Boys basketball: Bardic reaches 1,000 in Stevenson’s win at Libertyville
Aidan Bardic joined an elite class of players in Stevenson boys basketball history with a free throw with 5:51 to play in Friday night’s 63-44 North Suburban Conference victory at Libertyville.
And class was the operative word as Libertyville coach Bryan Zyrkowski let Stevenson coach Will Benson make a quick announcement to the cheering crowd that Bardic was the program’s seventh player to reach 1,000 career points.
“As I was getting closer, I could start to hear my teammates talk about it and I had a few friends here and I could hear them,” the 6-foot-3 senior said after he scored 26 points and had 3 assists. “It’s always fun to do it in front of an away crowd. But forget 1,000, our only goal was play together, play good D and stick together and get a good win.”
The Winona State-bound Bardic shooting 8-for-12 from the field and 9-for-10 on free throws was a major part of Stevenson (13-8, 5-2) taking sole possession of second place in the NSC. Waukegan (16-5, 6-1) beat Lake Zurich 62-54 while Warren (14-6, 4-3) lost 48-45 at Lake Forest.
Junior Donny Williams (15 points, 3 assists, 3-for-5 on 3-pointers), Rocco Pagliocca (7 points), Atticus Richmond (6 points, 6 rebounds) and the defense of 6-6 Liam Curtin limiting Libertyville 6-8 junior Bryce Wegrzyn to 13 of his 21-point average made it really special for Bardic and the Patriots.
“We played pretty solid,” Benson said. “‘Z’ and I talked about it last week that Aidan might get it, but you can’t predict anyone will get 20. He’s a great guy with supreme class to stop the game and let me say something.”
Bardic not only joins New York Knicks all-star Jalen Brunson, Connor Cashaw, Chris Coleman, Justin Smith, Kenyon Catchings and Eric Roth but also his sister Ava as a 1,000-point scorer.
“Tonight was Bardic’s night and congratulations to him,” Zyrkowski said. “You coach against these guys for four years and see them grow. Then you pass through the handshake line and he gives you such respect. I appreciate what he’s done for this conference and how respectful he is to everyone.”
Curtin’s two-hand transition slam started a 14-4 tear that put Stevenson up 25-20 at halftime. He also fronted and battled Wegrzyn after he scored 24 and 28 in Libertyville (10-8, 2-5) losses in the first two meetings this season.
Wegrzyn had 7 points the first 27-plus minutes and Liam Hanson had 13 of his 16 in the second half for Libertyville.
“I was fired up,” Curtin said. “He’s a great player and my job today was to do the best I can on him. I knew if I held him off a little bit it would make a difference and it did for sure.”