Knights, Leblebijian execute plan to perfection
As scouting reports go, this one was simple but right on the money.
Heading into an early season clash of Mid-Suburban East basketball co-leaders, Prospect knew it had to find a way to slow down Rolling Meadows' scoring sensation Richie Kemph and to show improved rebounding stats.
The Knights did both Friday on the Mustangs' home court and left with a convincing 74-33 victory.
"Kemph was at the top of our scouting report," said Prospect coach John Camardella. "It said 'contain Richie and rebound the ball.'"
The Knights dominated the boards 37-19 and held Kemph to 9 points, a dozen below his average.
And what was the secret to holding him to just 8 shots for the entire game? His name is Jason Leblebijian, who just a few days earlier helped limit Lake Zurich's Connor Mooney to 10 points.
"Leb is one of the best defenders - if not the best - I've ever coached, in my short career," Camardella said. "Jason knows it his job and he relishes it.
"The way we hit the glass, I know they're all proud of it."
"I just tried to keep him in front of me," Leblebijian said. "We tried to stop his penetration.
"It doesn't get much better, especially in the conference," Leblebijian said. "If we can rebound, we can play this way every night. We just can't get cocky."
The Knights (8-1, 3-0) rode Leblebijian's hot hand in the first quarter, too. He scored 8 of his 14 points in the first eight minutes, including a pair of 3-pointers, as the Knights forged a 16-7 lead.
Prospect held Meadows (5-3, 2-1) without a point for 6:06 from Jimmy Garoppolo's basket at the 3:22 mark in the first quarter until another Garoppolo basket made it 23-9 with 5:16 left in the half. The Knights led 32-14 at halftime and 58-21 after three.
"Prospect did a great job," Meadows coach Kevin Katovich said. "They did everything they wanted to do and they took us out of what we wanted to do.
"It's still a loss, whether by 1 or 40,"Katovich said. "Leblebijian did a good job, but we didn't help ourselves."
Kevin Reed led the Knights with 15 points, followed by Leblebijian (14) and junior Jack Redding (11).
"Tonight we played against a matchup zone," Camardella said. "We didn't run one set the whole game. It showed their creativity. They've played with each other for a while."
Kemph and Will Trunk led the Mustangs with 9 points each.
"We didn't play so well, but there's a lot of season left," Katovich said. "We're happy to be 2-1 (MSL East) going into the break."