#1 Kenwood Academy (Chicago) holds serve at home vs #9 Simeon Career Academy (Chicago) in back and forth battle!!!!!!

Big Tim
Dec 13, 2024
2 min read

Seniors ruled this game for both teams as the young guns struggled. A sophomore though (Devin Cleveland) hit the biggest shot of the game to help Kenwood to the win. Here we go:

#1 Kenwood Academy (Chicago) 58 #9 Simeon Career Academy (Chicago) 55:

This was a rough and tumble back and forth affair. Game was played very clean no on court scuffles as can happen in a Chicago Public League Red Shield game. Senior TJ Seals of Kenwood ruled the first quarter, on the glass and from the field. Had 7 points and 5 rebounds in the first quarter as Kenwood had an 18-10 lead.

Simeon came back in the second quarter though only two players scored for them in the first half. Seniors Lorenzo Shields (14 points), Julien Doyle (13 points) gave Simeon a 27-23 lead at half.

Second half as a back and forth with each team punching ahead by 5 and then the other coming back to tie it or take a brief lead. Both teams scored 15 points in the third quarter which allowed Simeon to keep the lead at 42-38. Kenwood senior Amari Edwards and sophomore Devin Cleveland struggled with their shooting all night. Enter Seals again as he did it all, scoring, rebounding, assisting in the quarter.

Seals devliered a huge offesnsive rebound and assists to Cleveland who hit a long three point shot to give tie the game at 49. Cleveland hit two free throws down the stretch for Kenwood to go up 56-52. Simeon junior Kassidy Nelson hit a bank three point shot with 5 seconds left to cut it to 56-55. Amari Edwards gets fouled and makes 2 of 2 from the line for the final margin. Doyle had a desperation 3 that came up short. Meanwhile for Simeon, their junior star Andre Tyler struggled with foul trouble and could never get into a rhythm. He had 2 points 2 rebounds 2 assists 1 steal and 1 block before fouling out in the fourth quarter. They got a lift from junior Kamari Hamlin who went 3 for 3 from three in the fourth quarter for all 9 of his points. High level game that could have gone either way as Simeon showed they will be a dangerous team moving forward.

Top scorers:

Simeon Career Academy (Chicago):

Senior Lorenzo Shields 24 points 11 rebounds (double/double) 6 assists 2 steals 1 block