Fresh off a Regional Championship, Varsity Boys basketball will take on Grayslake Central tonight in North Chicago at 7 p.m. Now in the sectional semifinals, the team is three wins away from going to State.

Head Coach Phil LaScala has one simple piece of advice for his team: ““Show up.”

The team is likely to follow up on the advice. They have culminated a 13-1 record in the NSC and 26-6 overall record this year.

“We have really great kids,” LaScala said. “They are really dedicated and put in the work.”

As the team prepares for the rest of the playoffs, LaScala is pushing the boys to be better every practice.

“LaScala as a coach is very detail oriented, and gets the most out of his players,” senior Louis Novelli said.

The coach organizes program-wide activities that provide leadership skills and mentoring opportunities for underclassmen. They also participate in several activities such as breakfasts, lunches, and even bowling.

“The basketball mentoring program is an important part of the whole basketball experience,” senior Sam Gibson said.

It contributes to the “overall success of the team,” LaScala said.

“I think it’s really important for those older kids to be in contact with the younger kids,” LaScala said.

“He really helps bring our team together,” Novelli said. “We are very fortunate to have him as our coach.”

This team has a difficult road ahead, LaScala said, but he remains optimistic. Some of the teams to beat include Notre Dame College Prep, St. Patrick High School and Deerfield High School.

LaScala emphasizes that he believes student support will help the team advance in the State tournament.

“It’s been so fun for our guys to have [students] there,” LaScala said.  According to LaScala , a player said that having a fan section like the Libertyville game makes a 6 point difference.

That fan support was echoed by Novelli.

“Having a student section is amazing,” he said. “It encourages the players to play harder and helps us win the game.”