Boys basketball: Crystal Lake South wins thirtieth recreation, heads to sectional ultimate – Day by day Herald

AJ Demirov relaxed in Crystal Lake South’s bus because it made a 60-mile journey to Rochelle for Tuesday’s Class 3A sectional semifinal and browse a e-book, “Golden Son,” as a part of his English class.“I needed to catch up,” the senior stated.
No, the e-book isn’t about Demirov, who’s the golden boy of South’s basketball staff. He and his teammates, nevertheless, are establishing themselves because the gold commonplace for this system.
South’s 66-37 win over Sycamore gave the Gators 30 wins for the second season in a row, whereas additionally incomes them a berth in Friday’s 7 p.m. sectional ultimate in opposition to the winner of Wednesday’s recreation between Kaneland and Rockford Boylan.
Earlier than final season, when South gained a school-record 31 video games in profitable a sectional, this system had by no means reached 30 wins.
“I’ve thought of it,” Demirov stated. “It’s form of loopy. This doesn’t get executed usually. I simply hope that this units a tradition for our program any more.”
Sycamore (24-9) used a box-and-one protection from the beginning in opposition to Demirov and held him to a season-low seven factors, as he pursues 2,000 for his four-year varsity profession. However the level guard nonetheless discovered a technique to impression the sport, as he often does, ending with 12 assists.
“He’s greater than only a scorer,” stated Gators guard Carson Trivellini, who had a game-high 21 factors, repeatedly scoring in transition whereas taking pictures 9 of 20 (one 3-pointer) from the ground and a couple of of two from the foul line. “He’s an all-around level guard, and that’s why everybody loves taking part in with him.”
Demirov wasn’t fazed by the field and one and didn’t power photographs. He tried solely seven photographs all night time, making a pair of 3-pointers within the second quarter, when South (30-4) took management of the sport.
“We’ve seen stuff like that each one season,” stated Demirov, who’s 16 factors shy of two,000. “I believe our first recreation [against Buffalo Grove at Johnsburg] we acquired a field and one. I do know that our guys acquired my again. I don’t have to go on the market and stand up 20 photographs in opposition to a field and one. Actually, it will have been a better recreation if I’d have executed that. I belief my guys.”
Sycamore stayed with South early, leaping out to leads of 9-4 and 12-6, and shutting the primary quarter with a pair of baskets within the lane by Carter York (team-high 10 factors) to go up 16-12.
However South’s 1-3-1 zone, ball stress and smothering fashion then took over. With Nick Stowasser offering a spark coming off the bench, because the sophomore guard did within the regional ultimate in opposition to Cary-Grove, South outscored Sycamore 20-4 within the second quarter.
“They threw a field and one at AJ and us to start out, and it took us somewhat little bit of time to determine learn how to assault it, though we go over it quite a bit,” Gators coach Matt LePage stated. “It’s nonetheless the sectional. However our guys did an important job. We tried to get the ball inside as a lot as we may. nevertheless it’s not simple at instances as a result of they acquired a 6-7 child (Michael Chami) in there.”
Trivellini and Stowasser every scored 5 factors within the second quarter, as South took a 32-20 lead into the break.
“We simply needed to decelerate,” stated Trivellini, who scored 11 factors within the first half. “I really feel like we had been shifting actually quick. We simply needed to relax. As soon as we acquired into the stream of issues, that’s once we began to essentially play effectively.”
South held Sycamore to 4 factors once more within the third quarter and took a 48-24 lead into the fourth.
Stowasser completed with 13 factors (2 of two from three-point vary), and Tony Santarelli added 10 factors and 7 rebounds for the Gators. Ryan Morgan had seven factors and 5 rebounds.
Demirov merely dished. He had three assists within the first quarter, two within the second, 4 within the third and three within the fourth.
“It’s all about profitable right now of the yr, and he is aware of that,” LePage stated. “When he goes for double-digit assists, I don’t assume we’ve misplaced this yr. He is aware of that, too. It’s that wonderful line between scoring and making different guys get within the recreation and really feel comfy. He did an important job of doing that tonight in an enormous spot.”

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