Freshman Davion Thompson scores 26 as Bolingbrook hands Waubonsie Valley its first loss

Waubonsie Valley was ready for Bolingbrook on Saturday. The jam-packed gym in Aurora saw the undefeated home team drain its first four three-pointers, igniting the crowd and showing the highly pedigreed visiting program what all the fuss was about. 

But Raiders freshman Davion Thompson was unfazed. 

“I loved it,” Thompson said. “Playing against an undefeated team in this kind of atmosphere with everyone hitting shots. That’s just having fun playing basketball.”

Thompson scored 10 in the first quarter to help the Raiders keep pace with red-hot Waubonsie Valley. And then Thompson never cooled off. He scored 26 points and shot 6 of 8 from the field as No. 10 Bolingbrook ended the No. 4 Warriors’ undefeated stretch with a 71-56 victory. 

“I’m running out of adjectives to describe Davion,” Raiders coach Rob Brost said. “The best thing about him is that his attitude is always great. He’s a team player.”

And it was a complete team effort for Bolingbrook, which won the game defensively. The Raiders didn’t allow Waubonsie Valley to score the transition baskets it thrives on and clamped down in the half-court. 

The Warriors didn’t manage a field goal for a six-span that began in the last two minutes of the third quarter.

“Historically we are pretty known for our offensive exploits,” Brost said. “But we did a really good job defensively. We’re proud of th that stretch and there was one not as long in the first half where we did some similar things.”

Junior JT Pettigrew had 18 points and five rebounds and sophomore Trey Brost scored nine for Bolingbrook (20-4). The Raiders have a solid senior core with Josh Aniceto, DJ Strong, Kevin Cathey and Jason Lawani, but their young players are dynamic.

Thompson is already one of the state’s star attractions. He was a force the first time he stepped on a high school basketball court. Now, late in the season, things are coming easier.

“Everything is coming together,” Thompson said. “The nerves are kind of gone for me because I’ve been through a lot of this now.” 

Bolingbrook led by four at halftime and took control defensively in the second half, holding a double-digit lead for the entire fourth quarter. 

Junior guard Tyreek Coleman scored a game-high 31 points for Waubonsie Valley (23-1). Senior Tre Blissett added 10 points and Ryan Morton scored seven. 

“[Bolingbrook] outplayed us,” Warriors coach Andrew Schweitzer said. “But the reality is that it is Feb. 3 and we just lost our first game. It sucks and there are mixed emotions. These kids have accomplished things that we haven’t done at this school in years.”

Waubonsie Valley clinched a share of the DuPage Valley conference title for the first time since 2003 and the 23 consecutive wins is a school record. 

Both teams will have high seeds in the Class 4A East Aurora Sectional. 

“There’s a good chance we could see them again,” Schweitzer said. “And I would love that. Not to give them bulletin board material. But that wasn’t our best and they played well. We have to bottle up this feeling because it is the first time we’ve had it and let it motivate us.”

Beecher (25-0) is now the last undefeated team left in the area.