling the
Saxons within 41-36 with 1:20 left. Will McClaughry (16 points, 7 rebounds) hit the first of 2 free throws for a 42-36 Lake
Zurich lead.
Then the real excitement began.
Mike Travlos, who played a strong game and finished with 13 points and 5 rebounds, took a long lead pass from
McClaughry and was going in for a dunk. The shot missed, and on the rebound with no Schaumburg players near the
basket, Travlos tried to put the ball back in the basket -- and in doing so, commited offensive basket interference. While
trying to keep his balance, Travlos hung on the rim. After the interference was called, the officials assessed Travlos with a
technical foul for hanging on the rim.
Jason Schoo connected on the 2 technical free throws to narrow the score to 42-38 with :43 left. Jack O'Neill gave the
Bears some distance by connecting on 2 free throws with :23 left and a 44-38 lead. Quilico connected for another 3 to pull
Schaumburg within 44-41 with 14.6 left. Lake Zurich threw the inbounds pass out of bounds, and the Saxons (12-18) still
had life.
Schoo misfired on a chance to tie the game -- but the ball was tipped back to the Saxons, and Marquis Woodward's shot
fell short with :03 left. Finally, Lake Zurich ran out the clock.
"It's the playoffs and anything can happen," said McClaughry. "This was such a dogfight. We got exactly what we
expected. They were really scrappy and just never gave up. I told the others we had to keep our focus and do what we
had to do to win the game. We took control of the game early and we were able to stay ahead most of the game."
"That's what you expect from our leader," said Pitcher. "He leads us in so many ways on and off the court. He shows
great examples to others."
Lake Zurich sprinted out to a 20-7 lead with six minutes left before halftime on McClaughry's 3-point basket. The Saxons
used a 13-2 run the rest of the quarter to pull within 22-20 at the break. Parker tied the game at 22 with 2 free throws early
in the third quarter before a 3-point basket by Meyer gave the Bears the lead for good at 25-22.
The loss was a tough one for Saxons coach Marty Manning, who ended his one-year stint as the Saxons head coach.
Manning's next role will be as Schaumburg's athletic director.
Mike Travlos' late surge not enough
for Lake Zurich in regional final
Mark Perlman, Pioneer Press
March 6, 2015
Senior Mike Travlos scored 10 of his game-high 16 points in the fourth quarter, but it wasn't quite enough to
rally the Lake Zurich boys basketball team past St. Viator as the Lions won the Class 4A Wheeling Regional
championship 48-42 on Friday night.
Lake Zurich (23-9) trailed 44-37 with just under a minute to go when Travlos nailed a long 3-pointer — one of
four on the night — then fed senior Will McClaughry (10 points) for a layup to bring the Bears to within 44-42
with 30 seconds left. But St. Viator (18-9) hit four straight free throws to give the fifth-seeded Lions the victory
over fourth-seeded Lake Zurich.
"It's a tough locker room. It's real tough," Lake Zurich coach Billy Pitcher said after talking to his team. "A lot of
these guys have been together for a long time. "There was no lack of effort tonight. We laid it all on the line."
St. Viator was paced by senior Patrick McNamara with 14 points and senior Kevin Monson with 10. Lake Zurich
was called for seven offensive charges, including three in the fourth quarter. The Bears shot one free throw for
the entire contest (St. Viator was 8-for-11). Their previous low for attempts in a game this season was eight.
Pitcher bemoaned a few too many outside shots.
"Our first three possessions were threes, and we miss them all," Pitcher said. "We [said], 'Got to get it inside.
Got to get it inside to Will.' They did a great job on him."
Held to only three points in the first half, which saw Lake Zurich trail 19-15, Travlos exploded in the second half
via his shooting, two nifty assists and two steals.
"That's what he's capable of," Pitcher said. "He's a really tough guard."
"We fell a little short, but we gave it our all," Travlos said. "They were all over me all game."
Lake Zurich trailed 23-18 early in the third quarter, but the Bears went on a 10-2 run to grab a 28-25 lead. The
last five points came on a Travlos three, followed by a steal and layup by senior Jack O'Neill (five points). The
Lions closed out the quarter with a five-point run for a 30-28 lead.
"They're a very disciplined team. They ran some great stuff," St. Viator coach Quin Hayes said. "They were very
tough to defend and they just kept coming and kept coming."
Lake Zurich basketball's 'great ride' comes to an end
Mark Perlman, Pioneer Press
8:14 am, March 12, 2015
Although the Lake Zurich boys basketball team's season came to a halt
with a 48-42 loss to St. Viator in the Class 4A Wheeling Regional
championship Friday, the Bears enjoyed a uniquely successful season.
Lake Zurich eclipsed the 20-win mark for the first time since 2004-05, and it made it by a wide margin, going
23-9. The Bears began the season with seven straight wins and won championships at their own Martin Luther
King Classic, the Grant Thanksgiving Tournament and the Pekin Holiday Tournament.
"It was a fun year. A successful year. A great ride," Lake Zurich coach Billy Pitcher said. "We couldn't get over
the hump to win the regional, but there were so many great memories, friendships and bonds that the kids will
talk about 10-20 years from now."
The core group of players included senior starters Mike Travlos, Will McClaughry and Jack O'Neill, along with
juniors Nick Penny and Nick Meyer. Travlos finished his three-plus seasons on varsity with 1,568 points,
making him Lake Zurich's second all-time leading scorer (behind Mike Kolze). Travlos, who will play for
Division II Hillsdale College in Michigan next season, averaged 19.7 points with more than two 3-pointers per
game.
"Mike is very hard to guard, to stay in front of. He can drive by you, stop and pop and hit the three. He did so
much for us," Pitcher said. "And he always wanted to guard the other team's best player."
"We had a really good year," Travlos said. "Something everyone should be proud of."
At 6-foot-6, McClaughry could go inside or shoot the three. He averaged 11.7 points and 6.2 rebounds. "Will got
a lot stronger, more aggressive and more confident this year," Pitcher said. "He does everything you ask him to
do. A great example for everyone else."
Pitcher also praised a host of other Bears, including O'Neill (for his defensive skill) and Penny and Meyer (for
their floor play and shot-making abilities). O'Neill averaged 10.1 points, Meyer averaged 7.5 and Penny
averaged 7.2 points and 6 rebounds. Junior sixth man Tim Spears was a critical defensive contributor. Except
for two losses to Stevenson — the state's No. 1-ranked team for much of the season — Lake Zurich did not lose
any other game by more than six points.
That's a performance that will be tough to duplicate next year. "It's going to be very difficult," Penny said. "Lots
of firepower on the court and leadership in the locker room is going away. But I think we'll be OK."
Pitcher seconded that notion. "Our younger players had a great experience being in the environment of a
regional championship game," he said. "With [Nick Penny, Nick Meyer and Tim Spears] back and [6-6 junior]
Andrew Gilbertson, who tore his MCL this year, and a sophomore team that was 19-9, I'm excited for the
future."
Boys basketball: Lake County all-area team
Mike Travlos Lake Zurich
It's been a season of milestones for Travlos. He scored his 1,000th career point at
the Grant Thanksgiving tournament and has moved all the way up to second on the
all-time scoring list at Lake Zurich with 1,529 points heading into the state
tournament. Travlos, a three-year starter, was the most valuable player at the Grant
tournament and made the all-tournament team at Pekin and at the Lake Zurich
Martin Luther King Classic. Travlos averages 19.7 points per game and has nailed
68 of 175 3-pointers for a clip of 38 percent. "Mike really worked hard in the offseason on his game, strength and athleticism," Lake Zurich coach Billy Pitcher said.
"Teams really keyed on him and doubled him so it's really impressive that he was
able to up his average (from last year)." Travlos has earned a full scholarship to
Division II Hillsdale College.
Will McClaughry Lake Zurich
At 6-foot-6, McClaughry is a big target for the Bears. He often became an even
bigger target late in games. "Will has been our go-to guy down the stretch in many
games," Lake Zurich coach Billy Pitcher said. "It's so great to have a good big guy to
get the ball to for a high percentage shot." McClaughry, a three-year starter, hit 58
percent of his field goals and averaged 11.7 points per game. He also hit 16 3pointers at a clip of 51 percent. McClaughry was tough on the boards, pulling down
6.2 rebounds points per game. An all-tournament selection at Grant and at the Lake
Zurich Martin Luther King Classic, McClaughry is getting strong looks by dozens of
Division II and Division III schools.
All-area roster
Joe Borcia C Sr. Libertyville
*Jalen Brunson G Sr. Stevenson
Ben Carlson C Sr. Wauconda
Connor Cashaw G Sr. Stevenson
C.J. Duff G Jr. Carmel
Aidan Einloth F Sr. Grayslake North
Jake Falish G Sr. Warren
Michael Green G Jr. Round Lake
David Llorens F Sr. Grayslake Central
Will McClaughry C Sr. Lake Zurich
Robby Nardini G Sr. Vernon Hills
Ethan Sage F Sr. Lakes
Justin Smith F So. Stevenson
Mike Travlos G Sr. Lake Zurich
Matt Weaver F Sr. Vernon Hills
* honorary captain
Honorable mention: G Shareif Bailey, Carmel, jr., G Jake Balliu, Lakes, sr., F Michael Benko, Grayslake
Central, sr., G Malik Doby, Mundelein, sr., G Kyle Gofron, Antioch, jr., G Matt Johnson, Stevenson, sr., F
Jovan Jokic, Warren, sr., G Bobby Krebs, Grayslake North, jr., F Zac Lahrman, Wauconda, jr., G Cory Levin,
Vernon Hills, sr., G/F Bo Manso, Vernon Hills, sr., F James Mobley, Grant, jr., G Joey Mudd, Grayslake
Central, sr., F Parker Nichols, Stevenson, sr., G Nick Penny, Lake Zurich, jr., G Jack O'Neill, Lake Zurich, sr.,
F Conor Peterson, Libertyville, sr., G Sam Ruhlmann, Grayslake Central, jr., F Ricky Sidlowski, Wauconda, sr.
Selections and profiles by Patricia Babcock McGraw
LAKE ZURICH BASKETBALL
CUMULATIVE HUSTLE POINTS
PLAYER
KOTHARI
RATHE
KOSCIELNIAK
BROWN
PENNY
MEYER
SPEAR
ONEILL
LONG
TRAVLOS
GERLACH
SPEARS
MCCLAUGHRY
GILBERTSON
BENS
HENSLEY
TEAM TOTAL
OPP. TOTALS
G
GS OR
DR CHT
28
2
4
11
21
2
9
12
0
3
10
1
1
32 31
84 101
30 23
56
81
7
1
2
32 32
23
51
14
3
4
32 31
25 102
11
4
4
32
9
31
53
32 32
62 133
15
4
7
6
0
5
4
0
1
32
300 568
32
275
442
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
0
6
0
9
23
2
0
0
47
29
DFL STL
BLK FB LOAF TOTAL
14
6
1
5
0
56
9
6
2
0
0
30
0
2
0
1
0
7
2
0
0
0
0
5
63
34
6
9
1
388
28
9
2
7
3
240
0
1
2
0
0
7
45
31
6
7
6
196
1
0
0
0
0
11
50
22
9 12
16
243
2
0
0
1
0
16
15
5
0 16
0
194
46
15
43 21
1
470
1
1
0
6
0
35
0
1
0
0
0
6
0
1
0
1
0
4
276
134
71 86
27
1908
221
132
59
62
15
AVG
1.75
1.43
0.58
0.50
12.13
8.00
1.00
6.13
0.79
7.59
1.45
6.06
14.69
2.33
1.00
1.00
59.63
1585 49.53
LAKE ZURICH BASKETBALL – PROGRAM RECORDS
All-Time Leading Scorers
1. Mike Kolze 2001-2005: 1,962 points
2. Mike Travlos 2011-2015: 1,557 points
3. Connor Mooney 2006-2009: 1,294 points
4. Austin Scott 2003-2006: 1,287 points
5. Shaun Clements 1997-2000: 1,226 points
6. Jim Roberts 1993-1996: 1,168 points
7. Mirko Grcic 2010-2012: 937 points
8. Brandon Kunz 2006-2009: 924 points
9. Will McClaughry 2012-2015: 798 points
10. Brad Kruse 2011-2014: 669 points
Career Assists
Mike Kolze 551
Most Points in a game
Mike Kolze 44 - 2004
Single Season Assists
Mike Kolze 214
Highest Single Season Average
Mike Kolze 24.6ppg - 2004
Most Assists in a Game
Connor Mooney 11 - 2008
Career Free Throws Made
Mike Kolze 385
Career Rebounds
Brandon Kunz 701
Single Season Free Throws Made
Mike Travlos 174 - 2014
Single Season Rebounds
Mirko Grcic 301
Career Highest FT Percentage (min. 100 att)
Mike Kolze 83% (385/464)
Single Season Offensive Rebounds
Nick Penny 84 - 2015
Highest FT Percentage Season (min.60 att)
Mike Kolze 89.7% - 2004 (166/185)
Most Rebounds in a game
Brandon Kunz 23 - 2009
Consecutive FTs Made
Mike Kolze 48 -2004
Career 3 Pointers made
Austin Scott 264
Most Charges Taken in a Season
Doug Murphy 48 – 2012
Will McClaughry 23 - 2015
Single Season 3 Pointers made
Austin Scott 114 -2005
Most 3 Pointers Made in a Game
John Lazar 9 - 1998
Highest 3P% Season (min. 30 att)
Ryan Roach 54.5% - 2012 (24/44)
Will McClaughry 52% - 2015 (17/33)
Blocked Shots in a Season
Brandon Kunz 64 – 2009
Will McClaughry 43 - 2015
Fewest TOs Season (25 games played)
Andy Cox 8 - 2011
Tim Spears 10 - 2015
TEAM HISTORY
Year
Record
2014-2015
23-9
IHSA Seed
4
Playoff Finish
Team MVP
4A Regional Final
Will McClaughry
Mike Travlos
2013-2014
19-13
7
4A Regional Final
Mike Travlos
2012-2013
15-16
11
4A Regional Semifinal
Brad Kruse
2011-2012
15-16
11
4A Regional Final
Mirko Grcic
2010-2011
7-20
20
4A Regional Quarterfinal
Mirko Grcic
2009-2010
3-24
21
4A Regional Quarterfinal
Marko Grcic
2008-2009
16-13
9
4A Regional Final
Connor Mooney
2007-2008
17-12
14
2A Regional Semifinal
Brandon Kunz
2006-2007
11-17
17
2A Regional Semifinal
Steve Kunz
2005-2006
15-12
11
2A Regional Semifinal
Austin Scott
2004-2005
27-2
3
2A Sectional Final
Mike Kolze
2003-2004
14-14
10
2A Regional Final
Mike Kolze
2002-2003
7-20
14
2A Regional Semifinal
Jeff Moore
2001-2002
23-6
4
2A Sectional Final
Jeff Mikos
2000-2001
21-6
5
2A Regional Final
Bernard Middleton
1999-2000
15-11
6
2A Regional Final
Shaun Clements
1998-1999
16-11
6
2A Regional Final
Mark Willis
1997-1998
13-13
10
2A Regional Semifinal
John Lazar
1996-1997
18-9
7
2A Regional Final
Thor Solverson
1995-1996
21-7
4
2A Sectional Semifinal
Jim Roberts
Lake County All Time Leading Scoring List
Player
School
Grad. Year
Points
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Stevenson
Zion
Deerfield
North Chicago
Lake Forest
Mundelein
Lake Zurich
Mundelein
2015
2014
1996
2012
2015
2014
2005
1994
2,682
2,610
2,417
2,140
2,077
2,013
1,962
1,920
Libertyville
Zion
1994
2001
1,877
1,844
Jalen Brunson
Milik Yarbrough
Ryan Hogan
Aaron Simpson
Evan Boudreaux
Robert Knar
Mike Kolze
Kyle Kessel
9. Matt Heldman
10. Andrew White
IHSA All Time Leading Scoring List
Player
School
Grad. Year
Points
1. Charles Vaughn
Tamms
1958
3,358
2.
3.
4.
5.
Jacksonville Routt
Chicago King
Glenbrook North
Dongola
1988
1990
2006
1958
3,160
3,157
3,034
3,033
Andy Kaufman
Jamie Brandon
Jon Scheyer
Joe Aden