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Varsity, Sophomores and Freshman A with Big Wins over Neighborhood Rival Lyons Township.
The Varsity Bulldogs came out very strong strong jumping out to a 26-12 first quarter lead and increased that lead to 49-30 at halftime. However the very talented Lions didn't go away quietly. They cut the lead to 16 going into the third quarter and continued to chip away throughout the 4th quarter cutting the Bulldog lead to 1 numerous times in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs made some key free throws and did just enough to hold on for the 77-74 victory. The win improves the Bulldogs to 4-2 overall. Will Kincanon led the Bulldogs with 28 points, including 5 three pointers. Jack VandeMerkt chipped in 21 points and 11 rebounds. Sam Johnson added 11 points and 8 rebounds, while sophomore guard Daniko Jackson added 7 points and 8 assists. The Dogs next game is December 17th at 7:00pm at Timothy Christian.
Click Here to Read the Chicago Sun Times online article about the game
The Sophomore Bulldogs and the Lions traded baskets early in the game and were tied 8-8 before the Bulldogs went on a 11-0 run to close out the quarter and took a 19-8 lead. The Dogs then built the lead to as many as 14 points in the second quarter before the Lions went on a run to close out the half and cut the Bulldog lead to 34-27. The second half was all Bulldogs, as the Dogs build a 22 point lead in the second half before finishing with the 60-41 victory. James Kaczmarczyk led the Bulldog with 23 points and 6 rebounds. Jalen Clanton had a solid overall game with 20 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 6 steals. The Dogs improve to 4-1 on the season and travel to Glenbard East High School on Wednesday, December 11th at 5:30pm.
Varsity and Sophomores Win Conference Opener vs. Fenton!
The Varsity Bulldogs came out strong and never looked bak defeating Fenton 85-34. The Dogs scored 34 points in the first quarter, highlighted by a Kevin Fitzgerald half-court shot at the buzzer. The Dogs showed great balance with four different players scoring double figures. Jack VandeMerkt led the Bulldogs with 17 points, while Mark Smith added 16 points and 7 rebounds. Kevin Fitzgerald scored 12 points and Paul Sitkiewicz added 11 points to round out the double figure scorers. The Bulldogs also had a season high 21 assists for the game. The Dogs are now 3-2 overall and 1-0 in the Metro Suburban Conference. The Dogs host Lyons Township on Saturday, December 7th at 6:00pm.
The Sophomore Bulldogs started out strong, taking a 13-6 lead after one quarter and a 32-11 lead at halftime. The Bison came out in the second half and played harder and with more energy than the Bulldogs, cutting the lead to 11 before the Bulldogs closed out the game with a 51-36 victory. The Dogs improve to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the Metro Suburban Conference. James Kaczmarczyk led the Bulldogs with 21 points. Sam Falk contributed 10 rebounds. The Dogs host Lyons Township at 4:30 on Saturday, December 7th in a non-conference battle.
Freshman A Team Beats Fenwick to win VandeMerkt Thanksgiving Classic!!!
The Freshman A Team overcame a 16 point halftime deficit to beat Fenwick 45-40 to win the title. A slow start on offense and foul trouble on defense allowed Fenwick to take a 29-13 lead at the half. In the third quarter the Bulldogs pressure defense turned the game around. Fenwick only scored two points in the third quarter and the lead was cut to 31-30. Henry Trelenberg led the team with 20 points and 3 steals. Jalen Brooks added 7 points and 5 rebounds. Caleb Lucas led the team with 8 rebounds.
Varsity Lose Tough Game To Very Talented Oak Park! Sophomores Gut Out Win vs. Oak Park!
The Riverside Brookfield Varsity Bulldogs battled all game long against highly ranked Oak Park River Forest Oak Park had two runs (8-0 and 6-0) in the first half that were essentially the difference in the game. Oak Park led 24-12 at the end of the first quarter and 45-31 at halftime. The Bulldogs outscored the Huskies in the third and trailed by 11 going into the fourth quarter. The Dogs battled but could never get within 9 points in the fourth, before falling 84-71. The Dogs couldn't contain tournament MVP, Erick Locke, who finished with 31 points for the Huskies. Will Kincanon led the Bulldogs with 27 points. Jack VandeMerkt added 15 points and 7 rebounds. Paul Sitkiewicz chipped in 11 points and 7 rebounds, while Daniko Jackson contributed 10 points, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds. The Bulldogs head into Metro Suburban Conference play with a 2-2 record and travel to Fenton on Friday, December 6th.
The Sophomore Bulldogs won a hard fought game vs. Oak Park-River Forest. The Bulldogs battled foul trouble throughout the game and got contributions from a number of players. The Dogs led 23-14 after one quarter and 33-31 at halftime. The Dogs led 44-41 after three quarters. Early in the fourth quarter, back to back three pointers by Richie Gentile and Jalen Clanton opened up a 9 point lead for the Bulldogs and gave them some breathing room. The Dogs built the lead to 13 points in the fourth quarter before holding on for the 65-57 victory against the Huskies. Jalen Clanton led the Bulldogs with 24 points and 9 assists. Sam Falk chipped in 11 points. James Kaczmarczyk added 8 points for the Dogs. Jack Domeier added 10 rebounds, while Ryan Swift contributed 7 rebounds and took 3 charges in the game. The Bulldogs improve to 2-1 and travel to Fenton on Friday, December 6th at 5:30pm.
Varsity With Great Comeback Win! Sophomores Blow Out Lane Tech!
The Riverside Brookfield Varsity Bulldogs led 35-31 at halftime. However, Brother Rice came out and controlled much of the second half, leading by 3 after three quarters and led the Bulldogs 62-52 with a little more than 3 minutes to go. The Bulldogs quickly gained momentum after forcing Brother Rice into a few turnovers and missed shots, while making some clutch shots and free throws on the offensive end. Will Kincanon hit a huge three pointer, giving the Bulldogs a 65-64 lead with a little less than 2 minutes to play. The Bulldogs held on after key free throws by Kevin Fitzgerald, Will Kincanon, and Sam Johnson. Jack VandeMerkt came up with a huge steal. The Dogs were led by Kincanon's 23 points and 7 rebounds. VandeMerkt added 20 points. Sam Johnson and Daniko Jackson added 9 points each. The Bulldogs improve to 2-1 and take on a very talented Oak Park River Forest team in the championship game of the Bill VandeMerkt Thanksgiving Classic at 5:30pm on Saturday, November 30.
The Sophomore Bulldogs rebounded from their loss vs. Brother Rice with a very impressive 60-22 victory over Lane Tech. The Dogs led 20-8 after one quarter, 37-16 at halftime and held the Indians to 6 total points in the second half. The Bulldogs were led by James Kaczmarcyk's 18 points. Freshman, Jalen Clanton added 12 points and Jack Domeier had 9 points in the win. The Dogs improve to 1-1 on the season and take on Oak Park River Forest at 4:00pm on Saturday, November 30th.
Varsity Beats Talented Kenwood Team! Sophomores Drop Season Opener!:
The Riverside Brookfield Varsity started out slow vs. the Kenwood Broncos, trailing at one point 20-12. However, the Dogs kept fighting and trailed 41-38 at halftime. The Dogs and Broncos played even in the third quarter with RB trailing 59-56. The Bulldogs controlled most of the 4th quarter behind hot shooting from Will Kincanon, Jack VandeMerkt, and Daniko Jackson, leading by as many as 8 points. The Bulldogs finished with a hard fought 80-76 victory. Jack VandeMerkt led the Bulldogs with 24 points and 8 rebounds. Will Kincanon added 23 points and 5 assists. Sam Johnson had 16 points (14 in the first half), 6 assists, and 5 rebounds. Sophomore Daniko Jackson added 8 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. The Dogs improve to 1-1 on the season and take on a talented Brother Rice team at 6:00pm on Friday, November 29th.
The Sophomore Bulldogs started out quick behind the hot shooting of Freshman, Jalen Clanton, and held a 15-8 lead vs.Brother Rice. However, the Crusaders responded to the Bulldog run and took a 30-25 lead into halftime. Most of the third and early 4th quarter was very even. The Crusaders responded well to everything the Bulldogs threw at them and pulled away at the end for the 57-40 victory. Jalen Clanton led the Bulldogs with 20 points. The Bulldogs will look to rebound on Friday, November 29th at 4:30pm vs. Lane Tech.
Rich Central Tops Varsity 80-68 In Season Opener:
The Riverside Brookfield Bulldogs came out with a lot of energy early, however Rich Central finished the game strong, defeated the Bulldogs 80-68. The Bulldogs had too many costly turnovers in the second half that led to easy Rich Central baskets. 6'6 junior, Sam Johnson led the Bulldogs with 27 points and added 7 rebounds. 6'7 senior, Jack VandeMerkt had 24 points and 12 rebounds. The Bulldogs look to regroup against a very talented Kenwood team tonight (11/27/13) at 7:00pm.
Bill VandeMerkt Thanksgiving Classic Begins This Week:
The Bill VandeMerkt Thanksgiving Classic kicks off this week at RB for the Freshman, Sophomore, and Varsity levels. Please see the link on the left for full schedule.
Sophomore and Varsity Summer League Information:
Thanks to all the teams, players and coaches that participated in the 2013 Riverside Brookfield Sophomore and Varsity Summer Leagues. Congratulations to St. Rita, who defeated Riverside Brookfield in the Sophomore Summer League championship game. Also, congratulations to Coach Gene Heidkamp and Benet Academy for winning the Varsity Summer League Championship!
Numerous Post Season Awards For Bulldog Basketball Players!
Congratulations Miki Ljuboja for being named to the 4th Team Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-State Team. Damonta Henry followed up a junior campaign where he was named 4th team all state and as a senior was named Special Mention Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-State. In addition Miki Ljuboja was named Suburban Life Newspapers All-Area Player of the Year. Miki is third straight Bulldog (Ryan Jackson in 2011 and Damonta Henry in 2012) to earn the honor and 4th (Chris Parrish 2008) in Coach McCloskey's 12 years at the helm. Damonta Henry earned All-Area status in the Suburban Life, while Liam Lesniak, Eric Loury, and Jack VandeMerkt were named All-Area Honorable Mention in the Suburban Life. Miki Ljuboja also earned the respect of all the coaches in the conference, by being named Metro Suburban Conference Player of The Year! Damonta Henry and Liam Lesniak were also named to the all-conference team, while Miki Ljuboja earned All-Area honorable mention from the Chicago Sun Times. In addtion to the post season awards, Miki Ljubjoja was invited to play in the Southside vs. Westide All-Star game at University of Chicago in May and to the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-Star game at Illinois Wesleyan Univeristy June 29. Congratulations Bulldogs!
Class of 2010 Bulldog, Sean McGonagill Named 1st Team Ivy League All-Conference for Brown University
Congratulations to Sean McGonagill, Class of 2010 for being named to the 1st Team Ivy League All-Conference Team. Sean has had a stellar career at Brown that has seen him go from Freshman of the Year in the Ivy League in 2010-11 to All-Conference 2nd team last year, to First Team All-Conference this season. Sean finished 4th in the conference in scoring and 4th in assists. He currently is 3rd in Brown history in assists and has scored over 1,100 career points. Sean also led Brown by playing 37.5 minutes per game. He also helped his team to a 13-15 overall record and 7-7 in the league. The best record Brown has had in his 3 years running the point for the Bears. You can click here to view the article from the Brown website regarding Sean's accomplishment.
Bulldog Alum Ryan Jackson Named 1st Team GLVC All Conference For Lewis University!
Congratulations to Ryan Jackson, Class of 2011 for being named to the First Team All-Great Lakes Valley Conference For Lewis University. Ryan is following up a very successful freshman year, that saw him named GLVC Freshman of the Year, with an even better sophomore season. Ryan is currently leading the Flyers in scoring with 16.4 points per game and is averaging 4.2 rebounds per game, while also shooting 82.9% from the free throw line and 36.5% from three point range. Ryan has also led the Flyers to a very successful season, currently they are 19-8 and competing in the second round of the GLVC tournament and hoping for a NCAA tournament invitation.
Click here for the article regarding Ryan's honor.
Varsity Bulldogs Lose In State Tournament To Conant
The Varsity Bulldogs battled with Conant in a game that went back and forth throughout, in the regional at Hoffman Estates High School. There many lead changes throughout the game. The game was tied 27-27 at the half. Conant went on a small run in the third quarter and took a 46-40 lead at the end of the third. However, the Bulldogs responded with a 8-0 run and took a 48-46 lead. A couple more lead changes took place throughout the 4th quarter, but Conant was able to close out the game with the 67-61 victory. The Dogs were led by Eric Loury's 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 steals. Liam Lesniak added 13 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals. While, Damonta Henry finished with 11 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. Will Kincanon added 9 points and 5 rebounds. The loss was a disappointing way to end the Bulldogs 5th consecutive 20 win season. The Dogs finished 21-7. It also marks the end of great careers of the 9 seniors. Hunter Claire, David Aldape, Jack Hansa, Tyler Campbell, Jack Gibson, Eric Loury, Liam Lesniak, Miki Ljuboja, and Damonta Henry all put in many hours of hard work to help our program be successful and the coaching staff is very appreciative of all their contributions! Also a big congratulations goes out to Miki Ljuboja, Damonta Henry, and Liam Lesniak for being named to the All-Conference team for the Metro Suburban Conference. Miki Ljuboja also received an extra special honor by being named Conference Player of the Year! Congratulations to everyone on another successful season.
PERFECTION!!!! Freshman End Season 24-0. First Undefeated Team in School History. B Team Doesn't Lose in Conference.
The Freshman A Team impressively capped off their undefeated season with a 46-16 victory over Elmwood Park. The Dogs were dominate on the defensive end by forcing 39 Turnovers and getting 29 steals. Sam Falk led the Dogs with 10 points. Daniko Jackson had a nice all-around game with 9 points, 4 assists, and 5 steals. Butch Witken scored 8 points and had 10 rebounds. Jack Domeier and James Kaczmarczyk each had 6 points. Domeier also had 8 rebounds. The A Team finished the season 24-0 and 12-0 in the Metro Suburban Conference.
The B Team continued their great improvement by easily defeating Elmwood Park 60-25. They ended the game on a 41-8 run. Richie Gentile led the team in scoring with 17 points with 5 three-pointers. Alex Martinson scored 11 points and Maclean Nolan scored 10. They finished the season with a record of 17-7 and 12-0 in conference play.
Varsity Bulldogs Win On Senior Night! Sophomores Finish on 13 Game Winning Streak!
The Varsity Bulldogs jumped out to a quick 19-3 lead in the first quarter, highlighted by a bunch of blocked shots, steals and dunks by Eric Loury and Jack VandeMerkt. However, Elmwood Park continued to fight and cut the Bulldog lead to 28-21 at halftime. Coach McCloskey was able to clear the bench and play all of the seniors extensive minutes on Senior Night. 11 different players scored for the Bulldogs, led by Damonta Henry's 19 points. Miki Ljuboja chipped in 11 points and 8 rebounds. The win also clinches the conference championship outright for the Bulldogs, which is the varsity's 12th in a row. The Bulldogs improve to 21-6 overall and finished 11-1 in the Metro Suburban Conference. Up next is the regional game against Conant at 7:30pm on Wednesday, February 27th at Hoffman Estates High School.
The Sophomore Bulldogs finished the season winning their 13th consecutive game and haven't lost a game in January or February since January of 2010. The Bulldogs finished tied for the third most wins (21) in school history on the sophomore level. The Bulldogs jumped out to a 15-3 first quarter lead and led 34-12 at halftime. The Bulldogs came out after halftime and held Elmwood Park scoreless for the third quarter, leading 51-12 after three, before finishing with a 54-27 victory. Mark Smith led the Bulldogs with 10 points and 9 rebounds, while David Franco finished with a season high 8 points. The Dogs finished the season 21-3 and a perfect 12-0 in the Metro Suburban Conference. The Sophomore Bulldogs have now won 39 consecutive conference games since January of 2010 and are 74-1 in Metro Suburban play over the past 6 years. In addition to that the Sophomore Bulldogs are a very impressive 129-15 overall during the past 6 years. The Bulldogs had many contributions throughout the year with 7 different leading scorers showing the Bulldogs balance. 6'5 Sophomore, Sam Johnson led the Bulldogs in scoring, averaging 12.5 points per game. 6'6 Freshman, Mark Smith averaging 11.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks per game. Ryan Hanley finished averaging 9.2 points per game, while 6'5 Sophomore Paul Sitkiewicz contributed 8.9 points per game and a team leading 6.9 rebounds per game. Kevin Fitzgerald added 7.4 points per game and led the team in assists. Congratulations to all the players on another very successful season!
Bulldogs Defeat St. Charles East On Every Level! Damonta Henry Scores 1000th Career Point!
The Varsity Bulldogs and Saints of St. Charles East played a very competitive game that went back and forth throughout with many lead changes. The scores was tied after one quarter and the Bulldogs trailed 30-29 at halftime. The Dogs and Saints were tied at 46 after three quarters. Damonta Henry and Miki Ljuboja made some key plays down the stretch and numerous Bulldogs knocked down some free throws to secure the victory. Damonta Henry led the Bulldogs with 23 points and 7 rebounds. He continued his very successful career by scoring his 1000th point and now has 1013 for his career. Miki Ljuboja had 11 points, while Will Kincanon added 10 points. St. Charles East was ranked as high as number 5 in the Sun Times earlier this season, so this is the third opponent the Bulldogs beat who were ranked at some point this year (Waubonsie Valley and Marshall were the other two). The win also marks the 5th straight season that Coach McCloskey's Varsity Bulldogs have won at least 20 games. The Bulldogs are now 20-6 overall and host Elmwood Park on Friday, February 22nd at 7:00pm for our annual "Senior Night", celebrating the careers of all of our seniors.
Click Here to Read the Story from the Game from Chicagohoops.com
The Sophomore Bulldogs jumped out to a quick 10-0 lead against a very good St. Charles East team. The Dogs led throughout the entire first half and took a 24-18 lead into halftime. The Bulldogs went on a run early in the third quarter to increase their lead up to 9 points again. However, St. Charles East continued to battle back and the Dogs led 33-27 at the end of the third quarter. With the Bulldogs up 36-30, St. Charles East went on a 6-0 run to tied the game at 36 midway through the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs made some big plays offensively and clamped down defensively to go on a 16-0 run to close out the game and win their 20th game for the 6th consecutive season with a 52-36 victory of the Saints. Paul Sitkiewicz had a huge game with 19 points and 9 rebounds. Mark Smith added 13 points and 9 rebounds, while Kevin Fitzgerald had a steady floor game with 9 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists. The win improves the Sophomore Bulldogs record to 20-3 and it is also their 12th straight victory this season. The Sophomore Bulldogs have now gone three straight seasons without losing a game in January or February. The Dogs play their final game of the season at home on Friday, February 22nd vs. Elmwood Park at 5:30pm.
The Freshman A Team won their most competitive game in 2 months and beat a very talented St.Charles East squad 48-44 to improve to 23-0 on the season. Behind some good defense the Dogs led 23-13 at the half. In the second half the Bulldogs struggled to get stops and let the Saints take a 42-39 lead with less than 3 minutes left in the game. This was the first time the Bulldogs trailed in the fourth quarter all year. James Kaczmarczyk hit a huge 3-pointer to tie the game and the Bulldogs clamped down defensively to finish the game with a huge win. Kaczmarczyk led the team with 16 points and 6 Rebounds. Mikey Berscheid scored 7 points and had 4 steals. Sam Falk had 7 points and 5 rebounds. Daniko Jackson had 6 points and 6 assists and Jack Domeier had 6 points and 6 rebounds. The Freshman Team closes out its season on Saturday, February 23rd vs Elmwood Park. A win will give the Bulldogs the first undefeated basketball season in school history.
The B Team continued its excellent play on the defensive end and won 32-29. Richie Gentile led the team with 11 points and Justin Chaney scored 7 points. This was the B Teams 10th straight win.
Check out this great article from Comcast Sportsnet about the Riverside Brookfield Boys Basketball Program.
Click here to view the article about RB Basketball by Taylor Bell.
November 15, 2012
Liam Lesniak Commits to Ripon College!
The Riverside Brookfield Bulldog Basketball program would like congratulate senior forward Liam Lesniak on his commitment to play college basketball at Ripon College in Ripon, WI. Ripon is a NCAA Division III college that competes in the Midwest Conference. Congrats and good luck Liam! Liam is the second member of the RB class of 2013 to commit to play college basketball, with hopefully a few more commitments on the way.
Damonta Henry Signs to Play College Basketball With Division 2, University of Mary:
Congratulations to senior guard, Damonta Henry on his commitment and signing to play at the college level with Division 2, University of Mary in Bismark, North Dakota. Damonta accepted a full scholarship to play with the Marauders.
Click Here for the article on Damonta's commitment.
Varsity, Sophomores and Freshman A with Big Wins over Neighborhood Rival Lyons Township.
The Varsity Bulldogs came out very strong strong jumping out to a 26-12 first quarter lead and increased that lead to 49-30 at halftime. However the very talented Lions didn't go away quietly. They cut the lead to 16 going into the third quarter and continued to chip away throughout the 4th quarter cutting the Bulldog lead to 1 numerous times in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs made some key free throws and did just enough to hold on for the 77-74 victory. The win improves the Bulldogs to 4-2 overall. Will Kincanon led the Bulldogs with 28 points, including 5 three pointers. Jack VandeMerkt chipped in 21 points and 11 rebounds. Sam Johnson added 11 points and 8 rebounds, while sophomore guard Daniko Jackson added 7 points and 8 assists. The Dogs next game is December 17th at 7:00pm at Timothy Christian.
Click Here to Read the Chicago Sun Times online article about the game
The Sophomore Bulldogs and the Lions traded baskets early in the game and were tied 8-8 before the Bulldogs went on a 11-0 run to close out the quarter and took a 19-8 lead. The Dogs then built the lead to as many as 14 points in the second quarter before the Lions went on a run to close out the half and cut the Bulldog lead to 34-27. The second half was all Bulldogs, as the Dogs build a 22 point lead in the second half before finishing with the 60-41 victory. James Kaczmarczyk led the Bulldog with 23 points and 6 rebounds. Jalen Clanton had a solid overall game with 20 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 6 steals. The Dogs improve to 4-1 on the season and travel to Glenbard East High School on Wednesday, December 11th at 5:30pm.
Varsity and Sophomores Win Conference Opener vs. Fenton!
The Varsity Bulldogs came out strong and never looked bak defeating Fenton 85-34. The Dogs scored 34 points in the first quarter, highlighted by a Kevin Fitzgerald half-court shot at the buzzer. The Dogs showed great balance with four different players scoring double figures. Jack VandeMerkt led the Bulldogs with 17 points, while Mark Smith added 16 points and 7 rebounds. Kevin Fitzgerald scored 12 points and Paul Sitkiewicz added 11 points to round out the double figure scorers. The Bulldogs also had a season high 21 assists for the game. The Dogs are now 3-2 overall and 1-0 in the Metro Suburban Conference. The Dogs host Lyons Township on Saturday, December 7th at 6:00pm.
The Sophomore Bulldogs started out strong, taking a 13-6 lead after one quarter and a 32-11 lead at halftime. The Bison came out in the second half and played harder and with more energy than the Bulldogs, cutting the lead to 11 before the Bulldogs closed out the game with a 51-36 victory. The Dogs improve to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the Metro Suburban Conference. James Kaczmarczyk led the Bulldogs with 21 points. Sam Falk contributed 10 rebounds. The Dogs host Lyons Township at 4:30 on Saturday, December 7th in a non-conference battle.
Freshman A Team Beats Fenwick to win VandeMerkt Thanksgiving Classic!!!
The Freshman A Team overcame a 16 point halftime deficit to beat Fenwick 45-40 to win the title. A slow start on offense and foul trouble on defense allowed Fenwick to take a 29-13 lead at the half. In the third quarter the Bulldogs pressure defense turned the game around. Fenwick only scored two points in the third quarter and the lead was cut to 31-30. Henry Trelenberg led the team with 20 points and 3 steals. Jalen Brooks added 7 points and 5 rebounds. Caleb Lucas led the team with 8 rebounds.
Varsity Lose Tough Game To Very Talented Oak Park! Sophomores Gut Out Win vs. Oak Park!
The Riverside Brookfield Varsity Bulldogs battled all game long against highly ranked Oak Park River Forest Oak Park had two runs (8-0 and 6-0) in the first half that were essentially the difference in the game. Oak Park led 24-12 at the end of the first quarter and 45-31 at halftime. The Bulldogs outscored the Huskies in the third and trailed by 11 going into the fourth quarter. The Dogs battled but could never get within 9 points in the fourth, before falling 84-71. The Dogs couldn't contain tournament MVP, Erick Locke, who finished with 31 points for the Huskies. Will Kincanon led the Bulldogs with 27 points. Jack VandeMerkt added 15 points and 7 rebounds. Paul Sitkiewicz chipped in 11 points and 7 rebounds, while Daniko Jackson contributed 10 points, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds. The Bulldogs head into Metro Suburban Conference play with a 2-2 record and travel to Fenton on Friday, December 6th.
The Sophomore Bulldogs won a hard fought game vs. Oak Park-River Forest. The Bulldogs battled foul trouble throughout the game and got contributions from a number of players. The Dogs led 23-14 after one quarter and 33-31 at halftime. The Dogs led 44-41 after three quarters. Early in the fourth quarter, back to back three pointers by Richie Gentile and Jalen Clanton opened up a 9 point lead for the Bulldogs and gave them some breathing room. The Dogs built the lead to 13 points in the fourth quarter before holding on for the 65-57 victory against the Huskies. Jalen Clanton led the Bulldogs with 24 points and 9 assists. Sam Falk chipped in 11 points. James Kaczmarczyk added 8 points for the Dogs. Jack Domeier added 10 rebounds, while Ryan Swift contributed 7 rebounds and took 3 charges in the game. The Bulldogs improve to 2-1 and travel to Fenton on Friday, December 6th at 5:30pm.
Varsity With Great Comeback Win! Sophomores Blow Out Lane Tech!
The Riverside Brookfield Varsity Bulldogs led 35-31 at halftime. However, Brother Rice came out and controlled much of the second half, leading by 3 after three quarters and led the Bulldogs 62-52 with a little more than 3 minutes to go. The Bulldogs quickly gained momentum after forcing Brother Rice into a few turnovers and missed shots, while making some clutch shots and free throws on the offensive end. Will Kincanon hit a huge three pointer, giving the Bulldogs a 65-64 lead with a little less than 2 minutes to play. The Bulldogs held on after key free throws by Kevin Fitzgerald, Will Kincanon, and Sam Johnson. Jack VandeMerkt came up with a huge steal. The Dogs were led by Kincanon's 23 points and 7 rebounds. VandeMerkt added 20 points. Sam Johnson and Daniko Jackson added 9 points each. The Bulldogs improve to 2-1 and take on a very talented Oak Park River Forest team in the championship game of the Bill VandeMerkt Thanksgiving Classic at 5:30pm on Saturday, November 30.
The Sophomore Bulldogs rebounded from their loss vs. Brother Rice with a very impressive 60-22 victory over Lane Tech. The Dogs led 20-8 after one quarter, 37-16 at halftime and held the Indians to 6 total points in the second half. The Bulldogs were led by James Kaczmarcyk's 18 points. Freshman, Jalen Clanton added 12 points and Jack Domeier had 9 points in the win. The Dogs improve to 1-1 on the season and take on Oak Park River Forest at 4:00pm on Saturday, November 30th.
Varsity Beats Talented Kenwood Team! Sophomores Drop Season Opener!:
The Riverside Brookfield Varsity started out slow vs. the Kenwood Broncos, trailing at one point 20-12. However, the Dogs kept fighting and trailed 41-38 at halftime. The Dogs and Broncos played even in the third quarter with RB trailing 59-56. The Bulldogs controlled most of the 4th quarter behind hot shooting from Will Kincanon, Jack VandeMerkt, and Daniko Jackson, leading by as many as 8 points. The Bulldogs finished with a hard fought 80-76 victory. Jack VandeMerkt led the Bulldogs with 24 points and 8 rebounds. Will Kincanon added 23 points and 5 assists. Sam Johnson had 16 points (14 in the first half), 6 assists, and 5 rebounds. Sophomore Daniko Jackson added 8 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. The Dogs improve to 1-1 on the season and take on a talented Brother Rice team at 6:00pm on Friday, November 29th.
The Sophomore Bulldogs started out quick behind the hot shooting of Freshman, Jalen Clanton, and held a 15-8 lead vs.Brother Rice. However, the Crusaders responded to the Bulldog run and took a 30-25 lead into halftime. Most of the third and early 4th quarter was very even. The Crusaders responded well to everything the Bulldogs threw at them and pulled away at the end for the 57-40 victory. Jalen Clanton led the Bulldogs with 20 points. The Bulldogs will look to rebound on Friday, November 29th at 4:30pm vs. Lane Tech.
Rich Central Tops Varsity 80-68 In Season Opener:
The Riverside Brookfield Bulldogs came out with a lot of energy early, however Rich Central finished the game strong, defeated the Bulldogs 80-68. The Bulldogs had too many costly turnovers in the second half that led to easy Rich Central baskets. 6'6 junior, Sam Johnson led the Bulldogs with 27 points and added 7 rebounds. 6'7 senior, Jack VandeMerkt had 24 points and 12 rebounds. The Bulldogs look to regroup against a very talented Kenwood team tonight (11/27/13) at 7:00pm.
Bill VandeMerkt Thanksgiving Classic Begins This Week:
The Bill VandeMerkt Thanksgiving Classic kicks off this week at RB for the Freshman, Sophomore, and Varsity levels. Please see the link on the left for full schedule.
Sophomore and Varsity Summer League Information:
Thanks to all the teams, players and coaches that participated in the 2013 Riverside Brookfield Sophomore and Varsity Summer Leagues. Congratulations to St. Rita, who defeated Riverside Brookfield in the Sophomore Summer League championship game. Also, congratulations to Coach Gene Heidkamp and Benet Academy for winning the Varsity Summer League Championship!
Numerous Post Season Awards For Bulldog Basketball Players!
Congratulations Miki Ljuboja for being named to the 4th Team Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-State Team. Damonta Henry followed up a junior campaign where he was named 4th team all state and as a senior was named Special Mention Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-State. In addition Miki Ljuboja was named Suburban Life Newspapers All-Area Player of the Year. Miki is third straight Bulldog (Ryan Jackson in 2011 and Damonta Henry in 2012) to earn the honor and 4th (Chris Parrish 2008) in Coach McCloskey's 12 years at the helm. Damonta Henry earned All-Area status in the Suburban Life, while Liam Lesniak, Eric Loury, and Jack VandeMerkt were named All-Area Honorable Mention in the Suburban Life. Miki Ljuboja also earned the respect of all the coaches in the conference, by being named Metro Suburban Conference Player of The Year! Damonta Henry and Liam Lesniak were also named to the all-conference team, while Miki Ljuboja earned All-Area honorable mention from the Chicago Sun Times. In addtion to the post season awards, Miki Ljubjoja was invited to play in the Southside vs. Westide All-Star game at University of Chicago in May and to the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-Star game at Illinois Wesleyan Univeristy June 29. Congratulations Bulldogs!
Class of 2010 Bulldog, Sean McGonagill Named 1st Team Ivy League All-Conference for Brown University
Congratulations to Sean McGonagill, Class of 2010 for being named to the 1st Team Ivy League All-Conference Team. Sean has had a stellar career at Brown that has seen him go from Freshman of the Year in the Ivy League in 2010-11 to All-Conference 2nd team last year, to First Team All-Conference this season. Sean finished 4th in the conference in scoring and 4th in assists. He currently is 3rd in Brown history in assists and has scored over 1,100 career points. Sean also led Brown by playing 37.5 minutes per game. He also helped his team to a 13-15 overall record and 7-7 in the league. The best record Brown has had in his 3 years running the point for the Bears. You can click here to view the article from the Brown website regarding Sean's accomplishment.
Bulldog Alum Ryan Jackson Named 1st Team GLVC All Conference For Lewis University!
Congratulations to Ryan Jackson, Class of 2011 for being named to the First Team All-Great Lakes Valley Conference For Lewis University. Ryan is following up a very successful freshman year, that saw him named GLVC Freshman of the Year, with an even better sophomore season. Ryan is currently leading the Flyers in scoring with 16.4 points per game and is averaging 4.2 rebounds per game, while also shooting 82.9% from the free throw line and 36.5% from three point range. Ryan has also led the Flyers to a very successful season, currently they are 19-8 and competing in the second round of the GLVC tournament and hoping for a NCAA tournament invitation.
Click here for the article regarding Ryan's honor.
Varsity Bulldogs Lose In State Tournament To Conant
The Varsity Bulldogs battled with Conant in a game that went back and forth throughout, in the regional at Hoffman Estates High School. There many lead changes throughout the game. The game was tied 27-27 at the half. Conant went on a small run in the third quarter and took a 46-40 lead at the end of the third. However, the Bulldogs responded with a 8-0 run and took a 48-46 lead. A couple more lead changes took place throughout the 4th quarter, but Conant was able to close out the game with the 67-61 victory. The Dogs were led by Eric Loury's 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 steals. Liam Lesniak added 13 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals. While, Damonta Henry finished with 11 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. Will Kincanon added 9 points and 5 rebounds. The loss was a disappointing way to end the Bulldogs 5th consecutive 20 win season. The Dogs finished 21-7. It also marks the end of great careers of the 9 seniors. Hunter Claire, David Aldape, Jack Hansa, Tyler Campbell, Jack Gibson, Eric Loury, Liam Lesniak, Miki Ljuboja, and Damonta Henry all put in many hours of hard work to help our program be successful and the coaching staff is very appreciative of all their contributions! Also a big congratulations goes out to Miki Ljuboja, Damonta Henry, and Liam Lesniak for being named to the All-Conference team for the Metro Suburban Conference. Miki Ljuboja also received an extra special honor by being named Conference Player of the Year! Congratulations to everyone on another successful season.
PERFECTION!!!! Freshman End Season 24-0. First Undefeated Team in School History. B Team Doesn't Lose in Conference.
The Freshman A Team impressively capped off their undefeated season with a 46-16 victory over Elmwood Park. The Dogs were dominate on the defensive end by forcing 39 Turnovers and getting 29 steals. Sam Falk led the Dogs with 10 points. Daniko Jackson had a nice all-around game with 9 points, 4 assists, and 5 steals. Butch Witken scored 8 points and had 10 rebounds. Jack Domeier and James Kaczmarczyk each had 6 points. Domeier also had 8 rebounds. The A Team finished the season 24-0 and 12-0 in the Metro Suburban Conference.
The B Team continued their great improvement by easily defeating Elmwood Park 60-25. They ended the game on a 41-8 run. Richie Gentile led the team in scoring with 17 points with 5 three-pointers. Alex Martinson scored 11 points and Maclean Nolan scored 10. They finished the season with a record of 17-7 and 12-0 in conference play.
Varsity Bulldogs Win On Senior Night! Sophomores Finish on 13 Game Winning Streak!
The Varsity Bulldogs jumped out to a quick 19-3 lead in the first quarter, highlighted by a bunch of blocked shots, steals and dunks by Eric Loury and Jack VandeMerkt. However, Elmwood Park continued to fight and cut the Bulldog lead to 28-21 at halftime. Coach McCloskey was able to clear the bench and play all of the seniors extensive minutes on Senior Night. 11 different players scored for the Bulldogs, led by Damonta Henry's 19 points. Miki Ljuboja chipped in 11 points and 8 rebounds. The win also clinches the conference championship outright for the Bulldogs, which is the varsity's 12th in a row. The Bulldogs improve to 21-6 overall and finished 11-1 in the Metro Suburban Conference. Up next is the regional game against Conant at 7:30pm on Wednesday, February 27th at Hoffman Estates High School.
The Sophomore Bulldogs finished the season winning their 13th consecutive game and haven't lost a game in January or February since January of 2010. The Bulldogs finished tied for the third most wins (21) in school history on the sophomore level. The Bulldogs jumped out to a 15-3 first quarter lead and led 34-12 at halftime. The Bulldogs came out after halftime and held Elmwood Park scoreless for the third quarter, leading 51-12 after three, before finishing with a 54-27 victory. Mark Smith led the Bulldogs with 10 points and 9 rebounds, while David Franco finished with a season high 8 points. The Dogs finished the season 21-3 and a perfect 12-0 in the Metro Suburban Conference. The Sophomore Bulldogs have now won 39 consecutive conference games since January of 2010 and are 74-1 in Metro Suburban play over the past 6 years. In addition to that the Sophomore Bulldogs are a very impressive 129-15 overall during the past 6 years. The Bulldogs had many contributions throughout the year with 7 different leading scorers showing the Bulldogs balance. 6'5 Sophomore, Sam Johnson led the Bulldogs in scoring, averaging 12.5 points per game. 6'6 Freshman, Mark Smith averaging 11.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks per game. Ryan Hanley finished averaging 9.2 points per game, while 6'5 Sophomore Paul Sitkiewicz contributed 8.9 points per game and a team leading 6.9 rebounds per game. Kevin Fitzgerald added 7.4 points per game and led the team in assists. Congratulations to all the players on another very successful season!
Bulldogs Defeat St. Charles East On Every Level! Damonta Henry Scores 1000th Career Point!
The Varsity Bulldogs and Saints of St. Charles East played a very competitive game that went back and forth throughout with many lead changes. The scores was tied after one quarter and the Bulldogs trailed 30-29 at halftime. The Dogs and Saints were tied at 46 after three quarters. Damonta Henry and Miki Ljuboja made some key plays down the stretch and numerous Bulldogs knocked down some free throws to secure the victory. Damonta Henry led the Bulldogs with 23 points and 7 rebounds. He continued his very successful career by scoring his 1000th point and now has 1013 for his career. Miki Ljuboja had 11 points, while Will Kincanon added 10 points. St. Charles East was ranked as high as number 5 in the Sun Times earlier this season, so this is the third opponent the Bulldogs beat who were ranked at some point this year (Waubonsie Valley and Marshall were the other two). The win also marks the 5th straight season that Coach McCloskey's Varsity Bulldogs have won at least 20 games. The Bulldogs are now 20-6 overall and host Elmwood Park on Friday, February 22nd at 7:00pm for our annual "Senior Night", celebrating the careers of all of our seniors.
Click Here to Read the Story from the Game from Chicagohoops.com
The Sophomore Bulldogs jumped out to a quick 10-0 lead against a very good St. Charles East team. The Dogs led throughout the entire first half and took a 24-18 lead into halftime. The Bulldogs went on a run early in the third quarter to increase their lead up to 9 points again. However, St. Charles East continued to battle back and the Dogs led 33-27 at the end of the third quarter. With the Bulldogs up 36-30, St. Charles East went on a 6-0 run to tied the game at 36 midway through the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs made some big plays offensively and clamped down defensively to go on a 16-0 run to close out the game and win their 20th game for the 6th consecutive season with a 52-36 victory of the Saints. Paul Sitkiewicz had a huge game with 19 points and 9 rebounds. Mark Smith added 13 points and 9 rebounds, while Kevin Fitzgerald had a steady floor game with 9 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists. The win improves the Sophomore Bulldogs record to 20-3 and it is also their 12th straight victory this season. The Sophomore Bulldogs have now gone three straight seasons without losing a game in January or February. The Dogs play their final game of the season at home on Friday, February 22nd vs. Elmwood Park at 5:30pm.
The Freshman A Team won their most competitive game in 2 months and beat a very talented St.Charles East squad 48-44 to improve to 23-0 on the season. Behind some good defense the Dogs led 23-13 at the half. In the second half the Bulldogs struggled to get stops and let the Saints take a 42-39 lead with less than 3 minutes left in the game. This was the first time the Bulldogs trailed in the fourth quarter all year. James Kaczmarczyk hit a huge 3-pointer to tie the game and the Bulldogs clamped down defensively to finish the game with a huge win. Kaczmarczyk led the team with 16 points and 6 Rebounds. Mikey Berscheid scored 7 points and had 4 steals. Sam Falk had 7 points and 5 rebounds. Daniko Jackson had 6 points and 6 assists and Jack Domeier had 6 points and 6 rebounds. The Freshman Team closes out its season on Saturday, February 23rd vs Elmwood Park. A win will give the Bulldogs the first undefeated basketball season in school history.
The B Team continued its excellent play on the defensive end and won 32-29. Richie Gentile led the team with 11 points and Justin Chaney scored 7 points. This was the B Teams 10th straight win.
Check out this great article from Comcast Sportsnet about the Riverside Brookfield Boys Basketball Program.
Click here to view the article about RB Basketball by Taylor Bell.
November 15, 2012
Liam Lesniak Commits to Ripon College!
The Riverside Brookfield Bulldog Basketball program would like congratulate senior forward Liam Lesniak on his commitment to play college basketball at Ripon College in Ripon, WI. Ripon is a NCAA Division III college that competes in the Midwest Conference. Congrats and good luck Liam! Liam is the second member of the RB class of 2013 to commit to play college basketball, with hopefully a few more commitments on the way.
Damonta Henry Signs to Play College Basketball With Division 2, University of Mary:
Congratulations to senior guard, Damonta Henry on his commitment and signing to play at the college level with Division 2, University of Mary in Bismark, North Dakota. Damonta accepted a full scholarship to play with the Marauders.
Click Here for the article on Damonta's commitment.
