Knar, Mundelein get well vs. Zion-Benton
Robert Knar, who left Mundelein’s gym with a souvenir basketball perched atop a trophy, had a good 24 hours.
That’s if you don’t count the migraines that pounded the sophomore’s head Friday night, the many bumps that his big brother Dickie said Libertyville put on him during the game, and the queasiness that he felt during Saturday night’s game against visiting Zion-Benton.
Robert Knar felt ill enough at halftime that he took a seat on the bench while his Mundelein teammates shot around.
“I felt like I had the stomach flu,” he said. “I was heating up, so I poured some water on my head.”
Now the good for Knar.
A night after he scored his 1,000th career point in a victory, Mundelein overcame an 8-point deficit early in the fourth quarter and a couple of late 3-pointers by Zee-Bees freshman star Milik Yarbrough to win 68-62 in its North Suburban Lake Division finale. Ryan Sawvell scored 28 points for the Mustangs, while Robert Knar added 18.
Mundelein (24-4, 9-3) went 22 of 24 from the foul line in the fourth and 33 of 39 for the game.
Zion-Benton (18-8, 7-4) went to the line 15 times all night and made 8 tosses.
“They got to the line a lot, and we couldn’t do anything about it,” said Yarbrough, who led Z-B with 27 points, including four 3s. “We weren’t getting to the line a lot when we got the ball.”
Before the game, Mundelein presented Robert Knar a trophy for recording his milestone point. Sawvell, a three-year varsity starter, collected his 1,000th point earlier in the season.
Robert Knar didn’t learn of his accomplishment until after Friday’s game when he, his father, Mundelein coach Dick Knar, brother Dickie and assistant coach Corey Knigge went out for dinner.
“My dad,” Dickie Knar said, “he was like, ‘I’d like to make a toast. First of all, great win. And also, I’d like to throw it out there that Robert scored his 1,000th point today.’ I was like, ‘What?’ That’s unreal. I was so happy for him.”
Also unreal: Mundelein’s fourth-quarter prowess from the stripe.
Sawvell went 8 of 8, while Robert Knar and Leavon Head each drained 7 of 8 free throws.
“That was so clutch,” said Dickie Knar, who sank a clutch 3 during the Mustangs’ fourth-quarter comeback. “That was fantastic.”
For the game, Sawvell finished 14 of 16 from the line. The 6-foot-8 senior also grabbed 7 rebounds and slammed home a missed layup that hiked Mundelein’s lead to 60-54 with 1:31 left.
“Beautiful,” Robert Knar said of Sawvell’s free-throw stroke. “We’ve really focused on our big men being good on the free throw line. David Delgado is an exceptional free throw shooter. Sawvell is a great shooter.
“We just need to get Sean (O’Brien) on the bandwagon, Knar added with a smile.”
A Zion-Benton big man, Owen Worthington, had 12 points and 14 rebounds. Backup pivot Curtis Cook collected 10 rebounds and 6 points for the Zee-Bees, who had three players foul out.
Dondre Osborne (9 points) scored on a drive early in the fourth to increase the visitors’ lead to 47-39. But Sawvell went to the line with 7:33 on the clock, and the Mustangs spent most of the quarter there.
Sawvell’s 2 tosses with 2:44 to go snapped a 54-54 tie, and Mundelein had the lead for good.
“Down (8 points in the fourth), to come back,” Dickie Knar said, “that just goes to show how much our guys care and how much effort we put in.”