By Drake Skleba
For the Bugle
On Thursday night, at the expensive Joliet West Field House, the host Tigers of Joliet West took on their crosstown rivals from Joliet Central. West head coach Nick DiForti’s very young and upcoming Tigers put on quite a show before falling to the Area’s fourth-ranked Steelmen from Joliet Central, 69-58. The score is not in the least Indicative of how close the contest was.
With 6:08 left in the game, West senior Justin Corcoran (11 points), hauled down a Steelmen miss and then went “coast to coast” for two, to bring the Tigers within 48-47.
With 5:20 left, Steelman senion Kendrick Williams’ (10 points, six rebounds) put-back basket put the Steelmen up 52-47. Senior DJ Holmes, nail the first two of his seven fourth quarter free throws, which put Central up 54-47.
Corcoran, buried his third, three-point bomb, to bring the Tigers within 54-50 with 4:41 left. Joachim and West junior, Jamere Hill (15 points, seven rebounds), traded baskets for a 56-52 Steelmen lead, with 3:20 left.
Joachim scored again, and when Williams’ rim-wrecking slam gave the Steelmen a 60-52 lead with 2:41 left, this one appeared to be over.
Baskets by West sophomores’ Trent Howland (9 points) and Ashawn Burbridge, pulled the Tigers back within 60-56 with 1:54 left.
Joachim, put the Steelmen up 62-56 and then Steelmen senior, Julian Mines (three points, two steals) finished-off the Tigers, with a decisive steal. From that moment, Holmes put on a free-throw exhibition, knocking down five in the last minute of the game.
“Deejay (Holmes) came into tonight’s game, shooting only 55%, from the free-throw line,” Joliet Central head coach Lawrence Thompson, Jr. said. “He really shot well from the line, in crunch-time, tonight.
Joliet Central (7-2) grabbed a 35-29 halftime lead behind nine points from Joachim and Holmes.
Joliet West (2-8) was led at the half, by sophomore Jaiden Lee (11 points, six rebounds), who scored nine second quarter points to keep the Tigers close.
Joachim, took home game-scoring honors with 22 points. Joachim hauled down four rebounds and picked up four steals, too.
“This was a big win for us, in the game of the year, so far,” Joachim said. “Everybody was on the same page and played with a lot of energy. Joliet West is a very good team. They start a lot of sophomores and we start a lot of seniors, which gave us the advantage tonight.”
“I was aggressive tonight. I went out at the start and got my teammates involved and by doing that, it opened my own ability to score.”
“We won the State Farm Classic two years ago. We plan on winning it again, this year.”
Holmes scored 20 points, with five rebound and two steals.
“We knew this was going to be a tough game, tonight,” Holmes said. “West was going to come after us and we had to keep our heads. We did that tonight and I knocked down all of my free throws. We all had good games tonight. We really liked Kendrick Williams’ two big slams!”
“We are just two overtime losses to Romeoville, from being 9-0. That’s in the past and we are playing well and looking forward, to more success. It would be nice, to meet Romeoville. in the tournament.”
Hill, just missed a double-double, with 15 points and nine rebounds, for the Tigers.
“We played hard tonight but we just didn’t play well defensively,” Hill said. “We are very young and we continue to work hard in practice and we are improving. Justin (Corcoran) gave us a lift in the fourth quarter. Jaiden Lee, played well for us in the first half.”
Up next for the Steelmen, is a first-round game of the 40th Annual State Farm Classic, in Bloomington-Normal on December 26. The Steelmen, will take on the War Hawks of North Chicago (3-6), at 6:30 p.m.
“Ever since the two overtime losses to Romeoville, we are improving,” Thompson added. “It’s a progression but the kids are understanding it and look forward, to keep things rolling for Joliet Central.”
“Give a lot of credit to West. Those young men, have no quit in them.”
“We have a long-way to go defensively but I see the look in the kids’ eyes, on the offensive end and they are getting it.”
Up next for the Tigers, is a 1 p.m. date with Chicago Curie (10-0), in the 88th Pontiac Tournament, on Thursday December 27.
“We played very well, offensively tonight,” DiForti said. “We can score on anyone. We just have to defend better or the result from tonight, will be common-place for us. We’re 2-8, but the kids are not hanging their heads. They work very hard in practice everyday. We’re getting there.”
“Let’s go to Pontiac and “Shock the World” the day after Christmas.”