Timothy Christian clinches share of PSL championship

Rob Stein felt the butterflies. That's a good thing.

"When you don't have them," Timothy Christian's junior forward said, "you're not ready to play."

The hosts were ready for Friday's crucial Private School League game against visiting Walther Lutheran, leading by 19 points after three quarters in their packed gym in Elmhurst.

Walther barreled back within 3 points, but the Trojans finished strong to win 64-53, clinching at least a tie for the PSL title with one league game remaining.

"The team really did step up - and they're going to have to," said Timothy Christian coach Jack LeGrand. "One of their goals is to win a conference championship, and they're really close."

Timothy Christian required (15-6, 7-0) the team effort. LeGrand said senior post player Peter Tameling broke a school rule and will not play again this season.

"Everybody had to pick him up," said Stein, who grabbed 10 rebounds and scored 18 points, second on the Trojans behind guard Reggie Greenwood's game-high 24. "I was going in for him, but everybody was backing us up."

Everyone knocked back Walther Lutheran (13-8, 4-1). Stein and Greenwood paced an early 11-2 run that gave the Trojans the lead for good. They led 18-9 at the end of the first quarter, 27-12 on a Greenwood transition basket, then settled for a 29-21 halftime lead.

"We never got into a good offensive flow for the whole first half and even through the first four, five minutes of the second half," said Walther coach Bob Koehne, who noted Timothy's 18-11 first-half rebounding advantage over the taller Broncos.

Led by guards Greenwood and Robert White offensively and by a zone defense that forced 1-of-9 shooting, the Trojans' 15-4 third-quarter edge produced a 44-25 lead.

Walther guard Brandon Sims led an 18-2 run. He scored 10 of his team-high 16 points in the fourth quarter, with a 3 to cut the deficit to 46-43 with 3:35 to play.

White, who scored 11, answered with a jumper. Jaaron Holmes made 2 free throws, and Mark Penczak's 3 from the right baseline capped a 7-1 run for a 53-44 Timothy lead with 2:26 left.

Penczak added a lay-in and Greenwood converted his own steal for a three-point play and 57-47 lead at 1:34. The burst sent the Trojans nearer one of their goals.

"Ready to win that conference championship, that's all we have to do," Greenwood said.