In the first overtime in the Big Dipper in 20 years
A three-pointer by Jamal Gray with 46 second to play gave Thornton a 71-69 play
Sumter goes to the line with 29 second to play and makes two to tie the game
Thornton calls time with nine seconds left in OT
Reggie Smith flys to the basket and scores with three second to go 73-71 Thornton
Final
Thornton had four players in double figures and Rich East had three
Rich South got 30 from Morse and upset Leo 68-64 in the third-pace game
First game for Waukegan (8-0, 3-0 Central Suburban South) since taking over as No. 1 in Michael O'Brien's Super 25 Monday
The Bulldogs came out on top 59-53 in a game in which neither team was up by more than five until the last two minutes
Despite some serious foul trouble Jereme Richmond led the way with 20 points for Waukegan, Colin Nickerson had 13 and Quan Conner 11
Sean Stanley led the Trevians with 19 points, Fred Heldring added 13 and Alex Rossi 11
Before the game I had a chance to chat with Waukegan coach Ron Askew
He told me that his team "was playing the way people didn't think Waukegan could play -- sharing the ball and playing together."
I agree
I've watched Waukegan play basketball for 45 years, since I was a high school freshman
This team is for real and should make a statement to the state at Pontiac
And I agree with OB
Save an unbelievable performance against Thornton by Simeon's Jeremy Jones, JR is the best player I've seen
Pairings for the 78th Annual Pontiac Holiday Tournament which runs Dec. 29-31:
8 am: Joliet vs. Curie
9:30 am: Simeon vs. West Aurora
1 pm: Lockport vs. Bloomington
2:30 pm: Warren vs. Niles West
4 pm: Plainfield North vs. United Twp.
6:30 pm: Waukegan vs. Danville
8 pm: Schaumburg vs. Pontiac
9:30 pm: Manual vs. Oak Park
If you've never visited the Pontiac Tournament, I would highly recommend it. The atmosphere and style of basketball is quite a bit different from Proviso West or the Big Dipper. Pontiac is about an hour and forty minutes from Chicago, straight down I-55. And for those who can't attend in person the semi finals will be broadcast live on Comcast SportsNet Chicago at 1pm on Dec. 31.
Freshman sensation Malcolm Hill-Bey is in street clothes as the No. 10 Caravan warms up for a 7:30 game at Fenwick.
Haven't heard yet what the reason is. He looks healthy, so it could be a grades issue...
UPDATE: It's an ankle problem. Mount Carmel coach Mike Flaherty expects him to be back soon.
Here are the pairings for the Proviso West Tournament, in bracket order:
St. Joseph vs. Homewood-Flossmoor
Young vs. Proviso East
Glenbrook North vs. Hillcrest
Morton vs. Von Steuben
Foreman vs. Fenwick
Proviso West vs. New Trier
Zion-Benton vs. TF North
Evanston vs. St. Patrick
A couple points:
-It is very likely that round two will feature two recent rematches, Young vs. H-F (which is happening Sunday night) and Evanston vs. Zion-Benton (which happened last week). Isn't the whole point of holiday tournaments to see games we don't get to see during the rest of the season? Something should have been done to make sure that half of the second round wasn't a rerun.
-I understand that Proviso West is the host, but matching them up against New Trier in the first round really weakens the bottom half of the bracket.
Big Dipper pairings:
Rich East vs. Hales
Seton vs. Morgan Park
Thornton vs. Rich Central
Leo vs. Marian Catholic
Bolingbrook vs. Fenger
Bloom vs. Shepard
Lincoln Park vs. Rich South
Crete-Monee vs. Tinley Park
-The second round should be a blockbuster, with possible matchups of Thornton-Leo and Bolingbrook-Bloom. I'd recommend taking in the first round at Proviso West and then heading to Rich South on the 27th. Overall, Proviso West has five ranked teams and the Big Dipper has seven, although three other Proviso West teams (Hillcrest, St. Joseph, Evanston) were ranked in the pre-season.
Here are the matchups this weekend
Five games each day AT DIFFERENT VENUES
SATURDAY
At Attack Athletics
Farragutvs. Hillcrest, 1:30
Von Steuben vs. Richwoods, 3
Marshall vs. New Trier, 4:30
Curie vs. Seton,6
North Lawndale vs. Mount Carmel, 7:30
SUNDAY
At Chicago State
Crane vs. Payton, 1:30
Hyde Park vs. T.F. North, 3
Brooks vs. Glenbrook North, 4:30
Simeon vs. Thornton, 6
Young vs. Homewood-Flossmoor, 7:30
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