HILLSIDE — After three wins in the 54th annual Proviso West Holiday Tournament, Stevenson is looking for one more on Saturday to complete its quest to repeat as tournament champion.
More Top Picks Best Sleep Headphones For Insomnia
The top-seeded Patriots rolled in their semifinal matchup, a 66-37 victory Friday night over tournament newcomer Kenwood. Villanova-bound guard Jalen Brunson led a pack of four Patriots who scored in double figures. Brunson had 16 points, seven assists and six rebounds while Rice-bound Connor Cashaw had a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Sophomore Justin Smith shot 5-for-5, including three three-pointers, to finish with 15 points, and guard Matthew Johnson also had 14 points.
“We played three good games, but we have another one to go,” Stevenson coach Pat Ambrose said. “It sounds so simple, so trite, but we take this tournament one game at a time.”
The championship game at 7:30 p.m. Saturday will feature a rematch of last year’s Proviso West semifinal game between Stevenson and St. Joseph. Brunson scored 32 points in an 85-71 victory that propelled the Patriots to the final against Morgan Park.
Stevenson (10-0) will likely play the final without reserve senior forward Jeremy Webb, who injured his right wrist attempting to block the dunk of Kenwood’s Nick Robinson in the third quarter. Webb’s arm was immobilized after the game and he was taken to the hospital for X-rays. Webb returned to the team after missing the beginning of the season while competing on Stevenson’s Class 8A state championship football team.
The Patriots are making their third appearance at Proviso West and have reached the final in the last two years. Stevenson finished fourth in 2012.
Stevenson will face one of Proviso West’s original teams as second-seeded St. Joseph (11-1) makes its 44th appearance and 12th final appearance. The Chargers have won nine tournament titles. Stevenson will try to become the first school to repeat as tournament champions since St. Joseph won three consecutive tournament titles from 2004-06.
“It’s always a good feeling. We’ve been there [to the final] before. It never gets old,” coach Gene Pingatore said after the Chargers beat St. Rita 72-65 in the other semifinal.
Smith kept Stevenson ahead with 13 points in the first half, but the Patriots rolled after a 15-0 run midway through the game to take a 38-22 lead. The Patriots kept Kenwood (9-3) scoreless for 5:32 and then tacked on another nine-point run later in the third quarter.
“[Smith] is a very versatile player,” Ambrose said. “He can go inside and outside. He did a nice job.”