Shorthanded Kenwood beats Oak Garden to win a Class 4A regional championship
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Kenwood senior Calvin Robins spent the previous few days listening to about bylaws and eligibility and court docket proceedings.
The Broncos have been on the heart of a storm. Kenwood coach Mike Irvin, two assistant coaches and 5 gamers have been dominated ineligible for the state match by the Illinois Excessive College Affiliation on Thursday.
That put Robins, a sensible, charismatic child, in a brand new function. He’s the one senior left taking part in for the Broncos. DePaul recruit Chris Riddle and Arizona State recruit Jaden Smith are ineligible. The beforehand tall, star-studded Kenwood squad not has a peak benefit in opposition to most groups.
Robins, a 6-5 ahead, is a proficient rebounder. The opposite gamers remaining on varsity are freshman star Devin Cleveland, highly-regarded sophomore Rajan Roberts and junior Chris Watkins. They have been joined by a mixture of six sophomores and freshmen from the Kenwood sophomore group.
“It was a protracted week,” Robins stated. “No person believes in us however that doesn’t matter as a result of everybody in that [locker room] does.”
The patchwork group beat visiting Oak Garden 60-54 to win the Class 4A Kenwood regional championship on Friday.
“I really like them,” Robins stated. “They stepped up after we wanted them. They have been ready for moments like these. They gave it their all prefer it was their final sport and I’ll without end love them for that.”
Robins completed with 11 factors and a game-high eight rebounds. Roberts scored 15 factors on an array of takes to the rim. Cleveland confirmed why he’s one of many state’s trio of heralded freshmen, scoring 18 factors.
Cleveland was injured early within the season and performed a few video games with the sophomore group earlier than rejoining the varsity. That turned out to be lucky for the Broncos (24-7).
“I knew they may play in large video games,” Cleveland stated. “They have been going to step up. Any group we play, I do know we will beat. I don’t know why anybody is shocked we gained. We’ve expertise from the highest of the roster to the underside. Everyone can rock.”
Oak Garden (22-9) began slowly. Even Public League groups can take a couple of minutes to regulate to taking part in in Kenwood’s small, second-floor gymnasium. The Spartans solely scored two baskets within the first seven minutes.
“We gained the second quarter,” Oak Garden coach Jason Rhodes stated. “It simply appeared like each time we’d flip them over we turned it proper again so we might by no means string a run collectively.
The Spartans had 20 turnovers. Junior Donte Montgomery scored 17 factors and sophomore Jack Dempsey added 16.
“All of the drama surrounding this, I want we might have simply performed a basketball sport,” Rhodes stated. “However credit score to Kenwood. Shorthanded they did an important job. Devin Cleveland was spectacular.”
The brand new Kenwood varsity gamers are Cameron Mwachullah, Osiris Bell, Antonio Porterfield, Jumir Agudabatie, Damari Stephens and Prince McCord. The group mixed for six factors and 9 rebounds. They held their very own and allowed Kenwood’s remaining stars to earn the win.
“Mike [Irvin] goes to be so pleased,” Cleveland stated. “We did this for [Smith, Riddle, Edwon Duling and Aleks Alston] all the blokes that couldn’t be right here.”
Kenwood will face Simeon, a 52-42 winner in opposition to Riverside-Brookfield, within the sectional semifinals on Wednesday at Riverside-Brookfield.
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