By Drake Skleba
For the Bugle
On Sunday, at the Ridgewood Boys Basketball Shootout at Ridgewood High School in Norridge, the air-raid sirens in the Cook County village must have been wailing. In the fourth and final game of the eight-school event, a band of three-point shooting sharpshooters from DeKalb High School, were raining three’s on the undefeated Redwings of Benet Academy (6-0).
Former outstanding Downers Grove North head coach, Al Bianacalana, now in his fifth year at DeKalb, immediately one could see the “Bianacalana-effect”, on the hard-fighting DeKalb Barbs.
For the game, the Barbs made 15 of their 28 three-point attempts, but the impressive aerial assault wasn’t enough as the Redwings prevailed 67-59. The Redwings were led by their 6-foot-8 junior center, Colin Crothers, who scored 25 points and hauled down 15 rebounds.
In an earlier game, the Hawks of Maine South, blew past the host Rebels from Ridgewood 67-44. The Hawks were led by senior Fillip Bulatovic, who scored a game-high 17 points.
In the first game of the event, the young Tigers of Joliet West fell to St. Patrick 58-42.
Benet Academy 67, DeKalb 59
After taking their 70-mile bus ride from DeKalb, the Barbs got off the bus burying three’s. They hit five in the first quarter, for a 15-14 first-quarter lead. They hit five more in the second quarter, led by sophomore Trent Kyler (17 points, 5 three’s), for a 30-28 lead at the half. The Barbs hit 10 of their 18 three-point-attempts, scoring all 30 of their first half points, on triples.
DeKalb (3-3), made their first two-point field goals, by senior Blake Williams ( four points) at the four minute mark of the third quarter.
Meanwhile, in a game that had 16 lead changes and eight ties, Crothers, was having a monster-performance by scoring 20 points and hauling down 10 rebounds through the first three quarters, giving the Redwings a 48-44 lead. In the third quarter, the Barbs, settled for just 3 triples, led by senior Jordan Williams (17 points, four 3’s).
In the fourth quarter, Redwing senior guards Trevor Casmere ( eight points, three assists, two steals) and Charlie Dollard (three points, three steals, two assists) came though with huge fourth quarters for the Redwings.
“Both Trevor and Charlie are seniors but they really haven’t had that much experience for us,” Benet Academy head coach, Gene Heidkamp said. “Both Trevor and Charlie, were outstanding tonight and were very instrumental, towards our victory.”
With 3:31 left in the game, a Casmere bucket tied the game at 52. A Casmere steal, led to senior Will Engle’s (10 points. six rebounds) lay-in, that gave the ‘Wings a 54-52 lead, with 3:11 left.
“I really was struggling offensively, through three quarters,” Casmere said. “I had to help us in other ways, which I was able to do in the fourth quarter. This was a hard-fought, great win, for us to go to 6-0.”
A Jordan Williams bucket, tied the game at 54, before Casmere’s perfect feed to Crothers for his old-fashioned three-point-play, that gave Benet a 57-54 lead, which they would never relinquish.
“I played well tonight but I miss give credit to a number of my teammates, for setting me up with great passes,” Crothers said. “I was able to finish well with my shots and this was a big win for us.”
Another Dollard steal led to another Casmere bucket, that gave the Redwings a 59-54 lead with 2:08. Engel would finish off the Barbs, with four consecutive clutch free-throws. It would only be appropriate for DeKalb, that the last six Barb points, were scored on their 14th and 15th three-pointers, of the game.
“This was a great win for us tonight,” Dollard said. “I had to do anything could to help us win the game. Never have I ever played against a team, that hit so many three’s against us.”
Although in foul trouble all night, the Redwings received another quality performance from 6-foot-7, 225 pound, Declan Kendrick Tchoua, who scored 17 points and seven rebounds.
“Give a ton of credit to DeKalb,” Heidkamp added. “They are very quick and played hard. They were a matchup nightmare for our bigs.”
“Colin, I believed played the best game of his Benet Academy career, tonight. Another fine performance, from Kendrick. Seventeen points and seven rebounds and he was on the bench with fouls. Not too bad.”
Maine South 67 Ridgewood 44
In the second game of Sunday’s shootout, the Hawks of Maine South (3-2), took on the host Rebels from Ridgewood (2-4). Led by seven Bulatovic points the Hawks led 22-11 at the end of one quarter.
The Rebels, scored to close to within 22-13, with 6:30 left in the half. Led by 6-foot-5 senior, Jon Ryser, the Hawks would go a 13-0 run over the next three minutes to open up a 35-13 lead. Ryser, during the 13-0 run was a man-possessed. The 6-foot-5 senior, scored four points, hauled down five rebounds, blocked two shots and added an assist to Hawk senior center, Dan Crane (10 points, 10 rebounds).
“I came out and played very hard and did well today,” Ryser said. “I came into the game with the mindset to get rebounds and help us win.”
“Jon (Ryser) was outstanding for us today,” Maine South head coach Tony Lavorato said. “John is 6-foot-5 and is just filling into his body, as a senior. The basketball upside for Jon is through the roof. I really believe next year he will be playing college ball.”
“It was nice to get a big 20-point win, today,” Crane said. “I played well and really battled. Jon (Ryser) was outstanding for us today,”
Crane, picked up five of his 10 rebounds in the third quarter, as the Hawks extended their lead to 50-29 after three quarters.
“Dan Crane has made such great sides for us and has done an outstanding job for us scoring and rebounding,” Lavorato added.
Bulatovic, finished with 17 points while Hamwi would add 16 points, grab four rebounds, pick up four steals and hand out three assists.
“We played hard and played well today,” Bulatovic said. “I really believe we are going to have an outstanding season.”
“This was a good win for us,” Hamvi said. “A lot of people played well for us. I’m happy with the way I played today. This win will give us confidence as we go forward.
Hawk senior guard Rusty Tymoshchuk, off the bench, buried a pair of three-pointers in the victory on Sunday.
“We really needed a good performance today,” Lavorato said. “We have to continue to work hard everyday and continue to improve. I am very confident, that we will be a very good team, this season.”
St. Patrick 58 Joliet West 42
In the first game of the Sunday shootout, the Tigers of Joliet West took on the Shamrocks of St. Pats. 2018-2019, will be a total rebuilding year for head coach Nick DiForti and his Tigers. The extremely young Tigers (2-4) played the more experienced Shamrocks tough in the first quarter, led by five first-quarter points from junior Tre’ Vonta Hall, the Tigers trailed 12-11.
At the half, St. Pat’s (4-2) extended their lead to 27-21. Junior Steve Aragones, led the Tigers in the second quarter with six points, including a three-pointer.
Aragones, buried another three for the Tigers, but the Shamrocks extended their lead to 39-31 after three quarters.
St. Patrick outscored the Tigers 19-11 in the fourth quarter for the final margin of victory.
Aragones led the Tigers with 11 points, while sophomore Ashwon Burbridge added eight points for West. Hall chipped in with seven points.
“We really have to play better than we did today,” Aragones said. “I have to be more consistent with knocking down my shots.”
“We must learn how to finish our shots down low,” Joliet West coach Nick DiForti said. “We turned the ball over too much. We are very young and I am very confident, that we will get this turned around.”