The beginning of the 2022-2023 basketball season is days away. 

The varsity boy’s basketball team is looking to bounce back from the long playoff run to the Sectional Championship that ended with a loss against St. Patrick last March. After a very successful and dominant season, the Scouts are determined to show the rest of the state who they really are.

The Scouts this year will be led by Clemson commit senior and captain Asa Thomas, who is coming off a very hot 2022 season after earning IBCA 3A All State and North Suburban Conference player of the year. 

Thomas plays a vital role in the offense with his seemingly automatic shot from behind the arc. Thomas’ will need to be the quarterback of the offense for the Scouts to reach the full potential that they are capable of. 

Junior Tommie Aberle and senior Anthony Mordini are both strong impact players and returning starters from last year’s roster. Aberle and Mordini are not afraid to get their hands dirty in the paint; their scrappiness and gritty play were necessary for the team’s accomplishments last year.

The offseason practices and workouts were crucial for the team to develop and build their “team chemistry” said Aberle. This will be essential for the Scouts as Aberle says the “defense and communication” will be a focal point for their success.

“This off-season has been great for a bunch of guys and I know everyone is bought in. We have been working towards where we want to get,” said Thomas.

The close game in the Sectional Championship has had a lasting effect on the team this offseason. As the primary motivation for the players not wanting to repeat the past, it has formed a new mindset for the Scouts as they enter the upcoming season.

“We’ve been coming with a different mentality this off-season than we did last year,” said Mordini. “Especially after a heartbreaking loss in the sectional championship, our guys are hungry as ever and bringing the intensity to every practice and training.”

Developing a stronger bond within the team has led the Scouts in the right direction for the ultimate goal of winning the State Championship.

“Being together on and off the court has allowed us to have become closer as a team,” said Aberle. 

After losing star players Sam Gibson and Alex Forowycz, Aberle and Thomas said “Sophomores and Juniors will need to step up to fill those roles.” 

However, it is not just the skill that the team will need to fill Mordini said but also the “leadership roles” that players will need to replace. Luckily there is plenty of experience returning to the team this year and will help guide the new players. 

In three weeks the Scouts will open up their season in the annual Thanksgiving Tournament, which is hosted by New Trier High School and Loyola Academy. The Scouts were nearly victorious last year falling to the Trevians in the Championship and are set on coming out on top this year. 

The tournament will be a good season preview for the Scouts as they will match up against Taft, Bulls Prep, and St. Ignatius-ll which are solid teams from recent years. 

A win in the tournament will not only start the Scouts on the right foot but will also be a statement to every other team in the state.