Boys basketball: Fremd dominates Glenbrook North to win Wheeling crown

Fremd’s Jordan Williams is a conventional basketball player playing in unconventional times.

In a day and age where the three-point basket is king, Williams loves to drive the hoop in search of a layup and possible a three-point play.

Williams had a successful run at the hoop Saturday in the championship game of the 47th annual Wheeling Hardwood Classic. Williams had successful runs, finishing with 5 three-point plays along with a long-distance three-pointer as Fremd flew past Deerfield 58-36.

“You can say that is my game,” said Williams, who finished with 25 points and 5 rebounds.

“I have been trying to expand my game. I was shooting more, but with high school, it’s kind of easier to get to the rim.”

It was the second tournament title in a row for the Fremd (11-1) and the 5th Hardwood title overall. The Vikings were the first team to repeat as Hardwood Classic champions since Loyola in 2006 and 2007.

“It is very hard to repeat,” Fremd coach Mike Brown said. “Especially a tournament with this caliber. There are so many teams from top to bottom that are very good. So winning this is quite an accomplishment for our guys.”

Williams, who became the first player to repeat at tournament MVP since Maine West’s Lucas Johnson in 1996 and 1997, had a huge first quarter for the Vikings.

“Winning the tournament was something I really wanted for the team,” Williams said. “So I really wanted back to back champions and back to back MVP.

The Illinois State commit scored 10 points in the first quarter to give the Vikings a 13-10. He had two traditional three-point plays in the quarter and added a three-pointer from outside the arc.

Deerfield (11-4) was still without 6-foot-8 Jake Pollack, who is committed to Dartmouth. Pollack still had his left foot in a boot after being injured in Tuesday’s game against Prospect.

Despite playing without Pollack, Deerfield kept things close. They cut Fremd’s lead to 18-17 before Williams’ third conventional three-point play and a basket by Rafael Pinto made it 23-17 at the half.

“We have really balanced scoring on our team,” said Pinto, who finished with 13 points, three assists and two steals.

“We always try to find the hot hand. I struggled last night (Friday), but I had a good game today. That’s what makes our team so deadly.”

Deerfield got a three-pointer from Max Garland to begin the third quarter to make it 23-20.

It was all Fremd from there.

The Vikings ran off eight consecutive points on their way to a 19-5 run to close out the third quarter with a 42-26 lead and put the game away.

Ricardo Requena Zambrano added 7 points for the Vikings.

“The guys really came together as team and played hard,” Brown said. “We played really good defense and shared the ball very well and did what it takes to be a very good team.”

In the third place game, Stevenson’s Quinton Frakes hit a basket after an offensive rebound with .8 seconds left to lift the Patriots past Glenbrook North 54-52 in overtime. Donny Williams led Stevenson (10-3) with 23 points, Rocco Pagliocca added 19 points with 4 three-pointers while Frakes had four points and four rebounds.