By Danny Durkin ‘23

The Crusader basketball team took a trip to Bloomington over Christmas break. Illinois Wesleyan held a great tournament full of great competition.

There were many great moments for the Crusaders during this tournament, and they gained a lot of experience while playing in this tournament.

Senior basketball player Nick Niego said, “It was a great experience with a lot of great competition and was also a great time to bond with the team.”

While the team did not win the whole tournament, they believe that their skill level greatly improved throughout the trip.

The Crusaders placed 5th in the tournament with an overall record of 3-1. The most memorable play came in the last game with Ahmad Henderson hitting a buzzer beater to win the game.

Senior basketball player Ryan Gierhan said, “It was electric and was a big win for us.”

Overall the Crusaders trip down to Bloomington was a great experience. With the team back home, they have a stretch of big games coming up. The team is prepared to go on a big run and win a lot of games throughout the second half of the season.

Many big games coming up for the Crusaders include Rolling Meadows, home against Mount Carmel and many more. Senior basketball player Ryan Kenney said, “the second half of the season is big for us, and we all have to continue to stay locked in.”

The Crusader’s got better as a team on their trip to Bloomington, Illinois.