Friday, Jan. 21, 2011
10:43 PM
By Steve Tucker
YourSeason.com
To prepare for No. 4 Proviso East, Downers South coach Jay Baum used seven players on defense in practice against five on offense.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Chicago sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
The visiting Mustangs jumped ahead early and never looked back in a 60-48 victory over Proviso East in a West Suburban Gold showdown Friday night in Maywood.
No. 18 Downers South (15-3, 4-1) started with a 10-0 sport ignited by back-to-back three pointers from Danielius Jurgutis and Jamall Millison. After baskets by Millison and Kevin Honn and a Proviso timeout, a Trashaun Carroll basket got the Pirates on the board.
Defensive pressure sets our tempo, Millison said. Since they are always an up-and-down team, we wanted to slow it down and play our game. I was surprised the way the game started, but not really. In the locker room everyone on the team was focused.
Proviso East (12-3, 4-1) got within 16-13 on a Michael Nicholas three-pointer, but Jerron Wilbut answered with a trey for the Mustangs to end the first quarter.
News
It was all about momentum, Wilbut said. And we knew we had to handle their pressure defense. This shows that we have a lot of depth, a lot of leadership and a bench.
Downers South used a 7-0 run capped by a two and a three from Wilbut to go up 29-16 with 3:49 to play in the half. The Pirates got back in the game with an 8-0 spurt before the Mustangs closed the half by making 2-of-4 from the line for a 31-24 lead.
In the second half, the Mustangs answered every run and built the lead to 13. Wilbut led the Mustangs with 15 points, Millison scored 12, Honn 10 and Ziggy Riauka nine.
We came in playing to win and not playing not to lose, Downers South coach Jay Baum said. For us, the defense has to be there every night and these kids have to play together. like they did.
Keith Carter and Nicholas each scored 16 for the Pirates.
We couldnt get a good shot and we never got a good run, Proviso East coach David Chatman said. We were out hustled and we were out worked. They got the lead and we never could overcome it. All I can say is that we have to learn from our mistakes.