Glenbard West’s incredible 2021-22 basketball season

Glenbard West’s Braden Huff tips off against St. Charles North’s Ethan Marlowe. | Allen Cunningham/For the Sun-Times

A look at the Hilltoppers’ amazing season.

Glen Ellyn is a football town. Glenbard West is one of the premier football powerhouses in the state. The team calls itself ‘‘the Hitters’’ as often as it does the Hilltoppers, the school’s actual mascot.

‘‘The Hitters’’ play in a grass stadium on the banks of Lake Ellyn. It’s all very idyllic.

But there is a gym just up the hill and around the corner from Duchon Stadium. Glenbard West has produced a number of excellent basketball players in the last several seasons. John Shurna, Evan Taylor and Justin Pierce all had great success in college.

But this season is different. The Hilltoppers don’t just have a star player; they have a superstar — Gonzaga recruit Braden Huff — leading a team that blew the doors off all its opponents this summer.

‘‘[Player of the Year] is a goal of mine, for sure,’’ Huff said. ‘‘But it’s definitely team first. The big goal we have circled is a state championship. We’re really excited about what we can do this season, especially since Glenbard West isn’t really known as a basketball school. So to bring a state title here, I think that would be really cool.’’

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