There’s one way to describe the ascent of the Foreman boys basketball team in the Chicago Public League–it’s leaving opponents green with envy.
That’s because the Hornets clinched the Public Blue North title with a 63-49 victory over Northside Prep and will move into the Red Division next season. Last season, Foreman played in the Green North-Central in the lowest tier of the Public League.
“It means a lot for the school [to return to the Red],” Foreman coach Terry Head said. “This is what we are trying to do at Foreman. We are trying to build. A lot of people laughed at me when I took this job.”
Ervin Spiller scored a game-high 23 points in helping the Hornets (13-6, 8-1) erase a nine-point second-quarter deficit. After going scoreless in the first quarter, Spiller had 13 in the second to lift Foreman to a 33-30 lead at the half.
“I wasn’t worried,” Head said. “I knew we were going to start knocking shots down.”
The Hornets went on a 15-3 run in the fourth quarter to break the game open.
Anthony Ross and Quintin Collins each contributed 10 points for Foreman, while Robert Eschmann scored 17 points to lead Northside Prep (13-7, 6-3).
Curie 88, Gage Park 45: Ashford Oliver had 13 points and seven steals and Jonte Johnson scored 13 points as the No. 12 Condors (20-5, 9-0) rolled in the Public Red Central. Curie won its 10th straight despite three starters in street clothes. Gabriel Taylor, Mario Brandon and Cliff Manning missed a recent practice and did not dress.
Hubbard 71, Robeson 68 (OT): Hubbard survived an offensive onslaught from Robeson star sophomore Jeremy Pargo, poor free-throw shooting, and the loss of its best player, Othyus Jeffers, to outlast the Raiders in the Public Red Central.
Jeffers paced the Greyhounds (15-6, 7-2) with 25 points and 12 rebounds, but he fouled out with 17 seconds remaining in regulation. Hubbard failed to put the game away in regulation, converting just 4-of-11 fourth-quarter free throws. Maurice Jackson split two free throws with 11 seconds left to put the Greyhounds up 62-59. Robeson’s Graylin Smith buried a three-pointer with two seconds left to force overtime.
Hubbard recovered its stroke in the extra session, making 7-of-8 free throws.
Pargo, who finished with 30 points, four assists and three steals, missed a three-pointer in the final minute with his team down three. Robeson is 14-7, 6-3.
Lane Tech 77, Mather 73: Douglas Johnson scored 18 points and Devin Scott added 13 points and three three-pointers as Lane (18-4, 8-1) held on for the victory in the Public Red North.
Mather (18-5, 6-3) trailed 76-73, but Allen Lesynski missed a shot that would have pulled the Rangers within one with 15 seconds left. Lane’s Johnson split a pair of free throws for the final margin. Michael Shamon’s 23 points led Mather.
Von Steuben 69, Senn 38: Ryne Hamblet had 20 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists to lead the Panthers (15-7, 8-1) in the Public Red North.
Girls
Naperville Central 40, Wheaton Warrenville South 29: Courtney Peters scored 14 points and Candace Parker added 13 points and six rebounds to lead the No. 1 Redhawks (22-0, 10-0) in the DuPage Valley. Stephanie Starck’s 10 points led Wheaton (10-13, 5-5).
Neuqua Valley 55, Streamwood 44: Brittanie Taylor-James put in 17 points as the No. 3 Wildcats (19-2, 10-0) held off Streamwood (11-14, 6-5), which led the Upstate Eight contest 27-26 midway through the third before Neuqua used a 7-0 run to take the lead for good.
Bartlett 65, Larkin 54: Lindsay Schrader scored 21 points and surpassed the 1,000-point mark in leading the No. 15 Hawks (22-2, 10-1) in the Upstate Eight. Schrader added 14 rebounds and Jenna Mallory and Jamie Beard added 16 points for the winners. Jody Zwingleberg had 19 points for Larkin (12-8, 5-6).
Lincoln-Way Central 38, Sandburg 33: The Knights upset No. 18 Sandburg (18-8, 7-1) in the SICA West behind Olga Viano’s 13.
Joliet Catholic 58, Lincoln-Way East 53 (OT): Allie Quigley scored 29 points to lead the Angels (13-10) past the No. 20 Griffins. Jenna Rubino scored 23 points to lead Lincoln-Way East (18-4). Rubino’s three-pointer with 21 seconds left in regulation tied the game at 45-45.
Lake Forest 62, Resurrection 52: Stephanie Zare and Kristin Cartwright scored 12 and 11 points, respectively, for the Scouts (19-4). Kristi Cirone led Resurrection (18-6) with 12.
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Reed-Custer 54, Wilmington 50 (2OT): Casey Hadley scored 24 points–including eight points in the second overtime–as the Comets (20-3, 12-0) clinched the Interstate Eight title. Ashley Bohac added 14 points for Reed-Custer, while Jessoni Plese scored 18 points for Wilmington (12-9, 5-7).
Stagg 68, Andrew 43: The Chargers (16-6, 5-4) rolled in the SICA West as Heather King scored 20 points to become Stagg’s career leader in scoring. She now has 1,021 points for her career.
Sweet 16 tournament: Jessica Altieri hit 4-of-4 three-pointers to finish with 23 points as Stevenson (13-13) beat Mother McAuley 62-45 for coach Frank Mattucci’s 400th career win.