Boys basketball: Crystal Lake South advances to meet Kaneland in sectional final

David McFadden wasn’t expecting to be in this situation.

Not anchoring wearing a Crystal Lake South basketball uniform. Not anchoring the bottom of the Gators’ 1-3-1 zone. Not thriving on the court and in the classroom. Certainly not celebrating postseason wins.

Suffice it to say, the senior has adjusted well to his new surroundings.

“It’s definitely better,” said McFadden, a 6-foot-2 guard who played varsity ball for Larkin the past two winters. “School is better. Grades are better. Basketball seems better.”

Basketball is most definitely better for McFadden, who was one of five starters to score in double figures in South’s 92-73 win over Sycamore in a semifinal of the Class 3A Woodstock North sectional on Wednesday night.

“It was a fun night,” McFadden said after totaling 10 points, four rebounds and two blocks. “I never would have thought I would get a regional championship, and now I get a chance to play in a sectional championship.”

Nick Stowasser scored 17 of his 22 points in the decisive first half, Carson Trivellini had 17 of his 21 points after halftime, and high-flying Noah Cook chipped in 18, including five dunks, despite being sick, as the Gators advanced to a sectional for the third year in a row.

South (27-7) will play Kaneland (33-0) at 7 p.m. Friday, with the winner advancing to Monday’s NIU supersectional in DeKalb. Kaneland beat South 49-37 in last year’s sectional final at Rochelle.

Marcus Johnson scored 30 points to pace Sycamore (27-6), which never recovered after spotting South a 16-0 lead and committing five turnovers against its opponent’s aggressive 1-3-1 zone in the game’s first three minutes.

Johnson made 11 of 23 shots, including 8 of 17 from three-point range. His 13 points in the fourth quarter helped the Sycamore get to within 13 points early in the fourth, after the Spartans trailed by as many as 26 in the third.

“He was unbelievable,” South coach Matt LePage said of Johnson. “We had guys all over him. He’s an incredible shot-maker, and we knew it going in.”

Stowasser knocked down the first of his four 3-pointers only 10 seconds into the game, and the avalanche of points was just starting for the Gators. Cook scored on the baseline and then finished a two-handed dunk in transition, forcing Sycamore coach Ethan Franklin to burn a 30-second timeout.

It didn’t help slow down South, which went up 16-0 when Ryan Morgan (11 points, seven rebounds, four steals) hit a turnaround 15-footer with 4:50 left in the opening quarter.

“They were really good at going fast break,” said Sycamore’s Isaiah Feuerbach, who had 21 points and nine rebounds. “We were slow getting back on defense, and they were getting the rebounds and passing it. We just couldn’t get back.”

Stowasser scored in the closing seconds of the half to hike South’s lead to 31-8.

Morgan, who scored eight points (two 3-pointers) in the first quarter, said the Gators wanted to take advantage of their size advantage.

“Our biggest intent was getting the ball in the paint, and that happened really well,” Morgan said. “The coaches got us really hyped in the locker room and got us ready for the game.”

LePage said he wanted to team to focus on the moment, especially after what he called an emotional win over Fox Valley Conference rival Cary-Grove in the regional final.

“I think everybody wanted the rematch with Kaneland on Friday,” LePage said. “Our job as coaches is to get these guys ready to go tonight.”

South’s point total was a season high, eclipsing the 91 it scored in a win over Lakes in Jacobs’ Hinkle Holiday Classic the day after Christmas.

Sycamore cut its deficit to 13 points midway through the second quarter, fueled by Feuerbach, who missed his team’s regional-final win over Woodstock with what he called a small avulsion fracture in his right ankle.

“I probably should be in a [protective] boot right now,” said Feuerbach, who scored eight points in the second quarter. “But I just tried to play.”

Stowasser’s two 3-pointers helped South take a 44-27 lead into halftime. The junior contributed defensively as well, finishing with five steals and a block.

“We wanted to come out strong,” LePage said. “I wanted to fire us up [before the game] because when we come out with that fire, it’s a tone setter.”

McFadden scored twice in the low post in the fourth to complete his night.

“I loved his aggressiveness with the ball,” LePage said. “What I loved about the way we played was that it wasn’t really just one guy. That was the message in the locker room before the game. Sectionals are for the teams. The best teams advance.”