Every player counts as Conant prevails

Mark Monti, Joe Dahm, Kevin Schimel, Joey Ranallo and Joe Muska are not household names in Mid-Suburban League basketball.

But the underclassmen were the last ones standing for Conant at game's end Friday night, and they were part of a 25-point effort off the bench for the Cougars in an intensely physical 56-50 MSL West win at crosstown rival Hoffman Estates.

"We had kids playing who have never really played," in high-pressure situations, said Conant coach Tom McCormack.

With regulars D'Angelo McBride, Sean Bourke and even Ranallo eventually fouling out and junior forward Robert Hudson out hurt, Conant had to dig deep into its bench to protect a 42-24 lead after three quarters.

Host Hoffman started to make some shots and get some good looks against Conant's man-to-man defense and forced some turnovers out of the more inexperienced lineup the Cougars' (10-11, 5-3) had to play.

"I was very proud of our defense," said Hoffman coach Luke Yanule. "We defended a good offensive team. To fight like that is a credit to our team."

Most of the credit goes to Darion Brown, the 6-foot-3 junior who came off the bench to lead all scorers with 18 points. Foul-strapped Conant couldn't contain him around the basket as he had 12 points in the fourth quarter alone. But the Hawks (5-13, 0-8) never got closer than the final margin as Conant stepped up its rebounding in the second half and got critical free throws from Monti, Ranallo, sophomore starting center Mitch Tednes and senior starting point guard Josh Copher in the fourth quarter. Schimel and Tednes chipped in key rebounds and blocked shots.

Conant finished the game with its entire starting lineup fouled out or in foul trouble while the bench came through.

Ranallo "did some things," McCormack noted, often surprising Hoffman's rabbit-quick backline of Sam Wilks, Alex Bonds, Connor Schwarz and Takuro Azumaya. The sophomore heir apparent to Copher at point guard finished with a team-high 13 points.

But a bumpy second half that featured 32 fouls calls, including a technical on Conant, gave the game a schoolyard feel that worked to Hoffman Estates' advantage in the Hawks' quest to avenge a one-sided loss to the Cougars earlier in the season.

"We're on the verge of turning the corner," Yanule said through what was left of a raspy voice.

With senior center Eric Saubert due back from injury, Yanule is feeling optimistic. First, though, the Hawks have to improve at the free throw line.

"We shot 23 of 38 at the free throw line and lost by 6," he said. "We can't do that against a good team like Conant."