Name: Gabe Sanders

School: Yorkville, senior

Sport: Basketball

Why he was selected: Sanders scored 18 points and had nine rebounds as Yorkville beat Downers Grove South for the program’s first regional title in 21 years.

He was selected the Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Other nominees were Oswego Co-op swimming’s Owen Lippoldt.

Here is Sanders’ interview with Sports Editor Joshua Welge.

I asked you after the game but I’ll ask it again - what’s it mean to win the school’s first regional in 21 years? When were you made aware of it?

Sanders: It is a huge, special accomplishment not just to me but to the senior group as well. We knew it had been 21 years before the season started, and it was one of our goals to bring a regional chip home and we did it.

I kind of felt this team was capable of something like this. How do you feel?

Sanders: I agree our team has a lot of talent and potential and we showed what we are capable of. It’s a surreal feeling to know we won a regional.

After the injuries and illnesses and losses - what was the turning point of the season?

Sanders: After the York tournament, we had gotten everyone back and we had many great practices to maximize our potential, and it went up from there.

You obviously play baseball too. How do you balance the two and what do you uniquely like about basketball?

Sanders: It’s very difficult to balance both sports, but I am training everyday no matter what. Basketball is up tempo, nervous feeling is what I like about basketball, it makes it interesting because the outcome is never 100%.

Do you know your plans after high school?

Sanders: My plans after high school are to enjoy the summer and then playing baseball at University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse.