Stevenson hands Warren first loss
Home hoops crowds typically get loud after dunks.
Or after clock-beating 3-pointers.
Tuesday night, in Lincolnshire, Stevenson boys basketball fans often got deafening when Patriots freshman guard Jalen Brunson - dribbled.
"He's got some handles, doesn't he?" Stevenson coach Pat Ambrose said. "He's gifted."
The Pats' pre-holiday present, to their hoarse followers: a 44-43 defeat of state-ranked and reigning Class 4A state runner-up Warren.
"We didn't pay any attention to rankings," said Stevenson senior Michael Fleming, who somehow survived a slew of vicious bear hugs from his joyous friends afterward.
"We wanted this badly, so badly."
Brunson (14 points), a 5-foot-11 guard, was good, so good, with the ball Tuesday night in the North Suburban Conference Lake division game.
His final bucket, at 4:38 of the fourth quarter, had to be seen to be awed. Brunson had the ball on a baseline, not too far from the end of his team's bench and Stevenson's pulsating student section.
He then executed a couple of mini-crossover dribbles and slithered around a couple of Blue Devils, before netting an easy layup.
Stevenson (5-1, 2-0) had tied it at 37-37.
Fans, of all ages, erupted.
"A very nice player," said Warren coach Chuck Ramsey, whose club was a very icy 8-for-19 from the free-throw line and a chilly 17-for-52 from the field.
Warren (5-1, 1-1), 23 seconds after Brunson's snake-like sequence, went up 40-37 on senior forward Nathan Boothe's putback basket and ensuing freebie.
Stevenson sophomore reserve Matt Morrissey (5 points) answered with a clutch 3-pointer, on an assist from Brunson.
The Blue Devils took their final lead, 41-40, at 3:48.
A time-out fest followed.
Senior forward Chandler Simon and Fleming (team-high 16 points) scored the victors' final two baskets.
"I'd like to compliment Stevenson; Stevenson's kids played hard, played aggressive basketball," Ramsey said. "Stevenson made more plays than we did, and we did not move the ball well.
"I'm disappointed, but I'm not surprised. Stevenson has a very good team."
Stevenson, which missed its first 5 field-goal attempts, trailed 10-4 after one quarter. Warren senior Darius Paul (19 points, 11 rebounds, 5 steals) struck for 7 points in the first eight minutes and scored 17 of his team's first 31 points.
"We did not shoot very well in the first half," said Ambrose, whose boys faced a 22-17 deficit at the half. "So I told our guys, 'Hey, let's keep chipping away, chipping away.' But what I was most pleased about, at the end, was our defense.
"We made stops - stops we needed to make."
They also let Brunson dribble and drive.
And dribble some more.
"Jalen," said Ambrose, "is not just a gifted basketball player. He's also a great kid, and that's the most important thing. His demeanor on the court - It's fabulous. Here he is, a freshman, in an intense atmosphere. And he didn't have a meltdown."
Brunson also came down with 5 rebounds, matching Simon's total. Stevenson senior forward Colby Cashaw grabbed a team-high 8 boards.
Warren senior guard JoVaughn finished with 8 points and 4 steals, and Blue Devils senior reserve forward Roman Schultz (5 points) seized 7 of his 8 rebounds in the middle quarters.