York's Unlikely Success Continues with Thrilling Win Over Libertyville
The physical presence of York's basketball team has been a dominant factor in their surprising success this season. With three towering big men - Hunter Stepanich, Georgetown Costa Kampas, and Jackson Rennick - the Dukes pack the paint, allowing them to rebound effectively and limit opponents' scoring opportunities.
York's defense is often credited as the team's trademark, with its players pressuring the ball and forcing turnovers. The trio of Stepanich, Kampas, and Rennick provides a formidable presence in the paint, making it difficult for opponents to score. "Our defense makes people uncomfortable, and we capitalize on that," Stepanich explained.
In their latest win over Libertyville, York showcased its physicality once again, holding off the Wildcats 47-41. Junior Joseph Ubbe led the Dukes with 17 points and seven rebounds, while Stepanich added 12 points and a dominant performance against Libertyville's 6-9 Bryce Wegrzyn.
Wegrzyn, a Winona State recruit, struggled with his eye after getting hurt in the second half, finishing with only 10 points. The Dukes' defense adjusted their strategy to neutralize Wegrzyn's presence, ultimately securing the win.
York's coaching staff has been surprised by the team's success, but senior leaders had envisioned this outcome from the beginning. "This was our opportunity to step up and lead as a senior class," Stepanich said. "And our coaches put us in a great position to make it happen."
The Dukes' win over Libertyville is just one of their many victories this season. With ten consecutive wins before losing to Lyons, York has proven itself to be a formidable opponent in the league. Their only losses were against quality teams like Batavia, Fremd, and Hersey.
York's senior leaders have been praised for their teamwork and dedication, with Kampas expressing his gratitude for playing alongside friends he's known since childhood. "This is awesome, playing with some friends I've known since I was 5 years old and having this success," Kampas said.
Head coach Mike Dunn credited the team's physicality and coaching for their success. "Our kids play extremely hard and obviously we have some big boys and we try to utilize them."
The physical presence of York's basketball team has been a dominant factor in their surprising success this season. With three towering big men - Hunter Stepanich, Georgetown Costa Kampas, and Jackson Rennick - the Dukes pack the paint, allowing them to rebound effectively and limit opponents' scoring opportunities.
York's defense is often credited as the team's trademark, with its players pressuring the ball and forcing turnovers. The trio of Stepanich, Kampas, and Rennick provides a formidable presence in the paint, making it difficult for opponents to score. "Our defense makes people uncomfortable, and we capitalize on that," Stepanich explained.
In their latest win over Libertyville, York showcased its physicality once again, holding off the Wildcats 47-41. Junior Joseph Ubbe led the Dukes with 17 points and seven rebounds, while Stepanich added 12 points and a dominant performance against Libertyville's 6-9 Bryce Wegrzyn.
Wegrzyn, a Winona State recruit, struggled with his eye after getting hurt in the second half, finishing with only 10 points. The Dukes' defense adjusted their strategy to neutralize Wegrzyn's presence, ultimately securing the win.
York's coaching staff has been surprised by the team's success, but senior leaders had envisioned this outcome from the beginning. "This was our opportunity to step up and lead as a senior class," Stepanich said. "And our coaches put us in a great position to make it happen."
The Dukes' win over Libertyville is just one of their many victories this season. With ten consecutive wins before losing to Lyons, York has proven itself to be a formidable opponent in the league. Their only losses were against quality teams like Batavia, Fremd, and Hersey.
York's senior leaders have been praised for their teamwork and dedication, with Kampas expressing his gratitude for playing alongside friends he's known since childhood. "This is awesome, playing with some friends I've known since I was 5 years old and having this success," Kampas said.
Head coach Mike Dunn credited the team's physicality and coaching for their success. "Our kids play extremely hard and obviously we have some big boys and we try to utilize them."
but is it just the presence of those 3 big men that's making them so dominant or is there something more to it? 
their defense sounds pretty cool, but can they keep up this pace throughout the season? and btw, 10 consecutive wins? that sounds like a recipe for burnout 
they're like the ultimate underdogs but their defense is literally on point 
the way Stepanich and Kampas dominate in the paint is insane 
and it's not just about them, the whole team is working together like a well-oiled machine 
it's so cool to see the team's senior leaders step up and lead as a class 
kampas saying he's grateful to play with his childhood friends is like the sweetest thing ever 
they got three huge dudes in the paint who can just shut down opponents, it's crazy! and joseph ubbe is on fire 
17 points and 7 rebounds? that's sick! i think it's awesome that they're playing together as friends too, kampas was just saying how he's been buddies with his teammates since childhood 
it's all about the team effort and everyone buying in to the coach's strategy 
. On the other hand, I love how Stepanich mentioned that they "capitalize on" the pressure they put on opponents... sounds like they're super confident, which is awesome? 
But at the same time, it feels like they're kinda relying too much on their physicality to win games... shouldn't they be working on developing some fancy ball-handling skills or something? 
. These kids are really something special!
. It's no wonder they're 10-0 before losing to Lyons... something fishy is going on there.
.
. There's gotta be more to this story than meets the eye. Maybe York has some secret plan or something? 
. It's not always easy to navigate these high school years, especially when you're facing off against top-notch teams like Libertyville. But York has proven they can hang with anyone. And I've gotta say, it's pretty cool that Kampas has been playing with friends since childhood - family is everything, and it sounds like he's got a great group of guys to share in his success 
.
.
. I'm surprised York didn't lose more games with that lineup, but I guess the coaches knew what they were doing.
.
! The coaching staff must be doin' somethin' right, 'cause the team's gettin' it done. These senior leaders are showin' their class and dedication 
. York's got that momentum goin', and I'm lovin' every minute of it 
. Bring on the next game! 
york's defense is straight fire 
️
And can we talk about those big 3? Stepanich, Kampas, and Rennick are literally unstoppable when they're in the paint together 