Boys basketball: Schneider returns, helps Prospect upset Hersey
There is nothing like a neighborhood rivalry.
Prospect’s Ben Schneider knows what it’s like to miss one.
Last season, Schneider tore his ACL and missed the entire season, including both games with rival Hersey. So, when Schneider broke his right hand two weeks ago in a game against Proviso East, he targeted Thursday’s game at Hersey for a return.
Schneider didn’t disappoint and neither did his Prospect teammates as the Knights stunned Hersey 56-41.
The win keeps Prospect (10-11, 4-2) in the MSL East race. Hersey (15-4, 4-2) is also in the same race as both teams still have games with division leading Rolling Meadows (18-3, 6-0).
For Schneider, it was pure satisfaction, not just being able to play, but beating his top rival.
“I just knew I had to play,” said Schneider, who finished with 18 points, including 8-of-9 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter.
“I didn’t get to play Hersey twice last year. I talked to the doctor and he said take some medicine and tape it up and it’s going to hurt. You have to play through it and that’s what I did.”
Prospect coach Brad Rathe was impressed with Schneider.
“Schneider is so tough” Rathe said. “He told me all along he wanted to come back a week before that. But it really hurt. Our trainer did a great job with a customized tape job. When the adrenaline is flowing he goes and competes.”
Rathe loved the fight in his team.
“I knew we had that fight in us. The season has not gone exactly as we wanted to. Our practices have been good. And the kids are still working hard. We were primed and ready for this one.”
Prospect made Hersey uncomfortable from the outset. Ryan Lifton hit a three, while Luke Christopulos and Schneider each made baskets as the Knights took a quick 7-0 lead.
Hersey settled down as Charlie Pomis went to work. Pomis, who would finish with 18 points, scored the next 9 points for the Huskies and then assisted on two other baskets as Hersey surged to a 16-11 lead.
“Man, did we play hard,” Rathe said. “The 50-50 balls and the offensive rebounds were great. But I was most proud of the fact that we took a 7-0 lead and they punched us back. But we responded well.”
And respond they did. The Knights scored the next 11 points thanks to a pair of threes from Lifton, to lead 22-18 at the half.
“We came out here and did what we needed to do,” said Lifton, who finished with 13 points. “It was playing with the guys out there tonight. We are back on track. “
Hersey made a surge as the Huskies closed to 22-21 on a basket by Jackson Hupp (6 points). But again Prospect responded behind Jack Skoog (9 points) to slide out to a 37-25 lead late in the third quarter on a putback by Quinn Zinzer.
Hersey was able to get within 37-31 after three quarters. But Prospect continued to press on, mounting a 10-2 run to make it 47-37 with 2:32 left. Schneider then closed it out with his impressive free throw shooting.
“I don’t think we got into a rhythm offensively tonight, “ Hersey coach Bob Widlowski said. “Credit to Prospect for that. I thought Prospect ran their stuff very well tonight and we had some defensive breakdowns with rebounding. And our offensive execution was not where it needed to be.”