Springfield bounces Grayslake Central

NORMAL — Wednesday night will not go down as a performance that Grayslake Central coach Brian Moe would rank as one of his team’s best of the season.

But even at less than their best, the Rams had a chance to win their quarterfinal matchup with Springfield in the State Farm Holiday Classic.

With Grayslake Central trailing by two with time winding down, the Senators prevented Rams senior Jordan Taylor from getting the ball. Instead, junior Danny Reed lined up the game-winner from long range.

Out of nowhere came Springfield senior Willie Wiley to swat away the Rams’ final hope. The blocked shot punctuated Wiley’s 21-point, 7-rebound, 6-block performance, as the Senators, who were 1-7 before the tournament started, advanced to the semifinals with a 50-48 win at Normal West High School.

Springfield will face Glenbard East, a 45-29 winner over Rockton Hononegah, at 7:30 p.m. today. Grayslake Central (7-4, 1-1) will face Hononegah at 2 p.m. Both games will be played at the Shirk Center at Illinois Wesleyan.

“I don’t want to take anything away from Springfield because they played well, but at times tonight we just looked tired,” Moe said. “I think sitting around all day not doing much didn’t help us. We were sluggish, not setting screens and doing the things that we normally do well on offense.”

Springfield (3-7, 2-0) built as much as an 8-point advantage before the Rams clawed themselves back into the game. Taylor scored 16 of his game-high 24 points, including 9 in the third quarter, in the second half to keep the Rams close.

“Without Jordan tonight, we easily get beat by 20,” Moe said. “He has taken that next step to where he will take over and he did tonight.”

Taylor was the one guy who Springfield coach Matt Reed didn’t want to see with the ball in his hands down the stretch.

“That (Taylor) was just a load and we couldn’t stop him tonight,” Reed said. “At the end, I thought we did a great job of not letting him get the ball and making someone else shoot a 3 to beat us.”

The Senators’ inability to make free throws in the final seconds allowed Grayslake Central to pull close for the final shot. Springfield was only 10 of 21 from the stripe and hit only 3 of 7 in the final minute.

Casey Boyle had 11 points and 7 rebounds for Grayslake Central.