AJ Demirov relaxed in Crystal Lake South\u2019s bus because it made a 60-mile journey to Rochelle for Tuesday\u2019s Class 3A sectional semifinal and browse a e-book, \u201cGolden Son,\u201d as a part of his English class.\u201cI needed to catch up,\u201d the senior stated.
No, the e-book isn\u2019t about Demirov, who\u2019s the golden boy of South\u2019s basketball staff. He and his teammates, nevertheless, are establishing themselves because the gold commonplace for this system.
South\u2019s 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\u2019s 7 p.m. sectional ultimate in opposition to the winner of Wednesday\u2019s 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.
\u201cI\u2019ve thought of it,\u201d Demirov stated. \u201cIt\u2019s form of loopy. This doesn\u2019t get executed usually. I simply hope that this units a tradition for our program any more.\u201d
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.
\u201cHe\u2019s greater than only a scorer,\u201d 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. \u201cHe\u2019s an all-around level guard, and that\u2019s why everybody loves taking part in with him.\u201d
Demirov wasn\u2019t fazed by the field and one and didn\u2019t 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.
\u201cWe\u2019ve seen stuff like that each one season,\u201d stated Demirov, who\u2019s 16 factors shy of two,000. \u201cI 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\u2019t 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.\u201d
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\u2019s 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.
\u201cThey 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,\u201d Gators coach Matt LePage stated. \u201cIt\u2019s 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\u2019s not simple at instances as a result of they acquired a 6-7 child (Michael Chami) in there.\u201d
Trivellini and Stowasser every scored 5 factors within the second quarter, as South took a 32-20 lead into the break.
\u201cWe simply needed to decelerate,\u201d stated Trivellini, who scored 11 factors within the first half. \u201cI 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\u2019s once we began to essentially play effectively.\u201d
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.
\u201cIt\u2019s all about profitable right now of the yr, and he is aware of that,\u201d LePage stated. \u201cWhen he goes for double-digit assists, I don\u2019t assume we\u2019ve misplaced this yr. He is aware of that, too. It\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n