Burns' career-night paces Proviso East

By George M. Wilcox
YourSeason.com

Plenty has been written about Proviso Easts four starters entering this season, but senior guard Paris Burns, the Pirates fifth starter, proved Friday he can be a factor as well this season.Burns scored a season-high 30 points as No. 3 Proviso East beat host Hinsdale South 74-58 Friday night in the West Suburban Gold.Burns, a transfer from Curie, had 19 points at halftime and 13 points in the first quarter. He scored the games first seven points as the Pirates (7-0, 2-0) jumped out to a 11-2 lead. In the second quarter, Proviso East scored 12 consecutive points to take a 37-16 lead.Playing with Keith Carter and Sterling Brown, we are right on the money, Burns said. Everything is clicking. Thats one thing about the Pirates. We play as a team. Were family.Several of Burns points were scored on steals turned into length-of-the-court drives.It was the quietest 30 Ive ever seen, first-year Proviso East coach Donnie Boyce said.Brown added 13 points for Proviso East while Michael Nicholas added 10 points off the bench.The Pirates had little trouble after opening a 23-9 lead to end the first quarter.For Hinsdale South (3-5, 1-2), center Brock Benson, scored 25 points and had six rebounds before fouling out with 5:21 remaining in the game. Jerry Stoltz scored 12 points, including three three-pointers.This game was a learning experience, Benson said. Weve got to play defense and play it all the time.