St. Viator Takes on Alcott

After all these tournaments and shootouts, I feel like I have seen Curie a hundred times, and Benet, and Ignatius, and the rest of the top ten, not to mention the DePaul Prep Rams. So I was looking to see some teams I haven’t seen.

I haven’t seen St. Viator this year and I have heard some good things about the Lions from some commentators that saw them at Wheeling. I looked at Jack Gleason’s website, best website in America today, hsbball.com, and saw that the Lions were playing Alcott High School Tuesday evening.

I have been driving past Alcott High School at Wellington and Hoyne for decades. Frankly, I never really thought about its sports teams. It a little off the radar if not exactly off the map.

Alcott (1-11, 1-5) is in the Chicago Public League’s While North Division with teams such as Schurz, Uplift, Jones and Von Steuben. They don’t play at the school. They play at the Neighborhood Boys and Girls Club at the Lathrop homes. I was actually in that building once years and years ago but it was a polling place; no basketball that day.

Great light in that little gym even with two lights being out. The color of the light was pretty white and there was of it. Better than in many big time gyms.

Michael O’Keefe’s St. Viator Lions came into the game with a respectable 10-6 records and a young team. Only two seniors, juniors and a bunch of sophomores. It wasn’t a good game to judge the strength of the Lions. Frankly, the Wildcats only had eight players and struggled to compete. The difference was the shooting. The Lions were making shots inside and out. The Wildcats hurried shots very few of which fell for points.

I am glad I went. The kids, coaches and even the parents were there for the spirit of the game. Alcott had students and cheerleaders there. It was good because high school basketball can be just that. It doesn’t have to always be about winning state championships.

After the game, I drove up Clybourn a few blocks then up California to DePaul Prep’s Tom Winiecki Gym for the DePaul Prep game Chicago Catholic League crossover game against Providence St. Mel.

Interesting shift to top high school basketball in the state.

St. Viator Wins Comeback 78-71 OT Victory over Libertyville

The St. Viator Lions (3-1, 0-0) came back from ten points down with 3:30 to go to defeat the Libertyville 78-71 in the final game of the St. Viator Thanksgiving Classic.

Through the first three quarters of this game, the story of the game was how St. Viator just could not handle the size and inside game of Libertyville’s sophomore forward Bryce Wegrzyn (23 points) and senior forward Ben Van Lyssel (15 points).

Somehow, some way, It all came together for the Lions tonight on the last night of the St. Viator Holiday Classic. The Lions rallied in the fourth to force overtime. Four three-pointers and five free throws is part of the recipe for a fourth quarter comeback. The other key ingredient is tough players who don’t give up and coach calling the right plays. Oh, and of course, a supportive alumni photographer.

The ball movement and inside game of Libertyville in the first half was skillful. The Lions had no answer. Wegrzyn had 17. Even so, the Lions were only down six at the half.

It grew to nine at the end of the third and then 10 down 53-63 with 3:30 to go.

The Lions were a whole new team in the fourth. The quick guard centric line-up turned up the urgency. Two quick threes. Still down five at 1:48, the Lions added a field goal and five free throws.

Did I mention defensive rebounds. I don’t know what happened to the Libertyville big men they didn’t get any rebounds when it counted. The Lions got them.

Onto OT.

Overtime seemed no problem for the Lions. A couple more free throws, a timely three that felt like a game-winner when it came with a minute left making the score St. Viator 72, Libertyville 68.

And then it was about the four free throws and a late Henry Marshall lay-up for the win.

Nicely done.