Storm basketball was a unifying force for Bureau Valley community

Editor’s note: This is a continuation in a series looking back on the 25-year history of Bureau Valley High School sports.

Three years.

Three teams.

Three third-place finishes at state.

It was never done before and it’s never been done since.

That is the legacy that the Bureau Valley boys basketball team created in its first decade in existence with the Storm placing third in the Class A State tournament in 2000, 2001 and 2002.

Unifying movement

The Storm basketball teams, along with the state football teams that followed that placed second in 2004 and first in 2005, not only put Bureau Valley sports on the map, but unified the consolidated district which was bringing four schools — Manlius, Walnut, Western and Walnut — and their loyalties into one.

“We had super support for the community. That was what was so intriguing to see how everyone really rallied round the coaches and players and the school,” Bickett said.

“I think that was significant in bringing our success as soon as it did. That buy-in from everyone.”

Bickett led Western and Western-Wyanet to for regional championship in six years prior to the consolidation and felt fortunate to land that head coach position at BV, a job he held from 1995-2010.

He believed the BV program could be something special, and it had a successful launch, winning regional championships in its first four years before starting its streak at state.

“Coaching in the Indian Valley Conference and knowing the talent level really in all sports, you just felt if we could get this mix of kids and parents all on the same page, something special could really happen here,” he said.

“That was kind of our message from the very beginning to be united and think about the team first. I think the kids really helped their parents establish that and I commend all our players that maybe they put some personal statistics aside.

“Our focus was on team success and I think that’s what really helped bring BV not only our sports programs, but the entire school together knowing it no longer about me, it’s about we.”

Dream come true

It also takes talent, and the Storm had plenty with the likes of Mike Behrens, Adam and Phill Endress, John Elliott, Reuben Slock and Justin Yepsen in 1999-2000.

“You’ve got to have some talent and we were a talented group of guys who really bought in what the coaching staff preached and it sure led to some early success to our basketball program,” Bickett said.

The Storm blew through the regional that first year at Somonauk, defeating Earlville 101-63 and Mendota 80-43. The first sectional title didn’t come near as easy with the Storm edging St. Bede 51-49 and Winnebago 60-59 in overtime at Mendota.

BV beat Aurora Christian 58-39 at the DeKalb Super-Sectional. On to state, the Storm opened with 69-65 win over Fairbury Prairie Central, but lost to a Teutopolis team, coached by the same coach that knocked off Bickett’s high school team, Ohio, in the 1986 state finals, in the semifinals, 60-42.

They won their last game, defeating Riverton 65-62 to hoist the third-place trophy for the first time, finishing 26-6.

“That first year, we were just kind of happy to be there. It’s every kids dream and our kids dreamt it. We were able to get there through kind of a growing trail that we had,” Bickett said.

The 2000-01 team had high expectations and didn’t disappoint. They beat Mendota 56-39 and Somonauk 57-29 for regionals, and HBR 78-40 and then Stillman Valley 59-48 in a finish that turned ugly for the sectional crown.

The Storm blitzed Huntley 60-43 in the super-sectional and bombed Macomb 65-51 in the state opener. Pana upended BV 66-59 in the state semifinals, but the Storm repeated its third-place showing with a 70-61 win over Westmont to finish 33-2.

“The second year maybe we felt like we should have got more out of it than a third place finish, but the tournament field was loaded,” Bickett said. “We didn’t maybe play our absolute best at that time. (But) you wouldn’t trade that experience for anything.”

Slock, the Storm’s All-Stater who now lives in the Dayton, Ohio, said there so many great memories from his two state appearances.

“One that always sticks out is how it brought the community/area together,” he said. “Oh man, looking back and knowing now how much hard work was put in to do what we were able to accomplish, is special, along with some luck in there.”

Third-place trifecta

The Storm edged Yorkville 48-47 in the super-sectional and opened state with an impressive 60-53 win over Providence St. Mel. They met its match in the semifinals, falling to Pleasant Plains 65-36. As they did twice before, the Storm rebounded to complete its third-place trifecta, defeating Tolono Unity 64-55, and finish 31-4.

“That third year, just a group of guys that were tremendous competitors. We maybe weren’t as talented as the previous teams, but man what a group of guys that would fight and just refused to lose,” Bickett said.

“To get there for the third consecutive year was really an awesome feeling.

Coming full circle

Jason Marquis played Storm basketball, graduating in 2004. He’s been head coach the past nine years and takes great pride in keeping up the Storm tradition. He has everything down right down to the famous foot stomp of his old coach, Bickett.

“i just think Bick (coach Bickett) and (Bret) Helms and all those guys provided us with an enjoyable experience. I felt like I wanted kids now to have that privilege and the experience we had that taught us about basketball, but a lot more about life, what it looked like to be a good teammate and forge a lot of friendships.

Marquis said all BV basketball players who have come through would have the same definition of what it means to be a Storm.

“I think we’re up to just over 200 Storm alumni, I think if you polled them, I think one word they would say is hard work and passionate would be another. ... I’d like to think when our kids get done being with the program for four years, they’ve learned more than just how to play basketball, they’ve learned some lessons that are easily applied to life.”

Storm facts

* 1st win - Dec. 5, 1995, 65-63 over Hall

* 1st game with Princeton - David Stutzman hits 3-pointer with 0:01 for 54-51 BV win at Bollman Fieldhouse

* Last game at Bollman Fieldhouse, Feb. 21, 1998 - beat Aledo 79-60

• 1st regional championship, Feb. 1996 - beat Stark County 74-53

* Won 11 regional championships

* Made three State Tournament appearance (all thirds)

* All-time leading scorer - Parker Neuhalfen (2,208)

* All-time record - 442-302