Through its first nine games in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, the North Central College men’s basketball team found itself on top with an 8-1 mark.
The Cardinals were 14-6 through their first 20 games and are eyeing their best season since 2005-06 when they were 22-6. That season marked the most victories in school history.
That season was coach Todd Raridon’s second at the Naperville school but he wasn’t able to keep the winning as consistent the following five years as the Cardinals were 69-59 with two losing seasons in the mix.
But that’s changed this campaign with the hot league start.
North Central’s lone conference loss was a 66-64 double-overtime road setback to Wheaton College. The Cardinals have been strong at home, winning their first 10 games at Gregory Arena.
Sophomore Landon Gamble, a Lockport High School standout and Joliet native, is averaging close to 15 points a game and a recent CCIW Player of the Week winner.
Junior Derek Raridon, the coach’s son and a Neuqua Valley graduate from Plainfield, is averaging 14 points per game and nailed 30 points in a win over Elmhurst Jan. 31.

Former Waubonsie Valley High School standout Emily Collins, right, is a member of the Cardinals roster. (Jeff Vorva/Tribune)

Other area players on the Cardinals roster from the TribLocal area include Lake Zurich’s Mike Boyd, Sandburg’s Vince Kmiec (a Palos Park native), Willowbrook’s Eric Miller, Huntley’s Zach Pettit, Neuqua Valley’s Kyle Pembrook, Naperville North’s Ryan Broyles, Batavia’s Adam LeTourneau Fremd’s Charlie Rosenberg and Lake Zurich’s Tyler Every.
The women’s team is having its troubles. After opening the season 6-4, the Cardinals lost nine straight and its chances of breaking a six-year skid of sub-.500 seasons appears unlikely.
TribLocal-area players on the roster include Naperville North’s Kaelyn Witkowski, Waubonsie Valley’s Emily Collins and Batavia’s Kelsey Stone.