Walter Mattingly’s first game playing for Lake Forest didn’t go as planned.
In their much-delayed season opener Friday, the Scouts scored just 41 points in a loss to Glenbrook South.
But Lake Forest bounced back with an emotional 71-60 victory against visiting Mundelein on Saturday.
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Mattingly, a 6-foot-8 senior forward who transferred from Deerfield, scored 19 points against the Mustangs (0-1). Senior guard Jack Malloy paced the Scouts (1-1) with 20 points, and sophomore guard Asa Thomas added 15.
The season had been delayed since November by the Illinois High School Association due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“We were pretty excited to play on Friday, but we struggled to find our offensive rhythm, and that hurt us down the stretch,” Mattingly said. “It was really fun to get out there finally and play, but we knew we had to play better to beat Mundelein.”
Mattingly, a Hillsdale College recruit, said the victory wasn’t tarnished by the absence of Mundelein’s Scottie Ebube, a 6-foot-8 senior center and Southern Illinois recruit.
“Scottie’s a great player and very tough to guard, so it did help us that he was out,” Mattingly said. “Mundelein is one of the top teams in the state, and we wanted to prove to everyone we are too. We knew that we had to bounce back from Friday and all went out there expecting to win. I think it was a huge confidence booster for our team, and we proved to ourselves that we can play at that level.”
Mattingly said he was happy with his on-the-court chemistry with Malloy and Thomas.
“Asa and Jack are great players, but we have been playing together since the summer, so I think that has helped our chemistry tremendously,” he said. “We also rented out gyms during the winter and played in two leagues, so we are pretty familiar with how we all play.
“Overall, all of us at the end of the day, we just want to win. It doesn’t matter who scores the most or any of that other stuff.”
Lake Forest coach Phil LaScala said he was pleased with how his players responded after the loss. Freshman Tommy Aberle provided a spark with 10 points off the bench against the Mustangs, LaScala said. Mundelein reached a Class 4A sectional final last season before the tournament was canceled and returns the core of its team.
“We bounced back after a tough loss to a very good Glenbrook South,” LaScala said. “We ironed out a few things, and our guys really played aggressive and didn’t hesitate. Mundelein is going to win a lot of games.”
Baker ends recruiting: Senior guard Trey Baker became the third Mundelein player to commit to a college program. Baker announced his commitment to Division II Maryville University in St. Louis on Friday.
Baker joins Ebube and Mundelein guard Conor Enright, who has signed with Drake, as college recruits.
Baker said his close relationship with Maryville coach Jesse Shaw and his staff was a big factor Throughout his high school career, Baker has built a strong presence in his community. He said Shaw welcomed him to continue that in college.
“I really loved their emphasis on community and progressing to build a strong culture of winners,” Baker said. “What I really admire is that they’re not just believing in my abilities on the court, but also my passions off the court to continue impacting social change within my career path.
“I felt at home and knew this was going to be a place where I would be pushed to be the best version of myself, on and off the court.”
Long wait: A new era is set to start for the Lake Forest girls on Tuesday.
The Scouts will start their season against visiting Stevenson with a radically different look. Halle Douglass, the program’s all-time leader in nearly every statistical category, is a freshman guard at Wisconsin. Kyle Wilhelm, who led the Scouts to their best four-year run in program history, resigned in the spring.
Stacey Leach, a former Carmel assistant, is the Scouts’ new coach.
“Everyone is excited to play,” Leach said. “It’s been awhile since our girls have been out there, plus losing Halle too. The returners are ready to show and prove to everybody who they are.”
Bob Narang is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.