Boys Basketball Honors CSL Champions

Twenty years ago the CSL championship took place, and the Niles West Wolves basketball team took home the trophy that we now look back on in respect. The Wolves’ current basketball team honored the team for their anniversary by bringing home a win against Maine South this past Friday, Jan. 27. It was a close and very intense game with a final score of 50-45.

The boys on the current team were definitely hyped up for the game. This was a very important game of the season, it determined their ranking for playoffs in sectionals and they had former Wolves watching them.

“I definitely think the anniversary celebration gave our team extra energy. The team knew that the former players would be watching and they wanted to have a good showing,” head coach Mike Wasielewski said.

Also in the crowd was professional basketball player and Niles West graduate Jewel Loyd. The Niles West Lit Center tutors’ made an appearance as well, bringing posters and Pom Poms for the game. The Lit Center also used their magical spirit fingers every time a West player was sent to the free-throw line so they would score the point. The boys had a lot of support on this game the bleachers being packed just for them.

Former assistant coach Eric Lueder was just very excited for his old team to come and visit. They were a good group of guys to him and he still kept in touch even after twenty years. The men on that team are still close and still try to at least keep in touch. The bond they shared as a team was strong, they were teammates, and friends and treated one another like family.

“It was great they were a great group of guys, their bond was strong they worked hard and showed up together, they hung out together outside of practice,” Leuder said.

Graduate Sead Odzic thinks that their secret to being so successful was also their bond to one another and being very talented players on top of that.

“I think a lot of team chem really so we were always together so we really had each other’s backs, I think if you hang out off the court its gonna show and we were also talented so both those things,” Odzic said.

Coming back to West after 20 years memories flood the former player’s mind. Some even joked how doing this interview was just like an interview after a good game. One of their fondest memories was the championship game, and the feeling after winning.

“It was amazing obviously because everybody stormed the court and a huge celebration on our own gym floor, so it was a lot of hugging a lot of excitement there were tears it was special it was a special time I would never forget,” Lueder said.

They changed the atmosphere of the school after winning the CSL championships  20 years ago.

“There was just an excitement in this building and in this community that I have never seen since I think that was the most exciting part, like what we did how many lives were affected by these 12 or 13 guys who just did something special here,” Lueder said.

Twenty years later the Niles West Basketball is making a comeback, securing a 15-10 record this season. This is a very important goal for the boys, they want to become the first team in a decade to have a winning record according to Wasielewski.

Cheer on the boys at their next home game against Addison Trail on Feb. 7.