Chambers impresses as Warren rolls

Here's a quick scouting report on Warren junior guard Maurice Chambers.

Do not fail to guard this first-year varsity player. He is lightning-quick and can get to the basket in the blink of an eye. He sees the court so very well and can make a no-look pass like its nothing. He can hit the 3-pointer but seems better driving to the hoop where he can practice his magic. Division I prospect? He might need to grow a few inches, but the skills are there.

"He doesn't know how good he can be,'' said Warren basketball coach Ryan Webber. "He's really good."

His teammate and recent football star, Caleb Reams, certainly likes what he sees in Chambers.

"When he gets started, I don't think anyone can stop him,'' Reams said. "He'll continue to get better into next year."

In the final game of the Mundelein Thanksgiving Tournament, the host Mustangs took a first-quarter lead on the Warren Blue Devils. And then Chambers, Reams and the rest of the Warren team ran away and hid to the tune of a 74-44 romp.

It didn't look to be one-sided early as the Mustangs (0-5) used the 3-point shooting of senior Tyler Olson (four 3-pointers, 13 points) and the spin moves of fellow 12th-grader Kevin Marcotte to grab a 14-13 lead heading to the second quarter.

And then it seemed every back-door pass that Warren ran paid off handsomely. Chambers (18 points) chipped in a 3-pointer and Jake Falish (10 points) scored on back-to-back plays to give the Devils a double digit lead at 28-16.

"We've come a long way in a week,'' Webber said. "We have a lot new guys. We are just trying to get guys open the best we can."

The third quarter was all Warren. Mundelein freshman guard Tommy Marcotte opened the quarter with a drive to the hoop to cut the Devils lead to single digits. He just beat the third quarter buzzer with a 3-pointer. And after that shot, his team trailed by 16 points (47-31). In the meantime, Chambers scored on a pair of drives to the hoop.

"I'm here to help the team,'' Chambers said. "Every day, I just want to improve."

If there was much to note about the final quarter, it came with the play of Mr. Reams. The Illinois-bound football player showed what he can do on the basketball court - back-to-back steals, a couple of free throws, a putback and great open-court play.

"Caleb knows we love him,'' Webber said. "But when he plays like that, it's really something."

All from a player who wasn't certain he was coming out for hoops this year.

"I was thinking of graduating early,'' Reams said. "But I really love basketball. I've been playing since the sixth grade and it's been a great time."

This rugged player took a tough fall after running into teammate Jovan Jokic.

"I thought I might have chipped a tooth,'' Reams said.

When the scoringgame This game got out of hand

In the fourth quarter, both teams cleared the benches. Warren's Jalen Deere scored 5 points in less than two minutes of play, and Jokic finished with 11 for the Blue Devils.