Gutty effort lifts Prospect past Wheeling
It was gut-check time for Prospect at Wheeling on Friday.
The Knights entered the game on a two-game slide, and watched a 16-point halftime lead get whittled to 7 points entering the fourth quarter. Then they held their breath when senior Joe LaTulip limped to the bench with 7:17 remaining.
But Prospect (11-3, 4-0) responded with a 15-2 run to start the final quarter in gutting out a 72-56 Mid Suburban East victory against a feisty Wheeling team.
"This is sort of the gut-check time," said Prospect coach John Carmadella of his MSL East leading squad. "Everyone is excited at the beginning and end of the season, but it's what you can put together in the middle. I'm glad the guys responded tonight."
Joe LaTulip (13 points) hurt his right knee on a cut and did not return but said after the game he didn't believe the injury was serious. But Jack Redding (18 points), Mike LaTulip (16 points), Grant DePalma and Sam Pope ( 8 points) all came through at crunch time.
Pope's 3-pointer with 2:14 remaining capped the decisive run and gave the Knights a 68-48 advantage.
The physical game was bogged down by a combined 44 fouls. Prospect took advantage of its free throw opportunities going 24-of-35 from the line, including 12-of-20 in the final quarter.
"We just went out there and tried to keep our composure," said Mike LaTulip, who went 6-for-6 from the line in the final quarter. "We knew this was a big game to set the tone and prove to ourselves that we can do some damage in the East."
Prospect ended the first half with a 15-2 run in taking a 41-25 halftime lead, the Knights increased its lead to 17 points on a Redding drive and foul shot.
But Wheeling (3-11, 0-4) didn't back down and used its dribble penetration to go on a 10-1 run. A drive by Ricky Schwind (13 points) narrowed the deficit to 50-42 with 2:19 remaining in the third quarter.
"Offensively we were just looking to penetrate and kick," added Schwind of the Wildcats' surge. "We tried to play as a team and move the ball around."
Senior James Barrera (5 points) and junior Tyler Shapiro (7 points) helped to spark the Wildcat uprising.
"We fought today, we didn't back down," said Wheeling coach Lou Wool. "We definitely took a step forward today."
But the Knights were able to answer and kept a step in front of their East challengers.
"They fought extremely hard," said Joe LaTulip. "But you know that being on top like we are in the MSL East, every single game we're going to get people's best."