Wheaton Warrenville South 50, Addison Trail 42
Wheaton Warrenville South had an answer for everything Addison Trail threw at them in their Willowbrook Regional game as the Tigers won 50-42.
The Tigers, who never trailed, got a little bit of a scare in the fourth quarter after leading 34-24 to start the final period. The Blazers came out on fire and rattled off the quarter's first 10 points to tie the game at 34-34.
That was when the Tigers had some players step up and end the run. First it was Stephen Mueller, sinking 2 free throws and then getting a basket in the lane to put the Tigers up 38-34.
Moments later it was Byron Given, draining a 3-pointer on the right wing to take all momentum from AT (5-21), putting the Tigers up 41-34.
AT coach Brendan Lyons said Given had an answer every time the Blazers were making a run. Given had four 3-pointers and finished with a game-high 15 points.
"That basket was not a set play," Given said. "We were just running our offense and I got an opportunity from the wing and went up with it. It was definitely a big shot. We did a nice job getting some outside looks for both me and Sam (Carlson)."
Lyons said every possession matters in the playoffs and it seemed like everytime the Tigers came up with a loose ball, they converted on the offensive end. One of those baskets was the 3-pointer Given had to put the Tigers back in control.
"Byron is a kid who can go out one night and score 5 points, but then go for 20-plus the next game," Lyons said. "It seemed like he had an answer every time we scored tonight. That 3 he hit in the fourth really hurt us. That was just a big time shot from a kid who got a lot of clean looks behind the arc tonight."
WWS (16-11) also played solid fundamental basketball the entire game. The Tigers only turned the ball over 11 times and shot 13 of 16 from the free throw line, including 11 of 14 in the final five minutes.
The Tigers play West Aurora today in the second round of the Willowbrook regional.
Carlson pitched in with 13 points while Mueller had 10 points in the win. Ian Horvath scored a game-high 15 points while Vince Beachem chipped in with 13 points in the loss.