Warren rallies past Mundelein
The streaking Warren boys basketball team had already knocked off Stevenson and Zion-Benton in recent matchups. So the Blue Devils' 5-game winning streak looked safe as they traveled to 2-game winner Mundelein on Friday night.
It's a 6-game winning streak for Warren now - but extending it was anything but easy.
Mundelein had a 46-44 lead heading to the fourth quarter. And in the process showed off a very promising sophomore guard in Tommy Marcotte. He exploded for 29 points and fired in a few NBA-range 3s to boot before Warren (10-11, 5-3) hit free throws down the stretch and prevailed 67-58.
"He's a great player,'' said Warren guard Jayson Dorsey of Marcotte. "He has a great shot. I tried to force him to the left."
A rebound bucket from Mundelein senior Ryan Willman put the Mustangs (2-19) up 12-6 late in the opening quarter. That evidently woke up the Blue Devils. Warren scored the next 9 points to take a 15-12 lead to the second quarter.
"Mundelein made it very difficult for us,'' said Warren coach Jon Jasnoch. "We talked before the game that they always play hard. They are playing a lot of sophomores right now."
Marcotte didn't make much noise in the opening quarter. However, he dominated the second quarter. He had a personal 12-point run for his team, and that included back-to-back 3-pointers.
"Tommy has always been good at getting to the basket,'' said Mundelein coach Corey Knigge. "And he gets to the free throw line. He also is shooting 39 percent from 3-point range."
Warren had its own 3-point attack in the second quarter. That came on consecutive 3-pointers from senior guard Corey Ball. It was still anyone's game at halftime as Warren led 31-28.
Dorsey's tough defense slowed down Marcotte somewhat in the second half, but then the sophomore started getting some help on offense. Cordero Atilano buried a 3-pointer in the third quarter, and on back-to-back scores from Isaiah Woolford, the Mustangs took a lead to the fourth quarter.
"We got some denials in the fourth quarter,'' Jasnoch said. "And we were able to get some points in transition."
Dorsey noted his teammates stepped up defensively in the final quarter.
"We know we couldn't lose,'' Dorsey said. "We played hard defense."
Mark Gutierrez flipped in a shot to open the fourth quarter and Mundelein led 48-44. The next nine shots by Mundelein missed. In the meantime, Juwan Perry nailed a 3-pointer and Warren had opened a 55-48 lead.
Warren had balanced scoring in this win. Perry and Maurice Chambers led the Devils with 14 points each. Ball and Dorsey each had 10 points.