With one exception, it was perhaps difficult for opponents to figure out who was who on the Wheaton Academy boys basketball team.

Blessed with an abundance of 6-foot perimeter players who could hit the outside shot, the Warriors did well enough in the Private School League to share the title with Chicago Christian, their first piece of the PSL pie in four years.

Three of those starters are now in college. The fourth jump shooter, Ben Euler, returns after leading his team in virtually every offensive category including scoring (14.9), assists (4.2) and free-throw shooting (81.7 percent) and earning all-area and all-PSL honors.

“The nice thing about Ben is that he’s really versatile — he can knock down the outside shot and he can also put in on the floor and attack the basket really well,” said Wheaton Academy head coach Paul Ferguson. “But this year, with the development of our other guards, Ben won’t be forced to score as many points for us.”

Improved depth at guard is always good. But perhaps the bigger factor is the development of the team’s bigger post presence, literally, in 6-8 sophomore Tim Rusthoven, who’s added a couple of inches, a few pounds and a greater understanding of the game. He also led the team in the one category Euler didn’t, rebounding.

“Last year was Timmy’s year to get his feet wet — he was very self-assured and confident and jumped right into the flow of our system but ran into occasional foul trouble because he still needs to develop his physical strength,” Ferguson said. “But he really, really improved over the course of the year and has got Division I interest already. He’s very unselfish, passes well and if he keeps putting on muscle and size, he’s going to be something special.”

For that outside-inside tandem to be most effective, some of last season’s reserves have to be this season’s starters. Senior Paul Werkema, with his size (6-4) and agility, is at the top of that list, along with 6-3 senior Jared Cochrum.

“If he (Werkema) can really take that next step of having a big year — and he is capable of that — that will be huge for us,” Ferguson said. “They need to be our glue guys, guys who can get the loose balls and big rebounds, get out in transition and outrun the other team’s forwards.”

The other starting guard will likely be either junior Eric Albaugh — who earned a larger role towards the end of last season — or 6-3 senior Jason Roy, who has five inches on Albaugh.

With the IHSA’s new four-class system, Wheaton Academy will be in Class 3A for the playoffs and won’t have to open with a school like Wheaton Warrenville South, which owns nearly a 4-to-1 enrollment advantage over the Warriors and who beat them by 19 in the Class AA Glenbard East Regional last year.

However, the Tigers and Warriors tangle twice this year — Friday in the Warriors’ Thanksgiving tournament and again Jan. 12 in the Wheaton Shootout.

“We really would like to get off to a good start in our Thanksgiving tournament — the first time we’re hosting one,” Ferguson said of the event that also includes South Shore and Collins of the Chicago Public League and Streamwood.

Warriors at a glance
Conference Private School League
Home court Warrior Dome, 900 Prince Crossing Road, West Chicago
Last year’s record 12-14 (7-1)
Coach Paul Ferguson (2nd year)
Key games Wheaton Academy Thanksgiving Invite Nov. 19, 20, 23, 24; vs. Aurora Christian (at United Center) Dec. 11; at Walther Lutheran Jan. 11.

Q&A with Head Coach
Paul Ferguson
Q What sort of goals do have for this team?
A Our first goal is to do the best we can with the gifts God has given us. We obviously want to win games, but hopefully we’ll also be good stewards of our God-given gifts. We also believe we can go back-to-back and win the PSL. This year, it’s a big deal for us to be in 3A instead of 4A. We haven’t had success in the state tournament in the bigger class.
Q How big is it hosting a Thanksgiving tournament?
A Last year, we were up at Buffalo Grove and went 0-4 against teams like Stevenson (fourth in state in Class AA), then came back home and lost at the buzzer to Lisle to go 0-5 to start the season. After that, we played pretty well (12-9 the rest of the way). It always helps to play tough competition but it (the 0-5 start) shook our confidence a bit.