Prospect completes perfect run to MSL East title

Ten and feels oh so good.

Prospect finished the job Friday night, completing a perfect run through the Mid-Suburban East at 10-0 with a 66-47 homecourt win over Wheeling, hurdling the momentum-filled Knights (18-6) into the MSL championship game Wednesday against Schaumburg.

"It feels very good," said head coach John Camardella after his team knocked down 11-of-23 3-point tries. Except for getting nudged a little by Wheeling in the second quarter, Prospect pretty much maintained a double-digit lead all the way.

Jason Leblebijian (20 points) knocked down six 3s, seemingly one every time Wheeling's zone didn't swing over to him quickly enough.

"That was the story of the game," Camardella said of knocking down the 3-pointers.

But it's not the end of the story. "It feels good," to win the East at 10-0, said Leblebijian, "but our final goal is not yet achieved - win the MSL championship."

The bench was key. With inside powers Kevin Reed (11 points) and Nsenzi Salasini in foul trouble, Kevin Matkovic, Austin Sobey, Jack Redding and Joe LaTulip (10 points) rode to the rescue off the bench and paced a run that erased some Wheeling momentum.

"We were playing agressively," said Wheeling (7-17, 2-8) coach Lou Wool, when James Kurtz scored 11 of his 12 points in period two and got the lead down to 23-18. But Leblebijian's trio of 3s ended the half and Latulip, Redding and Matkovic combined for 11 points early in the third quarter to seal the win.

"We had some breakdowns defensively," Wool noted. "It was sort of a reflection of our season. We've played in spurts. We haven't been able to maintain any consistency."