Boys basketball: Monroe, Balanganayi shine in bigger roles for Palatine
It is a new day and a new season for Palatine’s Carter Monroe and Tony Balanganayi.
The duo both started for last year’s team that finished fourth in the state in Class 4A. But both also had a smaller role in the offense.
Their new roles were on complete display Friday in the final round of the 15th annual Ed Molitor Thanksgiving Classic at Palatine. Monroe scored 24 points on 6 three-pointers while Balanganayi had 19 points and 14 rebounds in Palatine’s 64-56 win over York.
The win enabled the Pirates (3-0) to move into the title game Saturday at 3:45. They will meet Hersey (3-0). The Huskies beat Stevenson 57-56.
Palatine had to overcome a scrappy and undermanned York team to move into the finals. York was missing three starters who will be playing Saturday in the Class 8A football state title game.
“Every team is searching for their identity right now,” Palatine coach Eric Millstone said. “The teams that can find their identities quicker are going to be OK this year.”
Millstone said that having three starters back will give his team a head start.
“With three key contributors back, we are hoping that they will take their experiences and use it positively,” Millstone said.
York (2-1) used some hot shooting from outside the arc the jump out to an early lead. The Dukes were led by Connor Fitzgerald, who had 23 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the three-point line.
York broke to a 12-7 lead early with Fitzgerald knocking down a trio of threes. That shooting along with the shooting of James DeCicco (13 points), who drilled a trio of 3s, helped the Dukes take a 29-28 halftime lead.
York led 34-30 early in the third quarter on a three-pointer by Sawyer Asgedom when Palatine made its move.
The Pirates went on a 10-0 run with Balanganayi and Monroe each scoring five points as Palatine took a 40-34 lead with 3:19 left in the third quarter.
“I know this year I really have to step up,” Balanganayi said. “With two seniors gone from last year, we have a lot of people who also can do that. I know I can do other things and I am looking forward to doing that.”
York closed to 43-39 late in the third quarter. The Pirates were then able to put the game away with an 8-2 run to lead 51-41 and York never got closer than seven.
“That’s what these four days are for,” Millstone said. “To figure out who is going to do what. We need some guys to play a bigger role than they did last year.”
Monroe said that he is embracing his new role.
“Going against a zone, we know I am going to shoot the ball a lot,” Monroe said. “I have felt good the last few days, so today I just wanted to let it go. With the guys graduating, guys have to fill their spots.”
York coach Mike Dunn said he liked the effort by his team.
“We pride ourselves on that,” Dunn said. “We don’t make excuses and it is a next-man up mentality. Our kids have played hard the whole tournament. There are a lot of opportunities for guys that might not had been given a chance if we didn’t have a successful football team.”
Andy Iliopoulos had 10 points for Palatine while Sbram Williams chipped in 6 points. Ethan Iacob had 7 points for York while Louis Arzon had 6 points.