2000 Storm state team reunites
Bureau Valley basketball fans didn’t know quite what to expect when their Storm basketball team first advanced to the state tournament at Carver Arena in Peoria 10 years ago this week.
Some longtime fans of the then new district’s Buda Western days remembered the good old days of Chips Giovanine’s Rams teams, who earned back-to-back state trips in the mid-’70s. The Storm fans were about to be treated with the first of three straight third-place tournament runs, an unprecedented feat in the IHSA basketball ranks.
“It was the start of a three-year period, that might never be surpassed,” said longtime BV assistant coach Bret Helms.
Most of the Storm squad, coaches and managers, made it back for a 10-year reunion hosted by Doug and Pat Wiggim Saturday on the family farm outside of Manlius, joined by many parents and fans.
Some of the players were a little heavier, some had less hair on top and more hair on their face. But when they all got together, many for the first time since their May 2000 graduation, it seemed like old times.
“That was great fun. I’ll never forget it,” said Justin Yepsen, a senior member of the Storm squad said of the 2000 season.
Of all the guys who made it back, BV all-stater Reuben Slock said teammates John Elliott and Mike Behrens, a professional wrestler, looked in the best playing shape.
Head coach Brad Bickett had to laugh at the young faces of his former kids, not to mention the much younger looking coach playing out on the big screen TV with tapes of the 2000 state tournament.
The screen showed the Storm celebrating their 69-65 quarterfinal final win over Fairbury Prairie Central. An interview with Bickett followed, soon mobbed by a jubilant Slock.
Slock joked he hears Bickett has got “much softer” on his teams now.
The Prairie Central game was fun to watch, but Slock said he wasn’t interested in watching the Pana game from the 2001 state semifinals.
“I’ve never watched that. If that comes on, I’m outta here,” he said.
In reflecting on the 2000 season, Bickett said, “It was a great ride. “We had great kids, great parents and a great coaching staff.”
The Storm coach turned to Yepsen, now a member of his coaching staff, and said, “Yep, I wished you would have figured it out sooner than you did.”
Yepsen was a former freshmen “B” Teamer and late bloomer, who became a key performer during the Storm’s state tournament run.
Players and managers in attendance Saturday included:
Mike Behrens: Lives in Sterling and works for Wal-Mart Distribution. Area pro wrestling fans know him as “Mason Beck.”
Jamie Durham: Lives in Champaign where he and his wife, Sarah, are expecting twins. Is a JV basketball coach at Tolono Unity.
John Elliott: Lives in Champaign, studying to get into ministry. He and his wife are expecting their first child.
Chris Heward: Lives in Lake of the Hills, teaches health and coaches basketball in Huntley. Working on Master’s degree to become a principal.
Matt Hewitt: Lives in Metamora and is a first-grade teacher at Eureka.
Justin Hansen: The Storm manager is now an attorney, living in Crystal Lake. He and his wife, Aubrey have a daughter.
Mike Jacobs: The father of a son and daughter lives in Walnut and works for Wal-Mart Distribution.
Andy Lanxon: The Storm manager lives in Sheffield and works for Marquis Energy in Hennepin.
Ryan Litherland: Lives in Sheffield, works for Michlig Ag. Wife, Sheri, have a 10-month old son, Aiden.
Jimmy Marlowe: Lives in Bloomington and works for State Farm. He and his wife, Megan, are expecting their first child in June.
Reuben Slock: The newlywed (wife Julia), lives in college hometown of Elmhurst, employed by JRC Logistics.
Eric Wiggim: Involved in spraying and fertilizer and helps his dad farm.
Justin Yepsen: Works for Michlig Ag and member of Bickett’s coaching staff.
Also in attendance were longtime scorekeeper Roger Marquis, who is supposed to be hanging up his pencil, “Mama Wiggim,” who followed the Storm with her trusty camera and coaches Bickett, now the father of four, and Helms, aka the “Lil’ General,” who has two kids with another on the way.
Adam Endress was unable to attend Saturday’s reunion, preparing for his wedding day to future bride Brittney. His brother, Phil, a sophomore member of the 2000 Storm, is also in the wedding party.
Storm players Tim Eckberg, who lives in Orlando, Fla., Matt Tumbleson, who works for the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies, and Chad Dever, a waiter in Des Moines, Iowa, were also unable to attend.
I appreciated the invite to Saturday’s reunion. The Storm squad is one of my all-time favorites in my days here at the BCR. They played the game hard and with the passion that Bickett preaches. That’s what made them so successful. Everyone knew their roles and played a good team game.
Reuben Slock once made the comment the BCR sports guys were like part of the family. I’ve always felt the same way, and it was great to see those “kids” again.
See a picture from the reunion.
• Speaking of “old-timers,” I ran into former Hall Red Devil standout Joey Reed, who said he was still feeling the affects of the “Welcome Back to the Jungle” Almuni game Saturday.
Kevin Hieronymus is the BCR Sports Editor. Contact him at khieronymus@bcrnews.com.
