All signs pointed to a classic Catholic League battle Friday night between host Brother Rice and No. 13 St. Laurence. Brother Rice’s small gym was packed to capacity before the opening tip, and the loser would be all but out of the Catholic South race.
The Crusaders and Vikings did not disappoint, as Brother Rice earned a 52-50 double-overtime victory.
“I know it’s a cliche, but nobody should have lost that game,” said Brother Rice coach Pat Richardson, whose team improved to 14-5, 6-2 by defeating St. Laurence for the 10th straight time. “We fed off our [student cheering section]. After last week, the students deserved a win.”
Last week Brother Rice blew a five-point lead in the final 90 seconds and lost to St. Rita. Against St. Laurence (14-4, 5-3), Rice blew a 44-39 lead with 5:35 left but managed to regroup and force overtime.
In the second extra session, two free throws from Mike Harrigan and a back-door basket from Steve Woerheide (game-high 19 points) off a beautiful pass from Quinton Spencer gave Brother Rice a 52-48 lead with 2:16 left.
Marcus Stevenson brought St. Laurence within two on a baseline drive with 1:07 remaining, and the Vikings had a chance to force a third OT when Spencer missed two free throws with 19.6 ticks on the clock.
St. Laurence played for the final shot, but Keith Hovan’s 15-footer at the buzzer hit the front of the rim and bounced away, and the Brother Rice students stormed the floor in celebration.
“We love to come into a gym with this energy level,” St. Laurence coach Tom Pallardy said. “Both teams played their butts off defensively, and offensively somebody had to eventually come through at the end.”
In both regulation and the first overtime, St. Laurence had the ball with a minute left and the score tied. In regulation, a three-pointer by John Gencius (13 points) rimmed out just as the horn sounded, and the referees ruled that a tip-in by Mike Steigerwald came after the buzzer. In the first OT, the Vikings turned the ball over with 2.4 seconds left.
Jeff Ponczak.
Up next for St. Laurence: Tuesday at Oak Lawn.
1. West Aurora
Dameon Mason had 23 points and nine rebounds and Justin Cerasoli chipped in with 17 points and seven assists as the Blackhawks (13-2, 7-0) crushed West Chicago 70-32.
Up next: Friday at Wheaton North.
2. Thornwood
Eric Gray had 20 points, but the Thunderbirds (14-1, 4-1) fell to No. 9 Bloom 52-51 in the SICA East. See story, Back Page.
Up next: Saturday at New Trier.
3. Young
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Andre Knox scored 24 points as the Dolphins (17-1, 6-1) defeated Lincoln Park 68-61 in the Public Red Northwest. See story, Back Page.
Up next: Saturday at home vs. Westinghouse.
4. Crane
Lorenzo Thompson scored 21 points and Florentino Valencia and Carl Marshall each had 20 points as the Cougars (16-1, 6-1) defeated host Manley 103-84 in the Public Red West. Crane led 43-34 at half and extended the lead to 20 early in the fourth quarter after a Valencia dunk. J.R. Windfield had a game-high 26 points for Manley (9-11, 3-4).
The last game between the teams was suspended at halftime due to a fight in the stands Jan. 8 at Crane. When the game was completed Jan. 13, Crane claimed a 71-51 win. Friday’s game was without incident.
Up next: Monday at home vs. Austin.
5. Hillcrest
Jerel McNeal scored 23 points and Shelby Jordan added 19 points and 10 rebounds as the Hawks (16-1, 5-0) routed Tinley Park 90-59 in the SICA Central. Donovan O’Neil added 16 points and 10 rebounds for Hillcrest.
Up next: Tuesday at home vs. Thornton Fractional North.
6. Proviso East
Shannon Brown scored 39 points as the Pirates (15-1, 5-0) romped past Hinsdale South 83-55 in the West Suburban Gold. Brown continued his success in Hinsdale South’s gym after scoring 50 there last year.
“I guess it’s kind of like [Michael Jordan] in the [Madison Square] Garden,” Brown said. “I don’t know what it is about this place. The rims are good. They are kind of like our rims at home and they use the same balls that we do. I just feel comfortable here.”
Up next: Saturday at home vs. Morton.
7. Simeon
Kevin Bond scored 16 points and Ryan Brown grabbed 12 rebounds as Morgan Park (8-12, 4-3) stunned Simeon 42-40 in the Public Red South. The Mustangs led 39-30 with 3:20 left, but Simeon (12-4, 6-1) went on a 10-2 run to pull within one with 31 seconds left.
Morgan Park’s Raphael Scott split a pair of free throws with 20 seconds left for the final margin. Simeon missed a three-pointer and a putback on its final possession. DaShawn Walker led Simeon with 12 points.
Up next: Monday at home vs. Julian.
9. Bloom
Kevin Howard scored 16 points as the Trojans (17-2, 5-0) edged No. 2 Thornwood 52-51 in the SICA East. See story, Back Page.
Up next: Tuesday at Rich South.
10. Farragut
Rondell Harris had 14 points and four three-pointers as the Admirals (11-4, 7-0) downed Austin 52-41 in the Public Red West. Jarreal Harris scored 16 points for Austin (8-8, 1-5).
Up next: Saturday at home vs. Marshall.
11. Hales Franciscan
Nate Minnoy scored 15 points and Jerod Haynes added 10 points as the Spartans (18-4, 5-4) downed Leo 53-44 in the Catholic League. Hales led 21-7 after one quarter and coasted from there. Frank Clair had 16 points for Leo (14-7, 6-3).
Up next: Tuesday at Marian Catholic.
12. Libertyville
Small contributions from a handful of players can add up, as Stevenson proved during Friday’s 59-48 victory over Libertyville to take sole possession of first place in the North Suburban Lake.
Bryan Piironen (18 points) hit four three-pointers, Mike Hierl scored 10 of his 12 points in the paint, Teddy Ogilvie (six points) grabbed eight rebounds and Bobby Giannini came off the bench to score all eight of his points in the fourth quarter for Stevenson (12-5, 5-1).
“Some nights I’m pulling my hair out trying to figure out who’s going to score,” Stevenson coach Pat Ambrose said. “If you don’t have a true scorer, everyone’s got to step up and play their role.”
The Patriots were down 40-31 with just over three minutes remaining in the third quarter but finished the quarter strong with a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to two. In the fourth quarter Stevenson outscored the Wildcats 21-9, including 13 free throws.
Dan Gibbons led Libertyville (12-4, 4-2) with 18 points but had to sit out key portions of the second half with foul trouble. The late third-quarter run by Stevenson started when Gibbons left the game with his third foul.
Mike Duffin.
Up next: Saturday at home vs. Hersey.
14. Downers Grove South
In the West Suburban Gold, Brendan Mullins scored 16 points and Bryan Mullins added 15 points as the Mustangs (14-2, 5-1) defeated Willowbrook 58-44.
Up next: Friday at Leyden.
15. Fenwick
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Vince Humphrey had 20 points and seven rebounds and Jason Okrzesik contributed 13 points as the Friars (11-4, 6-2) defeated Gordon Tech 63-46 in the Catholic League.
Up next: Tuesday at home vs. Chicago Latin.
16. St. Patrick
Marc Hartman scored 16 points and Dan Bolger added 10 points and nine rebounds as the Shamrocks (14-2, 7-1) defeated Marian Catholic 56-43 in the East Suburban Catholic. St. Patrick also found out before the game that a 52-36 loss to North Chicago on Nov. 29 is now being counted as win, since North Chicago had to forfeit due to using a fifth-year senior.
Up next: Saturday at home vs. Palatine.
17. Evanston
Sead Odzic scored 28 points as Niles West (11-5, 3-2) nipped the Wildkits 60-58 in the Central Suburban South. Gordon Watt’s 19 points led Evanston (10-5, 4-1). See story, Back Page.
Up next: Friday at home vs. Waukegan.
20. Rich Central
Despite playing its second game without 6-foot-7-inch center Patrick Ivy, Rich Central took sole possession of first place in the SICA South with a come-from-behind 67-60 victory over host Rich South.
Ivy was suspended from the team indefinitely last week after a scuffle in the Rich Central parking lot following his team’s game against Richards.
“All parties involved have met with our [District 227] school board, and a decision will be made Tuesday on whether he’ll be able to come back to the team,” Rich Central coach Glenn Hefferman said.
Meanwhile, the Olympians (12-3, 5-0) overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit against the Stars (7-10, 4-1) behind a heroic effort from Jimmie Miles. Miles connected for 21 of his 32 points in the quarter, including three three-pointers and three of his six steals. The Olympians took their first lead with 5:14 left on a steal and a basket by Mike Martin.
South reclaimed the lead 60-59 on a three-pointer from Kenny Gordon (26 points). But the Olympians closed the game with an 8-0 run, during which Miles had six points, two steals and three rebounds. Eric Epps had 20 points for the Stars, including five 11 three-pointers.
Bill Harrison.
Up next: Tuesday at Thornton.