CICERO Tommy Gumbus usually doesn’t come close to matching leading scorer Barret Benson’s points in a game, but the unusual happened Friday night at Morton.
Benson, Gumbus and starting forward Sean McCormack shared team scoring honors with eight points each as Morton routed the Hornets 76-41 to maintain control of first place in the conference.
More Top Picks Best Portable Sound Machines For Travel
Gumbus, a reserve guard, was Hinsdale South’s second player off the bench in the West Suburban Gold game and entered at the beginning of the second quarter. The 6-11 Benson, who is a top college prospect, rarely leaves the floor.
It didn’t matter who was on the court for the Hornets (11-10, 4-3). Hinsdale South couldn’t find anyone to stop Harvard-bound 6-6 forward Weisner Perez, who scored a season-high 32 points, including four three-pointers, with nine rebounds.
Gubmus did his scoring in the second half on 3 of -6 with a three-pointer, but his role for the Hornets isn’t to fill out a boxscore.
He is the only remaining senior on Hinsdale South’s roster after the Hornets began the season with four. At 5-9, Gumbus is also the shortest player on the team.
“As the only senior, I’ve had to take ownership [of the team],” Gumbus said. “I’ve had to step up and be a leader.”
Gumbus transferred after his sophomore year from Bolingbrook to Hinsdale South and rarely played as a junior. Now he tries to mentor players such as guard Karol Lipiszko, who was called up from the sophomore team for the MLK Tournament at Wheaton Warrenville South.
“I talk to him about playing hard,” Gumbus said. “I tell him, ‘It’s a different level. You will have to step up’ ‘”
Gumbus became the only senior after Clifford Davis and Matt Brandeis left the team in December. Brandeis decided to focus on football and last week verbally committed to Dayton as a defensive lineman. Senior Titerrion Edmond was on the roster to open the season, but never played.
Another player, high-scoring sophomore guard Iman Reynolds, is focusing on academics and is longer with the team.
“You don’t see (one senior) that often,” Hinsdale South coach Brett Moore said. “We’re young. We came into a hostile environment for the first time all season. Morton takes away a lot of things we do.”
Morton (11-8, 6-1) ended Hinsdale South’s four-game winning streak as Purdue coach Matt Painter watched Benson from the sidelines. Benson made all three of his baskets in the first quarter and grabbed his five rebounds in the first half.
The star of the game was clearly Perez, who scored his 32nd point with 3:20 remaining when the Hornets had just 33.