Waukegan gets star-crossed victory over Fremd
Waukegan beat Fremd Friday night for the Hoffman Estates Class 4A boys basketball regional title, but the Bulldogs may have already lost their opener in the sectional they'll host next week.
Star forward Jerome Richmond (17 points) was disqualified with 4:39 left in the game when he was whistled for hanging on the rim on a "hot-dog" dunk play set up when his point guard, on a breakaway, flipped the ball off the backboard for the trailing 6-foot-7 junior star.
He missed the subsequent dunk attempt and was whistled for hanging on the rim, an automatic technical.
His second. And an automatic disqualification from Waukegan's next game, which happens to be next week at the sectional they'll host against Zion-Benton. While the second-seeded Bulldogs (22-4) bench argued the call vehemently, to no avail, and vowed to file a protest, overshadowed was their athletic performance in breaking away from an underdog No. 11 Fremd (12-15) team's effort that kept the game close through the first half but resulted in an 80-50 Waukegan win.
"I thought we did a real nice job in the second quarter controlling tempo," said Fremd coach Bob Widlowski, whose team recovered from a 16-point Bulldog run paced by the slam-dunking Richmond, hard-working forward Colin Nickerson (19 points) and lightning-quick guard Mike Springs (12 points).
The trio basically did the same to open the second half and proceed to run away from Fremd, which had reduced the lead to 32-23 at the half on Will Reising's buzzer-beating baseline jumper.
"They had their 'runouts,'" said Widlowski. "They have a lot of weapons." But for his team, which lost its first seven, it was a major plus to win 12 of its last 20, hang on in the Mid-Suburban West title race to the end and earn a spot in the regional finals.
"I just want to thank all my teammates for a great season," said senior point guard Dan Bruno, who, like his coach, acknowledged how tough it is to play against the athletic Bulldogs.
"It's tough. They're just so quick. We were just trying to eliminate their fast-break chances."
Chris Klimek led the Vikings with 10 points and was effective inside until getting into foul trouble and having to sit. Joe Depaolis excited the Fremd fans with a trio of 3-pointers much the same way Richmond gave his fans a raise with his slam dunks.
Including the one that got him tossed from this game and eliminated from the next one.
"We'll see what the ramifications are and review the tape," said Waukegan coach Ron Ashlaw, who was visibly upset about the call, which the officials refused to reverse, even after huddling for several minutes after the call and taking a heated earful from Ashlaw.
In the other locker room, meanwhile, Widlowski had just finished reminding his team that its "attitude was excellent. We obviously played hard. We played better every week."
"We never gave up all season," said Bruno.