In the words of the Sun-Times’ high school basketball reporter, commentator and all-around authority, Michael O’Brien, the No. 2 DePaul Prep Rams made a statement in the 56-38 sectional semi-final win over No. 10 New Trier Tuesday evening at Loyola Academy.
“The near-blowout score will open eyes around the state after most observers expected a close game,” O’Brien wrote in Wednesday’s Sun-Times. He’s right about that. Me among them.
I arrived at Loyola early in the second quarter. The looks on the faces of the New Trier fans were equal measures disbelief and fear, with a little “just wait” confidence sprinkled on top. The Rams held a modest five-point lead at the half.
In the third quarter, that look changed to more fear than disbelief. The Trevians have not scene the Rams’ smothering switching defense that contained the Trevians’ dynamic duet of outside shooters Danny Houhlihan and Christopher Kirkpatrick. And by “contain,” I mean turned off like a switch.
Except they had seen it before. The casual fan may not recall that the Rams and the Trevians have played each other this season. Back on New Year’s Eve in a semi-final matchup at the Pontiac Holiday Tournament, in an interestingly similar score, DePaul Prep defeated New Trier 50-36.
Frankly, this reporter had forgotten that game; it seems like a lifetime ago. The Trevians have been on a roll in recent weeks since Christopher Kirkpatrick is back in the line-up after being out with injury for weeks. I was not the only person expecting a close game and even a possible upset.
Someone forgot to tell the Rams. I am reminded of something Rams’ senior point guard AJ Chambers said to me after defeating Warren on February 19th.
“We have done this before,” Chambers said with an expression of indifferent confidence in answer to my question about possible playoff opponents.
The third quarter was that indifferent confidence in motion. Buckets from senior guard Rykan Woo, then senior forward Zion Lee, then Lee again, the Woo again, then dose of senior center Rashaun Porter, the Lee again, then two free throughs from Woo. The Rams blew the game open leading 34-22.
It was the Rams’ defense that produced the victory. The Trevians had 22 points at the close of the third. The Trevians’ high scorer was Kirkpatrick with 11 points and all the Trevians managed only 33 points before capitulating near the end by taking out the starters.
The Rams’ rapid ball movement immobilized the Trevians and found Lee and Porter under the basket for easy buckets. If there is one thing a team should not do, ever, is give DePaul Prep a double-digit lead at the end of the game. It will not end well, except for the Rams that is.
