Wheaton Warrenville South Tigers

AT A GLANCE

Conference DuPage Valley
Home court Black & Orange Gym, 1920 S. Wiesbrook Road, Wheaton

2007-08 record 16-12 (7-7 DVC)

Coach Mike Healy

Top returners
Derek Babb              jr.    F
Pat Dansdill             sr.    F
Joe Furco                sr.    F
Rob Grabek             sr.    G
Mason Kienzle         sr.    F
Greg McAndrew       jr.    G
Ty Peterson             sr.    G
Dan Phillip               sr.    G
Mike Simoneau        sr.    G
Luke Smedinghoff    sr.    G

Promising newcomers
Dan Hohenstein    jr.    G
Riley O’Toole       so.    G

KEY GAMES
Dec. 12 at Wheaton North Emotions will be ramped up in Tigers’ second DVC game

Dec. 19 vs. Glenbard East Tigers can gauge progress against DVC contender

Dec. 26-30 at Jack Tosh tourney at York WWS a mainstay at one of oldest and toughest holiday tourneys

Jan. 10 vs. Naperville Central Redhawks’ stud Drew Crawford best player in DVC

WHAT TO WATCH
The departure of seven seniors to graduation, including explosive forwards Kendrick Perry and Byron Given, should turn the Tigers into a more guard-oriented team this season. However, South will look to a senior forward and third-year starter Babb for its cues.

“I think the kids look to Derek for leadership,” Healy said. “He’s been here and he’s been through it.”

But if opposing teams think the Tigers will be a one-man show, they will be in for a shock.

“I don’t think we’ll have to rely on him as much as people think,” Healy said.

What the Tigers will rely on is a slew of guards to put pressure on opposing defenses. South’s stable of guards should help all of them stay rested and healthy throughout the season as Healy plans to substitute more like a football or hockey team than a basketball team.

The guard-heavy roster will lead to a perimeter-oriented offense, and the rebounding of Babb, Furco and Kienzle (three of the prominent forwards) will be a key to the Tigers’ success.

“We’ll probably go with at least three guards, and maybe four with a post player,” Healy said.

That method ought to propose matchup problems for opposing defenses, but could hurt the Tigers against bigger teams.

COACH SPEAK
Mike Healy

What do you think the strength of this team is?
“We feel like we have a good group of perimeter kids, so we should be strong there. We’re pretty deep there, so I think we’ll shuffle a lot of guy on and off the floor. We have a lot of depth.”

What is one area where you’d like to see improvement?
“The key will be whether or not we rebound. We work on it and we stress it, but a lot of it has to do with work ethic. Maybe you have to play a little harder than the person you’re playing against. We’re going to be outsized sometimes, so we’re going to have to work for those rebounds.”