Will North make it three in a row?

A long schedule of hopes and challenges awaits each of the four Plainfield varsity boys basketball teams this season. The following is a preview of all four squads.

Last year was a breakout year for the Tigers who finished with a 26-5 (.839) record under first-year coach Nick DiForti.

Plainfield North won the Southwest Prairie conference title for the second consecutive year and won its regional before seeing its season come to an end at the hands of Neuqua Valley in sectional play.

DiForti and his Tigers will have their work cut out for them as they look to replace nearly 43 points per game from four starting seniors lost to graduation.

"Last season we were 26-5 and that record broke District 202's single season wins record," DiForti said. "Last year's team was a great team. Those kids worked together almost for three years and it showed when we played games against Waukegan, Schaumburg, Currie, East Aurora, and even Neuqua Valley.

"It was a great team to coach and they will be missed. This year, we have lost some size but gained some quickness and athleticism. We are led by Scott Vachon and Ben Daniel. We are a very defensive-orientated team that looks to continue the winning tradition the teams before had set, even though it is a young tradition."

Scott Vachon (6 feet 6 inches, 240 pounds) averaged 11.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.

"He is an all-area player that has a nice inside/out game," DiForti said. "Has put on about 10 pounds of muscle in the offseason bouncing back from a knee injury. Scott is currently receiving NAIA and DII looks for basketball."

Ben Daniel (5-10 combo guard) averaged 2.5 ppg.

"He had a fantastic summer coming off of shortened season last year," DiForti said. "He has the ability to get to the rim quickly. Ben is currently receiving DII and DIII looks for basketball."

"We look to score early or score late," DiForti said. "Anyone who played us in the past knows that we look to score off transition early or make a team guard us in the half-court setting until we get the very best shot. Defensively, we are mostly a man-to-man team. We show zone based on necessity."

As Plainfield North embarks on its mission to three-peat in conference, it will also play in the Lemont Thanksgiving Invite (Nov. 23 to Nov. 25, the Pontiac Holiday tournament (Dec. 28 to Dec. 30) and host its own holiday tournament (Dec. 16 to Dec. 19).

"As with every team, we want to win conference and for us it would be three-peat," DiForti said. "We would also like to win our holiday tournaments as well and compete with some of the best teams in the area and state.

"In the postseason, we look to play again for a regional title again. Our conference keeps getting better and better. We have some really nice players again this year. With the success of some of the teams last season, our conference is slowly receiving the respect that it deserves."

Plainfield East coach Braden Adkins leads his young Bengals team into their very first varsity basketball season.

Adkins is currently the school's assistant athletic director but was the varsity assistant boys basketball coach for Plainfield South from 2002 to 2007.

"This year I hope that we learn to compete as varsity players and as varsity team," Adkins said. "I have been reminding the team that this will be the toughest season that they will have as a competitor. Every game we will come in as the underdog. It is up to them how they want to face the adversity.

"As coaches we will teach them to face it head on and use every experience as an opportunity to improve. Our motto for this is to 'Respect The Journey'. I am very excited about this group and the opportunity to begin varsity boys basketball at Plainfield East."

Jaylen Thompson -- 6-2 junior -- G/F -- athletic.

Brian Bennett -- 6-9 sophomore -- C -- big player that takes up a lot of space. Has soft hands around the basket.

Dee Brown -- 6-0 sophomore -- PG -- quick with good handles and a decent jump shot.

Brad Goffinet -- 6-2 junior -- SG -- best overall shooter.

Juwon Straughter -- 5-11 sophomore -- PG -- very good defender.

Austin Robinson -- 6-2 sophomore -- G -- good shooter.

Robert Allen -- 6-1 sophomore -- G -- good shooter and can attack the rim or run the break very well.

"We are going to push the ball every chance we get either in a primary break or a secondary break," Adkins said. "We will also look to utilize our quickness by taking people off the dribble as well at time use our size inside."

The first varsity season for any school is a tough one. The Bengals will be tested early right out of the gate at the Lincoln-Way North Tournament (11/23 to 11/27). Plainfield East will also participate in the Pekin Holiday Tournament 12/28 to 12/30.

Their very first varsity home game will be against conference rival Plainfield Central on Dec. 1.

"Plainfield North, Plainfield Central, Oswego, Oswego East; any of these four could win (conference) in my opinion," Adkins said. "This is going to be a pretty good year and pretty even."

Steve Lamberti takes over the reigns as coach this season for Plainfield Central. Lamberti succeeds Josh Virostko who is now the coach for Lake Park High School.

Plainfield Central was 16-10 last season and finished third in the Southwest Prairie conference. Winning the Lemont Christmas Classic and being one of only five teams to defeat conference champion Plainfield North highlighted the Wildcats' season.

Lamberti has been on the Plainfield Central staff for the past five years and as an assistant varsity coach for three of those years.

He started his coaching career at St. Charles North High School and was at the school for three years.

"Last year we had some nice success," Lamberti said. "We will miss the inside presence of Jeff Allen, the outside threats of Dre Owens and Dontae King, and the toughness of Luis Baez..but we feel we are ready and willing to compete in every game and give us a chance to be very successful. "Working with Dave Stephens and Josh Virostko has put me in position to learn from great competitors and great coaches. I also benefit from knowing the current players as I've coached many of them now for three years."

Derek Marks, 6-3 jr. guard (8.0 ppg. 3.0 rpg), Winston Williams, 6-6 sr. forward (9.8 ppg. 6.7 rpg), Justin Scanlen, 6-7 jr. forward/center (4.5 ppg. 3.6 rpg), Teo Ervin, 6-1 sr. guard (3.4 ppg.), and Arthur Gage, 6-9 sr. center (2.3 ppg. 2.6 rpg).

"Offensively we want to rebound, run, get great ball movement, get to the rim, and then rebound," Lamberti said. "We really want to attack and force other teams into mismatches with our athleticism and size. Defensively, we really want to use our size and athleticism to keep people out of the middle, contest every single shot, and rebound."

"Our guys have been working very hard both on and off the court trying to put themselves in position to be as successful as possible," Lamberti said. "Our goals are to be a team that people don't want to play and a team that is tough to beat. We feel that if we play hard, play smart, and play together, we will put ourselves in position to win our fair share of games.

"The Southwest Prairie is very competitive this year with Oswego East, Oswego, and Plainfield North as the top teams. Minooka will be a sleeper. We want to put ourselves in position to have a chance to win conference for the first time in three seasons after winning four in a row (03, 04, 05, 06)."

Ken Bublitz starts his fifth year as coach at Plainfield South where he has amassed a 61-70 (.465) record. Plainfield South had a disappointing year last season and finished 10-16.

The Cougars were a very streaky team, winning consecutively only once, while having multiple consecutive game losing streaks.

"Last season we had difficulty with consistent play," Bublitz said. "We did not develop effect roles to compliment out talents. This year I feel we are improved, but I believe the rest of the league to be improved as well."

Ed Presniakovas, 6-1 so. guard (12.8 ppg., 3.3 rpg) and Christian Davis 6-2 sr. forward (8.6 ppg., 3.6 rpg).

"Offensively and defensively we primarily just press and run," Bublitz said. "We have potential, but we must mature quickly."

With a tough and competitive conference, Plainfield South will once again have their hands full. The Cougars will participate in the WJOL Tournament Nov. 23 to Nov. 27 and in the Lincoln-Way East Tournament Dec. 26 to Dec. 30.

"Our goals are always to compete for the top spot in the league," Bublitz said. I expect the conference to be a dogfight. The league is getting better every year and it has good players and great coaches."

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