Timothy Christian wins first sectional in 30 years
Timothy Christian hadn't won a boys basketball sectional title since 1980. The Trojans made up for that in eight minutes on Friday.
Scoring the first 11 points of the game and leading Providence-St. Mel 17-3 after a quarter, Timothy beat the Knights 58-47 to win the Class 2A Plano sectional title.
"I looked in the paper, it said, '30-year drought for Timothy Christian.' I was like, 'Oh, I want to end that,'" said senior forward Rob Stein, who had team highs of 19 points, 14 rebounds and 3 blocked shots.
"Ended that drought today and it's just been a dream come true since eighth-grade when I started playing with Reggie (Greenwood) and some of these other guys on the team."
Before taking the Trojans' varsity reins last season, in addition to assisting the varsity coach Jack LeGrand had coached Timothy's eighth-grade boys team.
He thus has a history with Stein, Greenwood, Mark Penczak, Mike Pizzello and others from this year's team, which Tuesday will play Class 2A No. 1 Hales Franciscan, a 66-56 winner over Paxton-Buckley-Loda, at the Joliet Township supersectional.
"We talked about this," LeGrand said. "I said, 'You fellas get real good so we can try to make a little run.' And now we're kind of living it, so it's kind of cool."
There's cool and there's cold. Cold is what eliminated Providence-St. Mel (16-12).
While point guard Greenwood swished a 3 on Timothy's first shot, penetrated and passed to Stein for successive baseline lay-ins and Justin Peeples made 2 free throws and a layup for an 11-0 opening salvo, the Knights began a 19-of-70 shooting performance.
Top-gun guards Torry Walker and Lazarus Gray finished with 8 and 10 points, respectively, about half their averages according to St. Mel coach Tim Ervin. They combined to made 7 baskets in 38 shots.
"They got out to a fast start and we were never able to come back," Ervin said. "We weren't in sync defensively and our shots were not falling offensively, so that hurt us as well."
Keshon Adkins' drive for 2 of his team-high 13 points 4:25 into the game put St. Mel on the board, but Timothy (24-6) chugged forth.
St. Mel started to get its feet in the second quarter but with Stein grabbing 9 rebounds alone in the quarter and 6-3 junior Pizzello holding Knights big man Tevin Harris to 4 points and 6 rebounds all in the second half, the Trojans rolled to a 34-17 halftime lead.
Comfortable enough for LeGrand to insert Dan Leach, a freshman call-up who scored 4 second-quarter points.
"We have a team. That's why we're winning. Everybody contributes," said Greenwood, who scored 10 points with 5 of Timothy's 19 free throws on 27 tries.
St. Mel cut Timothy's lead to 9 three times in the last 2:19, but the Trojans' sectional quest was not to be denied.
"They just came out clicking," LeGrand said. "They had confidence, they just really knew what they wanted to accomplish."