Mundelein gets its wish — Warren

On the way to the locker room, just moments after his team got a win over Deerfield on Wednesday in the Barrington sectional semifinal, one Mundelein player yelled, “We want Warren.”

Of course, the Mustangs all knew long before then that they would be getting Warren in the sectional championship game, which will be played tonight (7:30 p.m.) at Barrington High School.

The top-seeded Blue Devils (28-3) had already advanced to the title game by getting a win in their semifinal against Fremd on Tuesday.

What the player likely meant was “We want another shot at Warren.”

No. 2 Mundelein is champing at the bit to face Warren again.

“It’s going to be a fight on Friday,” Mundelein center Ryan Sawvell said after the Deerfield win. “That’s all I know. It’s going to be intense.”

The Mustangs, who are 29-4 and set the school record for wins in a season with their victory over Deerfield, are anxious for redemption in the face of two lopsided regular season losses to Warren in North Suburban Conference Lake Division action.

Warren rolled to an NSC title by going undefeated in the Lake Division, and in the process, blowing past Mundelein by an average of 29 points per game.

“But those were games that were played in December and January,” Warren coach Chuck Ramsey said matter-of-factly. “They really don’t matter now. They’re not going to factor in and they’re not going to have any effect on our guys.

“This is the sectional championship. I assume that both teams will be ready to play and give everything they have. Everything is on this game.”

The battle in the paint between Sawvell, a Division I center who has been named the Daily Herald’s player of the year, and Warren’s revolving door of tall, tough frontliners will likely set the tone.

Sawvell, who will be playing at the University of Evansville next year, is averaging 19 points and nearly 12 rebounds per game and often is defended by double and triple teams. Warren boasts tremendous size among its three starting bigs in Nathan Boothe (6-foot-8), Darius Paul (6-foot-6) and Jeremiah Jackson (6-foot-5).

Booth, Paul and Jackson lead the Blue Devils in scoring and are all at about 10 to 11 points per game.

“Sawvell is a warrior,” Ramsey said. “He plays at the highest level and he’s so athletic. He’s one of the best I’ve seen up here since I’ve been coaching. He does a lot for Mundelein.”

The Blue Devils will also have to contend with a potent perimeter threat in guard Robert Knar. Knar leads Mundelein in scoring with 20 points per game and can take pressure off of Sawvell.

“He’s just a tremendous player because he can score in a variety of ways,” Ramsey said of Knar. “He can shoot and drive. He’s just very skilled and he’s hard to guard.”

The same could be said for Warren in general.

The Blue Devils boast incredible balance and depth, so much that defenses find it difficult to know where to turn their attention.

Warren’s top scorer is Paul at about 11 points per game. He is capable of big numbers and scored 18 points on Tuesday against Fremd.

But defenses can’t afford to focus much on him, or on Boothe or Jackson because the Blue Devils gets between 6 to 9 points per game out of their top nine players.

“We’ve been very efficient on offense over our last few games,” Ramsey said. “We don’t have many empty, throw-away possessions. We’ve been pretty solid.”

While Mundelein often goes as Sawvell and Robert Knar go, the Mustangs have shown more depth in recent games as well.

Against Deerfield, guard Leavon Head scored 13 points and guard Richard Knar nailed a couple of big 3-pointers.

“We’re getting different guys doing things for us now,” Knar said. “That’s been huge for us, especially in the playoffs.”

Speaking of huge, like his players, Knar isn’t underestimating the meaning of this game.

“It’s going to be a tough game but I’m glad we’re playing (Warren) again,” Knar said. “For some of our kids, it’s like vindication. It’s like, ‘Let’s go show people that we’re a 29-win team and that we’ve beaten some tough teams and that we can play.’ That’s the biggest thing for us.”

CLASS 4A Boys Basketball Sectional Championship

No. 2 Mundelein Mustangs (29-4) vs. No. 1 Warren Blue Devils (28-3)When: 7:30 p.m., today

Where: Barrington High School

Mundelein#146;s road to the championship: Defeated No. 11 Deerfield (50-43) in Wednesday#146;s sectional semifinal. The Mustangs won their own regional by defeating No. 14 Stevenson (66-57) and No. 10 Waukegan (84-77).

Warren#146;s road to the championship: Defeated No. 5 Fremd (72-43) in Tuesday#146;s sectional semifinal. The Blue Devils won the Wheeling regional by defeating No. 17 Highland Park (52-42) and No. 8 Hersey (65-49).

Head coaches: Dick Knar (Mundelein); Chuck Ramsey (Warren)

Mundelein#146;s probable starters: G Robert Knar (20 ppg), C Ryan Sawvell (19 ppg), G Leavon Head, G Richard Knar, F Sean O#146;Brien.

Warren#146;s probable starters: F Darius Paul (11 ppg), F Nathan Boothe (10 ppg), F Jeremiah Jackson (9 ppg), G Brandon Ferguson, G JoVaughn Gaines.

Trophy trivia: Mundelein is vying for its first sectional championship in school history. Warren has won seven sectional championships, five under head coach Chuck Ramsey. The Blue Devils last won a sectional title in 2007. Warren has made one trip to the state finals. In 1999, the Blue Devils finished as the Class AA runner-up to St. Joseph.

Next: Winner advances to Tuesday#146;s Waukegan supersectional (7:30 p.m.) and will face the winner of tonight#146;s New Trier sectional championship between No. 4 Niles North and No. 15 Schaumburg.