Timothy Christian gives Hales all it's got
The hard part for Timothy Christian was not the loss it suffered Tuesday.
Like senior forward Rob Stein said, "We gave 'em what we got."
The tough part will be not practicing today, missing the pasta dinner tomorrow - the end of a dream season.
"Before the season started we were all separate people," said junior forward Mike Pizzello. "But then during the season we all grooved together and we all just meshed perfectly. Became a big family, really."
Hales Franciscan, the top-ranked team in Class 2A, used nicely timed scoring runs to end Timothy's party, 70-55 at the Class 2A Joliet Township supersectional.
Tennessee State-bound guard Patrick Miller scored 22 points and backcourt mate Jamie Adams 21 as Hales (28-2) advanced to Friday's state semifinals in Peoria. The Spartans will play Robinson, an 81-60 winner over St. Teresa.
"There were only eight teams left in the state tonight," said Hales coach Gary London, "so we knew this was going to be a good team, there's no doubt about it. And we got what we expected."
Not the lopsided contest some may have expected given Hales' pedigree that includes the 2003 Class A title, Timothy Christian (24-7) hung within 17-15 after a quarter, Stein and Pizzello leading the way.
Hales benefitted on a pivotal sequence separated by halftime. Denzel Peppers' and Adams' consecutive 3-pointers put the Spartans up 33-26 at the break, then a 10-2 run claimed a 43-28 lead early in the third.
"When you need a play, they made a play," said Trojans coach Jack LeGrand.
Timothy senior Reggie Greenwood made several on his way to a team-high 15 points. Stein added 12 points, Mark Penczak 11.
Greenwood scored 8 straight points on two 3s and a layup off his own steal. Another Greenwood steal led to a Stein basket to pull within 43-38.
Hales countered with a highlight-reel 8-0 run: Miller following up his own miss; Dominique Wall's putback slam then a second throw-down; Aaric Armstead's steal, behind-the-back dribble and spin-move lay-in.
Hales led 51-40 entering the fourth quarter. Timothy approached 51-44 on Stein inside and Justin Peeples' up-and-under score, but another 8-0 Hales run again slapped the Trojans back.
"We made sure we were on point with our defense," London said was the key.
A Penczak putback with 55 seconds left had the Trojans within 65-55 but Hales held.
"Played hard, left it all out on the court," LeGrand said. "I can't be more proud of them. (Hales) just played real well."
Stein, who moves on toward a goal of a state shot put title after placing second in 1A last year, called this basketball season "a dream come true for me."
"Shoot, to get a regional championship, that would have been good enough for me," he said. "But we did even better, got a sectional win and almost got this one tonight."