Jones, Timothy Christian take regional title from St. Edward
Timothy Christian coach Scott Plaisier has a name for Trojans senior Danardo Jones.
"I like to use the term, difference-maker," Plasier said of the 6-foot-7 center with the 37-inch vertical leap.
Starting with a dunk off Matt Owens' assist 30 seconds into Friday's Class 2A Timothy Christian regional final, Jones' effort and athleticism was an X-factor in the Trojans' 47-33 win over St. Edward in Elmhurst, the program's first regional title since 2010.
"Last year we lost in the regional championship," said Jones, who scored a game-high 17 points on 8-of-10 field-goal shooting with 5 blocked shots and 12 rebounds, 9 of them offensive.
"I didn't play much in that game so I didn't know what I could have done to help us win that, and that kind of hurt me a lot. So coming into this game I had a chip on my shoulder," he said.
Much of the time his shoulder was 9 feet off the ground.
"It has nothing to do with skill," Plaisier said, "it's all just him playing harder than other guys out there, and he's got an engine and a motor that few kids have. That tonight was the key."
The third quarter also was key for No. 2 seed Timothy Christian (20-10), advancing to Tuesday's Aurora Christian sectional semifinal against No. 1 seed and two-time defending Class 2A champion Orr, a 102-67 winner over Clark.
No. 6 seed St. Edward (14-18) used typical grit and early points by David Hill and J.P. McGuire to tie the game through the first quarter, 14-14, and enter halftime down just 23-21 on Jones' lay in right before halftime.
The Green Wave even led the board battle through 16 minutes, 13-11.
In the third quarter St. Edward made 1 of 10 shots.
"That's probably why we lost. That's happened to us all year. At times in certain times in the game, we just don't hit shots," coach Andy Zielinski said.
"The tempo was where we needed it to be, because we get it rolling," he said. "Then the third quarter, we talked about coming out the first four minutes and it was going to be big."
It wasn't huge for either team, but Timothy's 10-3 third-quarter scoring margin plus Jones pacing an eventual 36-18 rebounding advantage, provided separation.
"I think that was part of it, but also (Timothy) was just moving the ball around better and we weren't as much, and our shots weren't falling and theirs were. That's what it comes down to," said Hill, who scored 12 points with McGuire at 10.
Up 33-23 entering the fourth quarter, the Trojans answered kid brother Erik Hill's putback basket with scores by Zach Orange, Josh Harris and Jones, on a third-chance bucket.
Timothy led 41-29 before David Hill made a pair of free throws and Jackson Godfrey scored to make it 41-33. The Trojans reeled off 6 points on two baskets by 12-point scorer Owens and a Jones putback from among his 5 fourth-quarter offensive rebounds.
"I'm just happy that we got that 'Dub,'" said Zach Orange, who made three 3-point baskets and scored 11 points. "We're regional champs, and now we've got to go into sectionals and just give it our all."
St. Edward returns most of key players except for seniors Daniel Parks and David Hill, who liked what Zielinski brought in his first season coaching the Green Wave.
"Coach gave us that fire every game to go in there and do our best," Hill said. "For next year, for the kids coming back, I wish them the best. I know they're going to do great."