Wild MSL West finish certain
Even the one part that is certain in the Mid-Suburban West boys basketball race comes with a degree of uncertainty.
The winner of Fremd’s visit to Conant at 7:30 p.m. today knows they will get at least a share of the division title.
What the winners may not immediately know — although it probably won’t take long with today’s technology — is if they will be playing for the MSL title at Prospect next Wednesday.
The Cougars (16-7, 6-3) and the Vikings (16-8, 6-3) will need some help to get there.
Barrington (17-9, 6-3) holds all the tiebreaker advantages and would end a 32-year drought since its only other trip to the MSL title game with a win tonight over visiting Hoffman Estates (5-18, 0-9).
The Broncos had a tough weekend as they lost consecutive games by a combined 5 points at Schaumburg (12-10, 6-3) in overtime and at Crystal Lake South.
But the group led by seniors Tyler Weathered, Greg Gerrard and Owen Prunskis rebounded from a heartbreaking mid-December loss at the buzzer to CL South to win 11 of their next 13 games.
“They’re good kids who have shown a lot of character all year,” said Barrington coach Bryan Tucker. “I’m pretty confident we’ll respond.”
Schaumburg can also claim at least a piece of the West title with a win over visiting Palatine (9-15, 3-6).
The Saxons’ only losses in their last eight games were four-10ths of a second before the overtime buzzer to Lockport and by a point at the regulation buzzer to Conant.
“We have the potential to go far but we have to play our game and play tough,” said Schaumburg senior Kurt Kempema, who hopes his team is getting an earlier jump on duplicating last year’s run to the sectional final.
“Palatine is a good, young, athletic team and they’re playing very well,” said Schaumburg coach Matt Walsh.
“Every game in the MSL is tough. We’re excited we have a chance to be conference champions.”
For Schaumburg to reach the MSL title game it needs a win, a Fremd win and a Barrington loss. Schaumburg’s season sweep of Fremd gives it the head-to-head tiebreaker.
For Conant to get there it needs a win and a Barrington loss. Conant has the head-to-head tiebreaker on Schaumburg with a season sweep.
And Fremd would need everything to break right — a win at Conant and losses by Schaumburg and Barrington — to have a chance at repeating as MSL champions.
Fremd came back in the second half behind 23 points from MSL scoring leader Zach Monaghan (22.2 ppg) and 18 points from 6-foot-5 Jack Konopka to beat Conant 55-46 on Jan. 15.
Conant got 17 points from scoring leader Dylan Bartuch (14.6 ppg). Senior running mate London Dokubo has come through in the clutch in its last three wins over Schaumburg, Palatine and Glenbrook North.
Knights want to be selfish:
Prospect’s current players enjoyed their part in last Friday’s reunion of the school’s team from 1960-61. The players from the school’s first two teams that went a combined 47-4 also went in the locker room to congratulate the current Knights on clinching a share of the MSL East title and a berth in the league title game with a 77-65 win over Hersey.
But the Knights (15-7, 7-2) don’t want any part of any potential history tonight when they visit Buffalo Grove (16-8, 6-3). An unprecedented four-way tie for a boys basketball division title would happen if BG wins, Hersey (13-11, 6-3) wins at Elk Grove (5-20, 1-8) and Rolling Meadows (13-10, 6-3) wins at Wheeling (7-17, 1-8).
“We want to win this thing outright,” said Prospect senior Terry Redding, who scored a career-high 24 points in a 67-59 win over BG on Jan. 15.
“We have to keep focused and take care of business,” said Prospect senior Dan O’Brien.
“We have to get pumped for (the BG) game.”
Mike LaTulip (19.7 ppg) had 18 points and Matt Loebbaka added 11 in the win over BG. Sam Wacker (16 points) and Nick Prus (15 points) led the Bison, who have won four in a row.
Christian Liberty Academy postseason begins:
Christian Liberty is the No. 2 seed in the Class 1A regional it is hosting next week at Grace Gym in Arlington Heights.
The Chargers (9-13) just lost to top-seed North Shore Country Day 52-45 on Wednesday night in Winnetka. They open with seventh-seed Roycemore in Monday’s 6 p.m. quarterfinal and have beaten both potential second-round opponents — No. 3 Elgin Academy and No. 6 Faith Lutheran (8:10 p.m. Monday).
No. 4 Chicagoland Jewish and No. 5 Alden-Hebron play at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday with the winner facing North Shore at 6 p.m. Wednesday. The title game is at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Christian Liberty has won four of its last seven games and has a makeup home game with Francis Parker at 2 p.m. Saturday. Three of its losses were at Thanksgiving to Elgin, Buffalo Grove and Stevenson.