St. Francis avenges loss to Addison Trail
St. Francis is a far different team than it was a month ago.
The Spartans had a chance to prove it on Tuesday.
Avenging a loss during Thanksgiving week, St. Francis topped Addison Trail 39-34 in third-round boys basketball action from the Glenbard West Holiday Classic in Glen Ellyn.
With a handful of football players rounding into shape - players who didn't compete in the Batavia Thanksgiving tournament because they were busy winning the Class 5A state title in Champaign - the Spartans (6-4) are rounding into shape as a team.
Tuesday's win was their fourth straight and gave them first place in the White Pool at Glenbard West. St. Francis will play Green Pool champion Nazareth in the tournament title game at 8 p.m. Friday.
"There was some big motivation in this one because there was no chance we were going to drop two to them," said Spartans guard Clint Pierce, one of the non-football players who vividly remembers the 51-41 loss to the Blazers.
"We're still getting our feet under us as a full squad," he said. "We're making strides every day."
The outcome was in doubt deep into the final minute. Costa Diamond split a pair of free throws to pull Addison Trail (3-7) within 33-32, and the Blazers got the ball back off the missed second shot.
A five-second violation appeared to doom the Blazers' chances, but Ian Horvath stole the inbounds pass and was fouled. After two free throws missed the mark, though, the Spartans made 6 of 7 free throws in the final 37 seconds.
Even during that sequence the Blazers had a chance on the missed front end of a 1-and-1. A foul on the Blazers, however, put the Spartans' David Palash back on the line, where he hit a pair.
For all the missed opportunities late in the game, the Blazers would love to have that last minute back.
"It's just a matter of making plays when you have to," said Addison Trail coach Brendan Lyons. "That's really what it came down to."
Pierce's 11 points paced St. Francis while Palash scored 6 of his 8 points from the line. As a team the Spartans made 16 of 18 free throws.
Horvath led all scorers with 17 points. Diamond tallied 10 points off the bench.
"We're just kind of hanging on right now," said Spartans coach Shawn Healy. "We're just grinding out games, winning ugly. All those slogans comes to mind."