Barrington, Prospect set to settle their differences

There are some differences to be settled when Barrington visits Prospect in the 41st annual Mid-Suburban League boys basketball championship game at 7:30 p.m. today.

The East division champion Knights (16-7) have the MSL's best offense at 64.8 points a game. The Broncos (18-9), who shared the West title with Fremd and Schaumburg, have the league's third-best defense at 49.9 points allowed a game.

Prospect has the league's No. 2 scorer in junior guard Mike LaTulip (19.9 ppg). Barrington has one of the MSL's most balanced offenses led by senior guard Tyler Weathered (12.1 ppg).

Prospect is making its third straight trip and league-record 15th to the MSL title game. Barrington won its only trip to the league's showcase in 1979.

And they haven't crossed paths since last year when Barrington won their post-holiday crossover 74-62 at Prospect.

"We've been looking at them a little bit," said Barrington senior captain and forward Owen Prunskis. "We played them last year so we kind of know how they are as players.

"LaTulip is a great player and we'll be ready for them. We haven't played them but we know them."

LaTulip watched Prospect win a regional title two years ago over Loyola in Bryan Tucker's last game there as head coach before he came to Barrington. LaTulip said his older brother Joe also considered going to play at Loyola when he was in the eighth grade.

"He's made a smooth transition at Barrington and that's a tribute to him and his coaches," LaTulip said. "I know those kids play hard.

"We've done a good job in this stretch we've had (8-1 with an overtime loss to Rolling Meadows) of limiting turnovers and we know if we turn the ball over against Barrington they'll capitalize on that. They play really hard (man-to-man) defense but we know what's coming and we'll be ready for it."

LaTulip (50 3-pointers) has averaged 21.9 points in his last nine games and has led the Knights in scoring 19 times.

They have also been led three times apiece by 6-foot-6 Matt Loebbaka (11.2 ppg) and 6-5 Terry Redding (8.8.). Defensive stopper Danny O'Brien, point guard Grant DePalma, 6-9 Will Botefuhr and Brad Reibel all hitting double-figures multiple times.

"Everbody knows their role on this team and that's the biggest part of our success," said LaTulip, who is the only returning starter from last year's team that lost the MSL title game at Fremd. "This group in particular has gelled really well and the chemistry is awesome. I had no doubt this team could do this."

The same could be said of a Barrington team where Weathered (49 3-pointers), who scored only 3 points last season, has been the leading scorer nine times. Six-7 junior John Schneider (10.7 ppg), 6-4 junior Mark Bennett (6.8) and senior defensive stopper Greg Gerrard (10.5) are next at seven, five and four times respectively.

Sophomore guard Brad Zaumseil (7.5) and 6-5 Lukas Osmundsen have also taken turns as the Broncos' high scorer.

"That's when we're at our best," Tucker said after Bennett had a game-high 11 points in Friday's 61-27 win over Hoffman Estates.

"It's a very unselfish group of guys," Prunskis said.

"Probably the quintessential word is they're balanced offensively and balanced defensively," said Prospect coach John Camardella. "You can see why they did so well this year because you can't take anything away from them.

"They're extremely disciplined and Schneider is probably the best shot-blocker we've seen all year."

Barrington is 12-4 since a 48-47 loss on a desperation heave at the buzzer by Crystal Lake South. Three of the losses in the stretch are by a combined 7 points.

Gerrard, Schneider and Zaumseil missed a combined 11 first-half games to injuries.

"Over Christmas we didn't have Greg but we saw a lot of other guys had skills," said Prunskis, who also had to battle through an injured ankle. "The (Jacobs) Christmas tournament played a big role in us coming together as a team. When Greg came back we were already playing at a higher level."

Another difference is he level Prospect is playing at coming into this year's title game. Last year it had lost five of seven games going into its attempt to defend the 2009 title it won in overtime at home over Schaumburg.

"Last year was disappointing where we had a downslope at the end of the season," LaTulip said. "Things are really looking up right now."