Palatine helps tighten up MSL West race
Palatine has put the Mid-Suburban West on notice: The Pirates will be a factor in the title chase as the division enters the second round.
Palatine, No. 20 in the Daily Herald's area-wide rankings of boys basketball teams, came from behind Saturday to beat No. 7 Barrington 79-75 in front of a spirited home crowd. In winning its fifth game in a row, including one over No. 11 Lake Zurich last week the Pirates ran their record to 16-6 and threw the West into a 3-way tie among the Broncos, Conant and Fremd, all at 4-2 in the West. Palatine is a game back at 3-3.
“It's the second round of the conference, and the MSL West is still up for grabs,” said RJ Smith (15 points).
“We've gotten a couple of quality wins,” Palatine coach Eric Millstone said. “We've got some momentum.”
The Pirates trailed until the fourth quarter and by as many as 12 in the third quarter before gaining the momentum and holding off the Broncos (14-6, 4-2) down the stretch.
Justin Chaney put on a display of 3-point shooting, making 6 of 14, including a third-quarter buzzer-beater from well beyond NBA 3-point distance. He finished with 20 points leading 4 Pirates in double figures.
“I didn't see it go in,” said Chaney, who was flat on his back after making the falling away shot. “I really worked on my shot over the summer. My confidence is better, even when I miss.”
Trailing 59-55 after three quarters, Palatine took its first lead when Chaney canned a 3 to give his team a 62-61 lead with 5:23 left in the game.
After Rapolas Ivanauskas (game-high 26 points) scored to put Barrington back in the lead, Matt Ulrich scored on a putback with 4:41 left to give Palatine a lead it wouldn't relinquish. Ulrich followed with a pair of free throws 3 seconds later after a Bronco turnover, and Smith scored from close range to give Palatine a 68-63 lead with 4:14 left.
Despite shooting just 50 percent from the line in the second half (14 of 28), the Pirates made them when it mattered most. Ulrich made 6 of 8 and scored 10 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter.
“Barrington is good, they're big and they're physical,” Ulrich said. “These are two good wins back to back.”
“I'm real pleased with the way we closed out the game,” Millstone said. “We made just enough free throws to close it out.”
Ivanauskas wasn't the only offensive weapon for the Broncos. Chris Lester scored 15 points, including 3 3-pointers, Will Reinhard added 12 (10 in the first half), and Scott Bennett came off the bench to score 9.
Many of Reinhard's first half points came via assists from Ivanauskas, who was the center of attention for Palatine's defense.
“He's a multi-dimensional player,” Barrington coach Bryan Tucker said of his 6-9 junior forward.
“When they got control of the momentum, it was hard for us,” Tucker said. “Once we calmed down, we couldn't catch them.”