Oak Park River Forest goes 6'10", 6'10", 6'6" on the front line. Hope Academy's tallest player is 6'5". Oak Park has had an up and down season for the most part, trying to use their size to their advantage. They started it with a consolation title at Pontiac. Continued it in this game. Here we go:
Oak Park River Forest 69 Hope Academy (Chicago) 56:
Hope Academy has the dynamic small young man in 5'7” point guard Tyjuan Hunter. He gyrates through the defenses, getting creases to get through with his small frame. He's taken them to Champaign last year as a sophomore. He made a player fall down tonight on a nasty crossover, but missed the three point shot. That was the night for the Eagles. He did what he could but Oak Park pounded them on the glass to the tune of 39-26, and it was more pronounced on the offensive glass. Senior Alex Vincent (6'10" center) had 15 rebounds, senior Alex Gossett (6'6") had 6, and they still had to account for sophomore AJ Enyia (6'10") too. Did not help that the Eagles shot 8 for 27 from three so couldn't counteract the size.
First quarter:
Hope Academy got off to a good start leading 10-2 as Hunter hit 5 quick points. Oak Park worked it's way back into the game and only trailed 18-15 after one quarter.
Second quarter:
Oak Park started working the glass, and another big man Andre Stanton (6'11" senior center) scored a quick basket off the bench, his only points of the game. Cam Woods (6'1" junior) came off the bench at the point guard position and gave Oak Park a spark. Matt Halper (6'1" junior) came off the bench and started hitting threes for 10 points at the half. Oak Park led 31-30 at halftime.
Third quarter:
Oak Park really put the hammer on Hope Academy on the glass and hitting timely threes in the quarter. Gossett came alive offensively attacking the basket for a dunk. and getting to the free throw line. Took a 15 point lead into the fourth quarter.
Fourth quarter:
Hope Academy fought back and cut the lead to as little as 8. They were forcing fouls and getting to the free throw line but couldn't convert most of the time. Had a chance to put real game pressure on Oak Park, but missed free throw, after missed free throw prevented it. Eagles went 14 for 26 from the free throw line for the game. Junior Jaiden Simmons (6'4" forward) of Hope Academy is a King of Bounce. He did some very good rim protecting in the fourth quarter with all 3 of his blocks in that quarter. Oak Park went back up 18 points and that was the game, though the Eagles cut back into it at the end.
Top peformers:
Oak Park River Forest:
Junior Matt Halper career high 18 points (4 threes) 6 rebounds
Senior Alexander Gossett game high 20 points 6 rebounds and 3 steals
Senior Alex Vincent 6 points 15 rebounds and 4 blocks
Junior Cam Woods 9 points and 4 rebounds
Hope Academy:
Junior Tyjuan Hunter 17 points 5 rebounds 10 assists (double/double) and 5 steals
Malik Mendy 13 points
Senior Dominick Hale 12 points
Junior Jaiden Simmons 11 points 9 rebounds 2 assists and 3 blocks
Oak Park River Forest (7-7) seems to have found guards who can get the ball to the bigs and take advantage of their size.
Hope Academy (Chicago) (10-5) is a serious contender to get a repeat trip back to Champaign in Class 1A. They have enough size in that class with Simmons, and Christian Turner off the bench. Hunter will be tough for any guard to deal with in that classification, just as he was last year. Will be tough to get out of Chicago with Marshall (Chicago) and Manley (Chicago) in their sub sectional.
Top performances:
Mick Niebrugge, Teutopolis 15 points
Marshawn Cocroft, Kaneland 22 points (junior)
Alexander Konoff, Westmont 22 points
Maddox Valencia, Westmont 14 points
Donaovan Coates, Collinsville 24 points
Chris Jaimes, Central Grayslake) 16 points
Hayden Hodgson, Genoa- Kingston 25 points
Nathan Kleba, Genoa-Kingston 20 points
Marcus Johnson, Genoa- Kingston 18 points
Gavin Peppenhorst, Mater Dei Catholic (Breese) 21 points
Hamzah Shouman, Lombard College Prep 22 points 5 rebounds 3 steals
Uros Mitrovic, North (Grayslake) 22 points
Jayden Hunt, North (Grayslake) 16 points
Jacob Reardon, Reed Custer 19 points 7 rebounds
Teddy Wetu, Antioch 22 points
Aidan Hopkins, Lakes (Lake Villa) 16 points
Levi Finch, North Chicago 17 points
Jacob Klatt, Northridge Prep (Niles) 15 points
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