West Chicago withstands Willowbrook comeback bid
As it will, experience and poise prevailed.
Willowbrook's boys basketball team trailed West Chicago by 10 points late in the third quarter then rallied to take a 1-point lead midway through the fourth.
West Chicago, its lineup essentially a repeat of last year's squad, outscored the Warriors 18-7 down the stretch to win the nonconference contest 72-62 in Villa Park.
"I think it's just maturity," said Wildcats senior guard Peter Dolan, who helped the cause with 3 fourth-quarter steals. "Last year we were all juniors, this year we're all seniors. We just play more poised at the end there."
Answering 6-foot-4 Willowbrook sophomore Ethan Schuemer's spinner in the lane for a 55-54 Warriors lead with 4:31 left, West Chicago senior swingman Mikey Bibbs laced a 3 from the right wing to regain the lead.
Willowbrook freshman guard Matas Masys made a pair of free throws to tie at 57-57. Bibbs hit a 17-foot pullup jumper that started an 8-0 mini-run to gain separation for the Wildcats.
Mikey's junior brother Tai Bibbs, senior Quinn Ricci and, again, Mikey Bibbs off a Dolan drive and dish, scored during the decisive stretch.
"It was a gutsy performance," said Wildcats coach Bill Recchia. "It was like, OK, they made a run, let's right the ship and let's keep playing our basketball game and then we'll come out on top, and we did."
Mikey Bibbs' 24 points led four in double figures for West Chicago (13-3). Ricci scored 13, Dolan 11 and Tai Bibbs 10 with 5 assists, 4 steals.
"I felt like it was going to go in every time," said Mikey Bibbs, who made four 3-point baskets and 8 of 13 shots overall. "Obviously, after it was tied I wanted to be the one to get the next shot."
Willowbrook coach Chris Perkins didn't seek excuses but admitted winning tight games "is new" to his inexperienced club, which dropped to 4-9.
Schuemer, Masys, junior Freddie Clay and seniors Kevin Miller and Billy Degnan led the charge from a 50-40 deficit at 1:41 of the third quarter - then went scoreless more than three minutes as West Chicago assumed control.
"That's the point we need to get to - we do what we need to do to get in the game. Now, how do we sustain that to pull the game out," Perkins said.
Schuemer scored 15 points and Degnan, who made five of six 3-point attempts, led the Warriors with 17 points.
"Like coach said, we've got to come out a full 32 minutes and play," Degnan said. "We've been taking off sometimes this possession, that possession. We've just got to come and play a full game."