The boys varsity basketball team overcame early struggles and momentum shifts, defeating Morton East, 64-47, to open West Suburban Gold Conference play on Dec. 5, 2025.

Senior Erik Vagonis led the team with 19 points, sparking the Mustangs offense. He credited the bench for igniting the team’s energy.

“When we subbed out two of our starters, we started getting more open shots, open picks and started driving the baseline more. The bench had really high energy, which kept my stamina up,” Vagonis said.

The game started with the Mustangs struggling with turnovers. Even with the messy play, the team managed to hold a 26-18 lead going into halftime. The second half saw a shift in momentum as the Mustangs came out swinging, going on a 7-0 run early in the third quarter. They cleaned up their ball handling, limiting turnovers and extending their lead to secure a set victory.

Senior Sean Day contributed 15 points and praised the younger players for stepping up when it mattered.

“Our younger guys really stepped up and made important plays when we needed them most,” Day said. “It shows that no matter the situation, we have the depth to turn the game around.”

Head coach Zach Miller acknowledged the team’s early difficulties after a 10-day break but highly respected the bench energy that turned the game around.

“We had some early difficulties, which came from being out of our usual flow,” Miller said. “We focused on slowing things down and playing our brand of basketball, and it showed. The boys’ adjusted, and the energy from the bench really turned the game around.”

The mustangs continue conference play with a game against the Willowbrook Warriors on Dec. 13, at 6:30 p.m. at Willowbrook high school.