YORKVILLE – Shortly after Providence had won its 10th consecutive game, claiming the Class 4A Yorkville Regional championship with a 58-42 victory over Oswego, Providence seniors Miles Boykin and Troy Howat provided insight into what makes the Chicago Catholic League Tournament champion Celtics tick.

Boykin, fresh off helping lead the Providence football team to the Class 7A state football championship on Thanksgiving weekend, did not join the basketball team until Jan. 6. University of Iowa-bound state champion tight end Nate Vejvoda also joined the Celtic basketball team about the same time.

Boykin dislocated a finger in the Celtics’ 34-3 second-round romp over St. Rita on Nov. 7. The injury caused the University of Notre Dame-bound All-America wide receiver to miss the Celtics’ 23-6 quarterfinal win over Wheaton Warrenville South. Playing hurt, he helped the Celtics past Mount Carmel in the semis and to the Class 7A crown with a thrilling victory over Cary-Grove.

“It was really rough for me coming back from the broken finger,” Boykin said. “It took a while to get my jump shot back, especially not having a very good one to begin with. To rebound effectively, I had to get my legs in basketball shape. It takes awhile to be able to do that.”

With Boykin and Vejvoda in street clothes, Providence struggled through a 1-3 start in the Catholic League and were 4-5 overall. Behind the leadership of Howat, fellow football state champion Jake Rost and seniors Tyler Pygon and Jack Brody, the Celtics won three games at the Jack Tosh Holiday Classic at York to close out 2014 with a 7-6 record.

After a 49-31 loss to DePaul Prep on Dec. 29, upbeat Celtics coach Tim Trendel said, “We play very hard, and this week we are starting to put it together. On Jan. 6, we get back Miles and Nate. I have been saying this all along – we will be playing our best ball in March.”

“I was very pleased with the way were playing without Miles and Nate, “ Howat said. “I knew when we got them back, we would be a very good team.”

In fact, with Boykin and Vejvoda back, the Celtics are 14-3 and winners of 10 in a row and 13 of 14. The highlight of the season thus far came Feb. 13-21 in the Catholic League Tournament. The Celtics opened by crushing Loyola, 66-43. They stunned No. 2-ranked St. Rita, 51-49, on Feb. 15; beat No. 14 Hales Franciscan, 82-65, in the semifinals; and defeated St. Joseph, 53-42, to bring the school’s first CCL championship back to New Lenox.

“We knew with Miles playing so well and the rest of us playing so well together, we were going to take off. It was just a matter of time,” Howat said.

Howat is the son of the legendary Rick Howat. The elder Howat led the state in scoring at Downers Grove North with a 32.7 average in 1967. Howat went on to star at the University of Illinois, where he scored 900 points in his Fighting Illini career and was Illinois’ MVP, averaging 20.7 points in 1971. Howat was a ninth-round selection of the Milwaukee Bucks and coached for many years at Addison Trail.

“My dad was a major influence in my life,” Troy Howat said. “I am so grateful to him for making me the player and the person I am today. To have someone who is so knowledgeable to guide me has been a real blessing for me.”

Boykin added, “For the record, Troy would beat his dad at one-on-one. I would love to play basketball for Coach Brey at Notre Dame. I don’t think I am good enough, but I will be playing intramurals in South Bend next year.”

Up next for the Celtics is the Bolingbrook Sectional semifinal versus 26-4 Neuqua Valley. The top-seeded Wildcats won the Upstate Eight Conference Valley Division and advanced with a 41-33 Joliet West Regional championship win over Minooka on Friday night.

“Bring them on,” Howat said. “We are not done. With the way we are playing, we want to win it all.

“It’s exciting to be playing an outstanding team like Neuqua Valley, but we feel we can win the sectional and go all the way.”

After having won the Class 4A state baseball championship in June and then taking home the Class 7A state football championship in November, their confidence is understandable.