Hales called its plan “feed the big men” on Tuesday.
Hales’ strategy was to utilize 6-foot-8 Austin Trice and 6-foot-11 Karim Sameh against No. 19 Orr in the Class 2A Joliet Central Supersectional. Hales junior point guard Milton Wordlow’s job in that was to run the offense and distribute the ball.
Wordlow and Hales stuck to that plan until their big men tired and Orr opened the fourth quarter on a big run. With Hales’ hopes of a trip downstate fading, Wordlow broke away from the plan and stepped up for Hales.
Wordlow scored 10 fourth-quarter points and led Hales to a 62-58 victory. Hales (20-12) returns to the state tournament for the first time since winning the 2A title in 2011, snapping a string of two straight supersectional defeats.
“I had to put my team on my back,” said Wordlow, who scored 14 points. “We’ve been through a lot. A lot of people doubted us and now we’re here. We made it.”
Trice and Sameh’s size made a difference in the first three quarters against Orr (20-4), which used only one player taller than 6-foot-3. Hales built a 45-32 lead heading into the fourth quarter because of its twin towers. Trice finished with 21 points, 19 rebounds, four assists and four blocks. Sameh had 17 points, seven rebounds and two blocks.
“We had three or four days of practice, and that’s all we worked on,” Hales coach Gary London said. “We came out with any shot has got to be in the paint. That’s what they executed the game plan. I don’t know if we shot a 3 all night.”
Hales finally wore down in the fourth quarter, and Orr made a 13-1 run. After trailing the entire game, Orr tied the game 53-53 with a 3-pointer by Brian Hernandez with 2:05 remaining. Wordlow answered with a basket. Orr tied it again at 55. Wordlow scored again with 1:04 left, and Hales never relinquished its lead.
Orr sophomore Raekwon Drake had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and senior Bryon Choice had 14 points.
“We’re so young,” said Orr coach Louis Adams, who had six sophomores and two freshmen on his roster. “It’s not an excuse, but we’re so young. We’re not taking anything away from them. They’re a pretty good basketball team. Youth played a part in our loss tonight. Size played another factor. They were well-coached. They were well-disciplined.”
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Scott Powers is a freelance reporter for the baiduhai.
Player of the game: Austin Trice, Hales, 21 points, 19 rebounds, four assists, four blocks.
Key performers: Orr — Raekwon Drake, 19 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks, 3 steals; Bryon Choice, 15 points; Emanuel O’Neal, 8 points, 10 rebounds. Hales — Milton Wordlow, 14 points; Karim Sameh, 17 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks; Mike Mays, 10 points, 7 rebounds.