People are clamoring for the return of the Sometimes-Weekly Picks Blog.
By people, I mean person, and by person, I mean me.
A sometimes staple on high school football Fridays, my pretend staff and I are back to apply our scientific approach to the hardwood as the games become more meaningful, beginning with Saturday’s Public League quarterfinals.
CPS TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINALS
No. 1 Morgan Park (20-2) at No. 12 North Lawndale (20-6): Shout out to the Red West. Four of the eight quarterfinalists come from that division, which will be represented — and the underdog — in all four quarterfinals. Upsets are common in the city tournament, though, and eventual state champions usually don’t win city too. A year after a second-round loss to Orr, Morgan Park barely avoided a stunner at the hands of Hyde Park in the second round Wednesday. North Lawndale lacks Morgan Park’s star power but has thrived on toughness and balance. The intimidation factor is non-existent, and North Lawndale has the benefit of playing at home because the Phoenix won the Red West while Morgan Park finished second in the Red West in a tiebreaker with Simeon. Very tempted to pick North Lawndale, but I think the Hyde Park game will scare Morgan Park straight, if that’s even necessary. Morgan Park isn’t that big-time team that doesn’t always show up. These are attack-minded players, and as long as the Mustangs match North Lawndale’s intensity … Morgan Park 74, North Lawndale 67.
No. 14 Young (17-7) at No. 3 Simeon (20-3): By most standards, it’s been a successful season at Young, which is full of young talent but began the season without a real go-to player and had to figure out how to fit its pieces together. An 8-2 record in the Red West is an accomplishment, and the rest of the schedule was challenging as usual. Deep and void of seniors, Young’s core group has the talent to compete for city and state titles. But probably not until next year. Beating Simeon in a high-stakes game at Simeon is asking a lot of anybody. Simeon 63, Young 53.
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Westinghouse (13-10) at No. 5 Kenwood (17-3): Even with proven players and victories all over the place, Kenwood remains something of a wild card. Outside of its split with Curie, Kenwood hasn’t really measured itself against the area’s top teams. Taking care of business against Vocational was a good start, and the Broncos certainly have the edge against a Westinghouse team that went 5-5 in the Red West. The Curie-Farragut winner would be next, and as entertaining as a third showdown with Curie would be, a championship game against Simeon or Morgan Park is the kind of experience Kenwood needs to continue growing as a program. Kenwood 59, Westinghouse 51.
Farragut (18-9) at No. 4 Curie (19-4): Though the luck of the draw had a little to do with it — Farragut was grouped with Red North champion Uplift in the second round while Bogan and Curie squared off — the Admirals are a worthy quarterfinalist despite their 4-6 Red West record. It’s been another up-and-down season at Curie, and the Condors are getting good at pulling out close games, doing so against Bogan, Kenwood and Simeon. Picking all the favorites is not what your Sometimes-Weekly Picks Blog is all about, but it should be a great semifinal round anyway. Curie 66, Farragut 56.
Mike Helfgot is a freelance reporter for the baiduhai.