St. Viator: In the zone
Some unexpected dimensions led St. Viator to the long-awaited dimension it expected Tuesday night at Vernon Hills.
The Lions scrapped their traditional man-to-man and played primarily a 2-3 zone defensively. But they also weren't afraid to run with high-powered North Chicago in their Class 3A boys basketball sectional semifinal.
Third-year varsity starters and two-time all-area picks Alan Aboona and Richard McLoughlin combined for 42 points. But seniors Richard Markovits and Julian Sipiora also scored more than three times their usual combined 8-point average.
It all added up to another historic night for the Lions (23-6) as they rolled to an 82-64 victory and a sectional championship game berth for the first time in three tries.
"We broke the school record for wins playing the game the way we want to play the game," Markovits said after scoring a career-high 17 points and getting 7 rebounds.
"We keep making school history with our wins and now getting this far," said Aboona, who had 27 points, 4 assists and no turnovers against North Chicago's man-to-man pressure. "We feel we're not done, though. We feel we can make it farther."
The Lions' step into uncharted territory will bring them back to Vernon Hills at 7:30 p.m. Friday. They'll face Johnsburg (27-2), which beat Gordon Tech 57-45 in Tuesday's second semifinal.
It was a Jordan-esque personal 13-point outburst by Markovits in a little more than three minutes that put Viator ahead by double digits for good at 50-36 with 3:38 left in the third.
"I don't think I've ever had a run like that," said Markovits, a 4.6 averager who missed his first 4 shots but hit his last seven. "It was truly amazing.
"All of the practice I put in was worth these moments. I couldn't even feel anything after one of the 'and-ones (3-point play).' I told myself it was going to come to me and if I worked my butt off the plays would come."
Markovits' hard work started his run with a pair of rebound baskets. His layup off 1 of 3 assists by Jack Ethchingam opened a 9-0 run after North Chicago (19-8) got within 41-36 on a leaning jumper by Demetrius Starks (20 points).
Sipiora, who didn't play last year to concentrate on football, had 10 points and 8 rebounds. His driving 3-point play started a 12-2 tear that put Viator up 78-58 with 2:45 left.
"How about it," said Viator coach Joe Majkowski with a smile. "We figured the way North Chicago played those two can get open and make layups. We said it would be there for us."
The reasons they were there included Viator outrebounding North Chicago 36-33 out of its zone with Brendan King getting seven and McLoughlin six to go with his 15 points.
Chris Myjak also added 6 points off the bench as it shot 56.5 percent from the field (26-for-46) and 29-for-43 on free throws to North Chicago's 9-for-12.
"We knew they score a lot of 'Bozo buckets' - and we knew they were going to go for bucket No. 1," said North Chicago coach Gerald Coleman of Viator's 25-for-37 accuracy inside the 3-point line. "I'm pretty sure they got 50 points from bucket No. 1."
And with sophomore star and 23-point averager Aaron Simpson out with a broken left hand, the Warhawks shot just 36.9 percent (24-for-65) against the Lions' active zone.
"We wouldn't be able to guard them 1-on-1," Sipiora said. "They're the quickest team we've seen all year. We worked on the 2-3 all week and rotated very well and it showed."
Viator also didn't surrender easy baskets with only 2 of its 8 turnovers after halftime and none in the fourth quarter.
"Our pressure defense never shook him up," Coleman said of Aboona.
"We feel we can play with anyone," Aboona said. "We can play a fast game and play a slow game. We can shoot the ball and we can get to the basket.
"We really feel we can do it all."
Now Viator gets to show it for the first time with a sectional title on the line.