Mike Latulip puts spring in Prospect's step
In a season of which key starter Joe Latulip has missed about half - and in a game Friday night in which key starter Sam Pope was in foul trouble - a sophomore stepped up once again to help Prospect stay unbeaten in the Mid-Suburban League East Division.
Mike Latulip, in his brother's point-guard role, jumped out of his 5-foot-10 frame on the game's last play to pick off a Rolling Meadows inbounds pass and then hit 2 free throws with 4.5 seconds left to preserve a 62-58 homecourt win.
"Holy mackerel," said Knights coach John Camardella after his sophomore finished off a 15-point second half with game-sealing free throws following his high-flying steal. "I want to see how high he jumped. That's a defining moment."
"I guess it's just the adrenaline," said a smiling Latulip. "I thought I jumped early."
Prospect needed it after letting a 39-26 third-quarter lead slip away.
Latulip's opposite number, fellow sophomore Brian Nelms (15 points) of Meadows (6-12, 2-5) and senior sharpshooter Richie Kemph (19) shot the Mustangs back into it. Kemph hit 7 straight shots from the end of the first quarter to the middle of the fourth, and junior center Paul Volkman finally tied the game at 54-54 with 2:04 left on 2 free throws.
But in an otherwise statistically even game, Meadows saw where it came up short.
"We missed 9 wide open layups," said Mustangs coach Kevin Katovich. "But that's a good sign in a way.
"We executed everything we want to do," he added, including playing excellent defense to get back into the game and running the offense more precisely to light up the second-half scoreboard.
"Credit to (Meadows)," said Camardella of the comeback, when his team had something of a defensive lapse as Kemph, Nelms and Jimmy Garoppolo lit it up.
Prospect finally put the game away on Latulip's free throws and Kevin Matkovic's driving layup off the spread offense.
And credit to Latulip, who has picked it up all season long.
"Credit my teammates," he said. "They were getting me open."