Transfiguration School
hosted it's Inaugural 8th Grade Boys Basketball Tournament Nov 5 - Nov 10th
and invited some of the top Catholic School programs in Lake, McHenry and
Northern Cook Counties to participate. Transfig AD, Ken Mattini set out to
make this most the competitive tournament he could and invited the top teams
from four different conferences. From a fan's perspective the tournament did
not disappoint; 32 games were played and some of them could have been ESPN
instant classics!
It only seemed appropriate that the two top teams from the FVCC (Fox Valley
Catholic Conference) would meet in the finals. Long time rivals, St. Mary's
Fremont Center, Mundelein and Transfiguration, Wauconda each had to win
three games to get there, and the Championship Game came down to the final
possession as so many other games had earlier in the week. Transfiguration
held on to win 43-41 in front of packed house to keep the first Championship
Trophy from leaving Wauconda.
"It boiled down to the two best players in the tournament leading their
teams to the championship game," said Mattini. "Robert Knar of St. Mary's,
and Matthew Mooney of Transfiguration both averaged over 30 points a game
and their teammates stepped up big all week. Nick Pullano of St. Mary's and
Josh Walinski of Transfig shot the ball very well from the perimeter, and
Transfiguration's Eric Fuller turned in a huge performance in the middle
during the Championship game."