If Zion-Benton turns out to be a factor during the March Madness playoffs, this may be the game followers of the team will point to as the one that pushed the Zee-Bees over the psychological hump.
Three things happened in Friday’s 72-64 North Suburban Lake victory over visiting Libertyville that could be important for the rest of Zion’s season:
* Libertyville brought its A-minus game to the Bee Hive gym and played well enough to go home with the victory. Its “A” game was ruined by an 8-for-18 effort at the free-throw line.
* Zion won even though its best forward, senior Kienan Baltimore, played himself onto the bench for all but the first 10 seconds of the second half by earning a charging foul and a technical foul on the first possession of the third quarter.
* Zion’s wildly entertaining point guard Deshawn Wilson was alternately brilliant and reckless as Zion, though much the faster team, had 13 second-half turnovers.
Yet, when what Bobby Worthington calls “winning time” arrived, the Zion coach had plenty of players willing and able to come through.
Sophomore Cortez Sawyer (10 points, including a dunk off a lob), senior Anthony Davidson (8 points) and sophomore Josh Sobecki (6 points) provided the front-line scoring.
And when Libertyville clawed from 45-34 down to 59-57 with 3:35 to play, the Zee-Bees strung together 11 free throws in the fourth quarter to nail it down.
The 6-foot-5 Davidson had four in the quarter, Sawyer one on a three-point play, and Jaalen Ray (8 points), Marquis Henry (18 points) and Wilson (9 points) each made two from the line during the game’s crucial stretch.
“Anthony Davidson transferred in last year, and he’s as big and strong as anybody in the conference,” Worthington said. “His contribution was absolutely huge and key (Friday).”
Ditto for Sawyer, a 6-3 sophomore.
“Cortez has tremendous athletic ability,” Worthington said, adding that he has a huge upside that is just starting to be seen in games.
Libertyville (10-6, 2-3) is back in action next Friday against Stevenson. The same night, Zion-Benton (11-4, 3-1) is at Mundelein.
The Wildcats received 17 points from center Ben Kimpler, 16 from sophomore Drew Peterson and 12 from Paul Steinhaus.
North Chicago 66, Vernon Hills 58: Maurice Gordon came off the bench and had eight blocks and 14 rebounds for the Warhawks in this North Suburban Prairie win.
Richmond-Burton 47, Antioch 39: With a huge game coming up Tuesday against intradistrict rival Lakes, Antioch struggled on Thursday in this nonconference loss to Richmond-Burton.
The Sequoits (6-9) got 22 points from Trevor Koch and 17 from everybody else. Antioch trailed 12-2 after a quarter and chased the rest of the way.
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BOYS BASKETBALL: FRIDAY’S RESULTS
Niles North 67, Deerfield 40
Grant 58, Lakes 51
Highland Park at Maine West, late
Zion-Benton 72, Libertyville 64
Lake Zurich 75, Mundelein 49
Waukegan 51, Niles West 43
Wauconda 57, Round Lake 56
North Chicago 66, Vernon Hills 58
Lake Forest 48, Warren 41
SATURDAY’S GAMES
CL Central at Grayslake Central, late
Deerfield at Plainfield North, late
Hampshire at Grayslake North, late
Lake Zurich at Richmond-Burton, late