Another first-rate Barrington effort
Barrington may be in second place in its division, but it’s putting out first-rate performances.
The Broncos moved into sole possession of second place in the Mid-Suburban West with a solid 58-49 home-court win Saturday over a scrappy but outsized Conant team.
Barrington continually shuffled taller players in and out of the lineup who crashed the boards, got high-percentage looks (23-of-42 from the floor) and caused match-up headaches for the Cougars (11-6, 3-3).
“We knew we were coming up against Conant. They’re a physical team,” said 6-foot-7 junior center John Schneider of the Broncos, who paced his club with 16 points on a variety of inside and medium-range shots.
He showed off his passing touch with a nice feed to Lukas Osmundsen for an easy hoop and was pretty much un-guardable. He attributes some of that to Osmundsen, his 6-5 frontcourt running mate.
“In practice, me and Luke go at it,” he said through a smile.
More importantly, he shortened up his range Saturday night for better looks, something on which he’s been focusing. “I’ve been working on trying to attack the basket,” he noted.
His teammates did too. Osmundsen had two huge fourth-quarter hoops to hold off a Conant comeback. Captain Greg Gerrard had two himself in the period, much to the delight of head coach Bryan Tucker.
“He’s been chompin’ at the bit,” after sitting out with an ankle injury, and he played like it, with 12 points in a balanced Barrington (14-6, 4-2) effort.
“We were balanced. We count on that,” said Tucker.
That included Tyler Weathered’s 13 points, a performance Tucker says is right in line with his all-conference credentials so far this season.
Barrington needed all of it though. Down by as much as 33-21, Conant, in foul trouble as well as outsized, still fought back.
“Defensively, we made enough plays,” to stay in it, said Conant coach Tom McCormack.
Somehow, despite shooting 12-of-43 from the floor and 4-of-18 on 3-pointers, the Cougars hung in. London Dokubo fought off foul trouble to score 18 and got himself to the line repeatedly with quick moves to the rim. George Pessimisis’ fakes on 3-pointers earned him some turns at the free throw line and Dylan Bartuch, designated 3-point bomber, also got himself to the line consistently.
Ultimately, though, “I think we got some great looks and we didn’t knock them down,” was how McCormack sized up the difference in the game.
Conant’s late run at the Broncos though was cause for concern for the hosts.
“Those lapses, that’s something we’ve been working on,” Schneider said of playing a full 32 minutes and not letting a big lead slip away.