St. Edward knocks off IC
St. Edward boys basketball coach Keith Chuipek believes Immaculate Conception is the best defensive team in the Suburban Catholic Christian Gold.
The Green Wave showed Friday night its not that bad either.
St Edward held the Knights to just 8 points in the final 13 minutes to rally for a 46-38 SCC Gold victory in Elgin.
"Historically, we can tip the ball (defensively). We usually don't get it," Chuipek said. "Tonight we got the tips and we got the ball."
IC (12-14, 5-5) scored the first 9 points of the game and 15 in the first quarter, hitting 5 field goals. The Knights had only 6 baskets in the final three quarters.
"I thought we got a little desperate offensively," Knights coach Darren Howard said. "We tried to force some things that weren't there for us.
The Green Wave (11-15, 3-7) trailed 20-13 in the second quarter before DJ Byrnes' 3-pointer with 3:33 remaining sparked an 8-0 run to give St. Edward its first lead, 21-20, with 55.5 seconds left.
The Knights led 30-27 with 5:20 remaining in the third quarter after 2 free throws from Anthony Loss. But 7 turnovers in their final 10 possessions of the quarter doomed the Knights. St. Edward went on a 12-0 run, started and capped by a 3-pointer by Nick Kerger, to take a 39-30 lead into the fourth. Mike Ellis also scored 9 of his game-high 21 points in the third.
"(Teammates) did feed off me," Ellis said "Obviously (IC) wanted the ball out my hands. My team wanted the ball in my hands. We brought another point guard in, Gus Domel, to handle the ball. We excelled."
The Knights got within 3, 39-36, with 5 minutes left in the fourth, but only hit 2 free throws the rest of the way.
IC was missing its leading scorer and rebounder, Demetrius Mobley (flu), and best on-the-ball defender, Will Cronin (sprained ankle). Howard expects both to be back when the Knights open the postseason Thursday against either Walther Lutheran or Chicago ACT Charter.
Loss led IC with 14 points. Michael Randick added 11 points and 9e rebounds.
Andrew Waterman scored 9 points off the bench for the Green Wave.