Boys Basketball: Columbia football recruit Charlie Sessa does it all, powers Hinsdale Central to win at York

ELMHURST – Hinsdale Central’s Charlie Sessa was just too big, too strong and too everywhere Friday night.

The 6-foot-5 Red Devils forward hurt host York with a tough inside game and strong rebounding in the first half, then threw a little of everything at the Dukes in the second half while leading Hinsdale Central to a 59-41 West Suburban Conference Silver victory in Elmhurst.

“I wish we had fans but it’s awesome just to be able to play out here with my teammates,” said Sessa, who had 10 points and seven rebounds in the first half alone as the visitors led 28-24 in what was a tight contest for two quarters. “We’ve had leads in previous games and then didn’t play our best to start the second half. Tonight we wanted to keep our foot on the gas.”

Sessa opened the second half with a strong drive to the basket that led to a pair of free throws and started a dominating third quarter for both the Red Devils and their senior leader. Sessa, who will play football next year at Columbia, took his game away from the rim for a spell Friday and dropped in a pair of 3-pointers while tallying nine points in a 19-6 third quarter that sent the Red Devils into the final quarter up 47-30.

“We started moving the ball better and most of our shots came off assists,” said Sessa, who kicked out a nice pass of his own that set up Ben Oosterbaan for 3 and a 34-29 lead in the third quarter. “It’s more fun to create a shot for someone else to score.”

Sessa had the biggest impact in the third quarter on his way to game-highs of 21 points and 11 rebounds, but Jake Quast and Oosterbaan each had 3s in the quarter and Oosterbaan would finish with 19 points and four 3s.

“Even in the first half I thought it was high-level high school basketball,” Red Devils coach Nick Latorre said after his team improved to 3-1. “There were not a lot of turnovers and it was really good basketball. Our shots just kept continuing to fall in the second half. They’re a real good team and they guard so well, but we shot the ball well.”

The Dukes led 15-13 after one quarter and trailed by just four at the half, but couldn’t overcome Hinsdale Central’s big third and some foul trouble. Guard Jeffrey Grace led York (3-3) with 9 points as Luke Malaga added 8 and Nick Hirsch 7.

“Give them credit,” Dukes coach Mike Dunn said of the Red Devils. “They were outstanding tonight. They shot it very well and they’re a very physical team. They came out in the second half and popped it and Sessa’s a load.”