Big thanks to Depaul College Prep Athletic Director Pat Mahoney and Head Coach Tom Kleinschmidt who put this together. It's four games just enough to whet your appetite and have you wanting a little more. Great atmosphere and good sportsmanship shown by all teams and players. I saw three games plus in this one. A lot of talent passed onto the floor Saturday at DePaul College Prep (Chicago). Last game was must see television as it was the best game of the year. Rankings are last weeks rankings. Here we go:
DePaul College Prep (Chicago) 53 Lake Forest 45: I saw the fourth quarter of this one. DePaul Prep is still playing without their top two players junior Jaylan McElroy (6'6"), and Payton Kamin (6'8"). They are moving on with what they have and won this game with junior guard PJ Chambers scoring 22 points. Lake Forest was led by Clemson commit senior wing Asa Thomas with 24 points and 10 rebounds (double/double). Junior guard Tommie Aberle (6'2") had 16 points. DePaul College Prep goes to 9-6, while Lake Forest drops to 7-8.
#9 Glenbrook North (Northbrook) 65 #12 St Ignatius College Prep (Chicago) 57: Junior guards Josh Fridman (5'10") and Owen Giannoulis (6'0") dominated this game in the backcourt. Smarting from a 15 point loss at the Titan Dome to their rival Glenbrook South (Glenview), the Spartans came out humming. Led 22-12 after one quarter, 34-28 at half, 51-40 after three they were never threatened. Fridman had 24 points 6 assists and 2 steals, Giannoulis had 17 points and 4 rebounds. St Ignatius College Prep was led by senior guard George Mason commit Richard Barron III with 23 points 5 assists 2 steals. Senior Owen Kyhl had 10 points and 10 rebounds (double/double). Glenbrook North ups it's record to 15-2 while St Ignatius College Prep drops to 13-4.
#14 Brother Rice (Chicago) 73 #18 Bolingbrook 61: Great senior guard matchup between division one recruits senior guards Ahmad Henderson II for Brother Rice (Niagara), and Mekhi Cooper for Bolingbrook (Miami,OH). Henderson III (5'10") won the matchup as he had 20 points 4 rebounds 10 assists (double/double) and controlled the tempo. Brother Rice led 26-9 after one quarter but Bolingbrook crawled back into the game and was down 35-27 at half. Brother Rice took over again in the third quarter and cruised from there. Crusaders received a big time performance from senior forward Khalil Ross (6'7") with 17 points 10 rebounds (double/double) 3 assists. Senior guard Peter McShane (6'2") had 15 points and not missing a shot from the field (7 for 7). Bolingbrook was led by junior guard Josh Aniceto's 15 points and was matched by Cooper with 15 points. Brother Rice ups it's record to 15-2, while Bolingbrook drops to 12-5.
#8 West (Joliet) 62 #3 Rolling Meadows 60: Game of the year so far. Two high major division one senior guards with Jeremy Fears Jr (Michigan State) of West (Joliet) (6'2)") and Cameron Christie (Minnesota) of Rolling Meadows (6'6"). Fears Jr has played on big time levels at LaLumiere (IN) playing a national schedule the last two years. It showed down the stretch as he made clutch play after clutch play. He scored the last six points of the game including the game winning shot in the lane with 3 second left for the margin of victory. He had a key steal to give West a one point lead at 60-59. Fears Jr had 24 points 4 rebounds and 1 key steal. Christie got banged up as he was hit in the nose on a drive to the basket in the second quarter, he missed about 4 minutes trying to get the bleeding to stop. No foul was called. Then late in the fourth quarter with the game 60-59 West (Joliet), Christie drives for a dunk and gets hit hard and falls on his back. It took him some time to get up, but he stayed in the game and hit 1 of 2 free throws to tie the game at 60. Intentional foul was not called. This set up Fears Jr's heroics. Momentum changed a few times in this game as Joliet West led 15-14 at the end of first quarter, Rolling Meadows led 30-29 at half. Game had 22 lead changes and momentum changed with each basket as neither team took more than a 5 point lead in the second half. Sophomore Jeremiah Fears (6'0")had 17 points as he missed only 4 shots, Junior forward Drew King (6'8") had some key offensive rebounds and junior guard Justus McNair (6'2") had 5 key defensive rebounds in the second half. Rolling Meadows was led by Christie with 19 points 6 rebounds 4 assists 2 steals. Senior forward Mark Nikolitch-Wilson was magnificent in this game with 16 points 14 rebounds (double/double) 6 assists. Senior wing Tsvet Sotirov had 10 points 4 rebounds. West (Joliet) ups it's record to 14-4, while Rolling Meadows drops to 16-2.
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