Cougars' road show keeps rolling along

Even for the most experienced teams, opening the season with 15 of its first 16 games away from the friendly confines of its own gym would be a daunting task.

But the Conant Cougars, despite losing their top seven players from last season's Sweet 16 squad, are still making themselves right at home away from Perry Gymnasium.

The road warriors continued their away-court dominance Thursday night, defeating Palatine 45-38 in the Mid-Suburban West.

"If we can get these games on the road, there's no reason anyone should beat us at home," said Conant's Tommy Sotos, a senior who scored 12 to share game-high honors with Palatine's John Castellano.

Bold words, but for a team that knows it won't be playing in front of its home fans until Jan. 19 against Barrington, Conant (5-1, 2-0) may need a little swagger to get through this stretch.

There was little for the Cougars to brag about early, as they were held to 2 field goals in the first quarter.

Meanwhile, Palatine senior Monroe Brooks (9 points) was having his way in the post. The 6-foot-6 center ripped down 2 of his team-high 7 rebounds and scored the Pirates' final 5 points of the quarter.

"This is the third team in a row that we've played that has been really big," said Conant coach Tom McCormack of last weekend's games against Barrington and Prospect. "Tom Mahr and Chris Hoffman did a great job of battling their big guys."

So did the rest of the Cougars' defenders on the perimeter. After scoring the last 7 points of the first quarter to take an 11-5 lead, the Pirates (3-3, 1-1) were held to 7 combined points in the second and third quarters.

"We panicked a little bit and took some hurried shots and didn't make them," said Palatine coach Ed Molitor.

Sotos, who scored a career-high 21 Saturday against Prospect, didn't have that problem. The streaky shooter sank back-to-back 3s and dropped in 8 consecutive points as Conant scored the first 18 of the third quarter to go up 30-16.

Brooks finally broke the Pirates' scoreless streak on a scoop shot with 4.3 seconds left in the third.

"They did a good job with the double team and they had good defensive pressure," Brooks said.

The Cougars' road show continues Saturday when they travel to Westchester to face St. Joseph.

"We look at (the road-heavy schedule) as a challenge," said Hoffman after scoring 8 points and getting 8 rebounds. "Going home it should be a lot better."

-- Matt Beardmore

Schaumburg 76, Barrington 58: Schaumburg has a little bit of everything this year.

And a lot more to come.

The Saxons showed some of it to visiting Barrington in an MSL West game in which the taller, younger Broncos hung tough but succumbed 76-58 in the end to Schaumburg's speed, quickness, clutch shot-making and full-court defensive pressure.

With their taller players coming around, especially Blake Mueller off injury, the Saxons (4-2, 2-0) showed why they'll be well-balanced and difficult to contend with.

Whether junior Cully Payne was on the floor on not, Schaumburg showed poise, shooting touch and defensive grit.

After Barrington (3-4, 0-2) cut a 17-point deficit to 52-48 early in the fourth quarter on Peter Leonard's free throws, the Saxons responded.

Even with inside players Dan Slowik and George Kalousek saddled with 4 fouls apiece, Schaumburg responded with Brandon Bolger's 3, Payne's jumper and Bolger's fast-break layup on Payne's feed.

Just like that, it was a 10-2 run, the lead was out to double digits again and the Broncos never got closer.

Payne finished with 20, Bolger with 15, while Slowik had 8. The Saxons got 24 points from their bench, including a pair of 3s and 9 points from Sean Everitt and 6 from Josh Spandiary.

Barrington, paced by 6-foot-6 bookends Leonard and Mack Darrow, outrebounded the Saxons 29-20. But the Saxons committed just 13 turnovers to the Broncos' 26.

When Barrington closed to 52-48, "Coach (Bob Williams) said we've got to play defense like we usually do," said Bolger.

How did the Saxons offset the height advantage?

"It's just heart," said Bolger, who also noted that Payne just makes everyone better around him.

"No question," agreed coach Williams. "That's his defining characteristic."

"He's a heck of a player," said Barrington coach Marty Dello. "He really changes the complexion of that team. He's a leader."

Ryan Nolan scored 16 points and hit four 3s for Barrington.

-- Howard Schlossberg

Meadows 61, Elk Grove 49: As the final buzzer sounded, Rolling Meadows boys basketball team let out a sigh of relief.

Although the Mustangs held a double-digit lead over Elk Grove for most of the game, no one could rest easy until the 61-49 MSL East win was in the books.

Meadows (4-2, 1-1 East) had found itself in a similar situation in its last two games and ended up with losses.

"I'm actually excited that we finished the game," said senior Ty Kirk (16 points and 11 rebounds). "It's the first game that we finished all year. Every game this year we haven't finished it out. We've had a lead and then lose it. But this game we finished it out."

One reason the Mustangs were able to hold the lead was a renewed emphasis on getting high-percentage shots.

Of Meadows' 21 field goals, 16 came in the paint with the remaining five coming from behind the 3-point line.

"We wanted to get Kyle (Gaedele) in the post as much as we can, as well as our post players," said Mustangs coach Kevin Katovich. "That's what we like to do. We like to get the ball inside and then open up our outside game. In the last two games we were falling a little bit too much in love with the outside shot."

Gaedele (22 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists) set the tone with 5 first-half layups and led an offense that continually pounded the ball inside.

Kevin Serna scored 10 and Ben Sabal added 8 for the Mustangs, who used a 9-1 run to end the first half up 34-21 and scored 10 straight points to take a 46-29 lead late in the third.

"That run that they had in the first half definitely hurt us" said Elk Grove senior Billy Hubly (20 points). "But overall I think we're doing a lot better and we're going to get a win really soon."

The Grenadiers (0-6, 0-2 East) got 15 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals from junior Matt Martinski. Joe Baxter added 10 points and 6 rebounds.

"We know it's not going to be easy (to get that first win) but it's going to be worth it," said Grens coach Anthony Furman. "There's not an easy game on the schedule. But it's going to happen, we're going to turn the corner and things are going to start to show up."

-- Joe Esse