By Mike Moore
Sports Correspondent
Having aced its chemistry test, the Catholic Central High School boys’ basketball team continues to heat up just fine without a Bunsen burner.
The Hilltoppers have risen to No. 3 among all Division 5 teams in the state, according to the latest WisSports.net coaches’ poll. At 6-1 in the difficult Metro Classic Conference, the team is also closing in on its first winning conference record since 2007-08.
Considering the roster is largely unchanged from last season, when Catholic Central finished with just three conference victories, Coach Eric Henderson attributes the turnaround to the players’ chemistry on and off the court.
“I’ve been very, very excited and impressed with the character of our kids, the unselfishness, and the general care,” he said. “Talent-wise, I knew we’d be OK. But, if you don’t have that team chemistry and that will to do it for each other, that can only go so far.”
Not only does the fifth-year coach see the players become more attuned to him and his expectations, but Henderson also noticed they’ve grown closer to one another. The nine Catholic Central teammates have been known to converge at one house for a sleepover, with the resulting NBA2K14 video game tournaments fueling days’ worth of good-natured razzing.
That bond has carried over onto the hardwood, Henderson said, and the evidence shows up in the results. Catholic Central stands 10-2 overall and trails only perennial power Whitefish Bay Dominican in the Metro Classic standings.
“Defensively, we’re very solid,” Henderson said. “We know what we are. Our kids do a great job of playing to their roles. It’s a fun year.”
With senior forward Teagan Miles using his 6-foot-7 frame to patrol the interior and junior guard Gavin Foote hounding opponents’ top perimeter shooters, Henderson said they form perhaps the strongest defensive tandem he has seen in his time at the school. Miles, who leads the team in rebounds and blocked shots, also earned praise from his coach as an “opportunistic scorer.”
“He’s one of those guys … you don’t know how valuable he is until he’s not there,” Henderson said.
On the offensive end, the Hilltoppers have benefited from a balanced attack. Three players hover around double-digit scoring averages: sophomore guard Ben Heiligenthal, senior guard Bailey Wright, and junior forward Spencer Wilker.
“We’re pretty hard to guard,” Henderson said. “If one guy’s having an off night, we can certainly go in other directions.”
After starting for most of his freshman year, Heiligenthal has taken the next step. He entered Tuesday night’s game leading the squad by a nose in scoring, at 12.6 points per game. The sophomore’s ability to elude bigger defenders and get to the basket, combined with a solid jump shot, equals the kind of versatility that Henderson welcomes.
Besides serving as another of the Hilltoppers’ main scoring threats, Wright mans the critical point guard spot. The coach marveled at his maturation over the past year.
“He really has grown up, taken responsibility and ownership for the way he plays,” Henderson said.
Add Wilker, a three-year starter whose scoring average has hardly dipped despite taking fewer shots this season, and the team has the nucleus in place for a successful run.
Catholic Central’s rise gives the Metro Classic three teams ranked in the top five of their respective divisions. Top-ranked Dominican and No. 3 St. Catherine’s both compete in Division 4. “We certainly believe we’re tested. We’re not going to see too many athletes like we see throughout the regular season,” he said. “But you still have to put the ball in the basket.”
Four of Hilltoppers’ next five games are on the road. That stretch begins Saturday against Racine Lutheran, the team that eliminated them in a WIAA regional final last February.
As Catholic Central looks to build up even more momentum, Henderson knows the remaining schedule will include a lot of hungry opponents looking up at his team in the standings.
“We know we’re going to get everybody’s best shot,” he said, “and we’re excited for that challenge.”
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