Immaculate Conception sees the difference

In seasons past Immaculate Conception may have imploded when a double-digit lead evaporated down the stretch.

There's a difference this season, and it led to the Knights' 57-50 win Tuesday over Suburban Catholic Conference rival St. Francis in Elmhurst.

"I think the difference is we can score," said Knights coach Darren Howard.

"We've struggled to put the ball in the basket in the third quarters and fourth quarters of previous years. We're not struggling so much this year."

Smelling blood when IC point guard Mike Randick turned an ankle, St. Francis (7-5, 2-3) forced 9 fourth-quarter turnovers and cut a 48-32 third-quarter deficit to 53-49 with 1:12 left.

IC (11-5, 3-3) held off the Spartans on Matt Purdom's 2 free throws with 58 seconds remaining. The teams swapped turnovers and Purdom scored inside with 32 seconds left, a fastbreak bucket from an assist by Antonio Taylor.

"This year when we beat the press we score in the end," Howard said. "Whether we get the ball to Purdom or (Demitrius) Mobley or Taylor we score on the other side. That hasn't always been the case."

It was in the second quarter when IC countered St. Francis' 14-13 first-quarter lead by outscoring the Spartans 17-8. St. Francis coach Shawn Healy's shot chart showed that 26 of IC's 30 first-half points came in the lane.

Despite the 6-foot-5, 250-pound Purdom nursing foul trouble IC took a big lead only to see St. Francis scramble back.

David Palash scored 8 of his 18 points in the fourth and Clint Pierce hit two 3s to get within 4 points twice.

Close naturally is not good enough for Healy.

"I told these guys before the game, this is not a team that you can be down 12, 13 in the fourth and expect to win," he said. "And this is exactly how I prophesied it. We wanted it for one quarter, and that was it."

Mobley scored 16, Purdom 14, Dan Muisenga 8 and Taylor 7 points for IC. Joe Pfeiffer added 11 for St. Francis.

Taylor, who committed to play football for Eastern Illinois on Dec. 22, used instinct and quickness to record 5 steals.

"This year we have a lot of composure," he said. "We're still pretty young, but we have the senior leadership this year and we're able to finish games."