Montini outlasts St. Edward
For a team on a six-game losing streak, watching a 17-point fall down to just two in less than 3 minutes could have been demoralizing.
Instead, Montini responded in a big way.
The Broncos outscored St. Edward, 22-7, in the final 7 minutes to beat the Green Wave, 75-58, in a Suburban Christian Conference crossover game in Elgin.
“We very easily could have quit when it got to be a two-point game,” Montini coach Brian Opoka said. “Our kids persevered. It’s hard when you’re a three-win team looking for your fourth. Our locker room feels outstanding.”
Montini (4-10) led through much of the first half until the Green Wave (4-13) went on a 7-0 run late in the second quarter to take a 23-20 lead. But the momentum changed at the buzzer as Ben Brady hit a 3-pointer from the left corner to give the Broncos a 27-25 halftime lead.
The Broncos increased the lead to 41-27 with 4:10 left in the third on an offensive putback from Rich Bodee, capping a 19-2 run. A TJ Murray 3-pointer with 1:50 remaining in the third gave Montini a 51-34 lead.
Then St. Edward, which has now lost six straight, caught fire. Edward O’Halloran hit a pair of 3-pointers and a pair of free throws, Zach Brewster connected from behind the arc and Michael Ellis had a steal and layup with 2 seconds left in the third as the Green Wave cut the deficit to 53-47 heading into the fourth.
Ellis, who had a game-high 26 points, had a 3-point play to open the fourth and Brewster hit 1 of 2 free throws with 7:01 remaining to get St. Edward within 2, 53-51.
“I think we dig ourselves too deep of a hole and use all our energy to get back out of it,” Green Wave coach P.J. White said.
The Broncos stayed composed and got the lead back to double figures in less than 4 ½ minutes. Bodee and Jim Miller each had 6 points in the final quarter for Montini, which went 10-for-10 from the free-throw line in the final 6:34 to pull away.
“Everyone pretty much kept their calm,” said Bodee, who was playing in his second game back after missing several weeks with a knee injury. “It worked out for us.”
Bodee finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds. Brady added 13 points and Miller had 12.
Brewster had 12 points for the Green Wave. O’Halloran finished with 10, all in the third quarter. Ellis added 7 rebounds.