IHSA Tournament games

[Da Coach]

Metamora beats Sterling in the LaSalle Sectional Final 48-43.

Metamora advances to the DeKalb Supersectional at 6 PM next Tuesday against Chicago Heights Marian Catholic HS (high school of former Bradley Brave Frankie Sylvester).

Congratulations to Metamora! Nate Kennell and Jayden Hodgson were at the game.

[Da Coach]

The Class 1A championship and 3rd place games are completed.
Okawville (enrollment 262), last year's runner up, won the Class 1A State Championship today, beating Annawan (enrollment 122) 59-48.

Sterling Newman Catholic won the 3rd place game-

https://www.ihsa.org/SportsActivities/BoysBasketball/StateSeriesInformationResults.aspx?url=/data/scores/bkb1.htm

The Class 2A final and 3rd place games are tonight-

https://www.ihsa.org/SportsActivities/BoysBasketball/StateSeriesInformationResults.aspx?url=/data/scores/bkb2.htm

[Da Coach]

Chicago Orr HS repeats as the Class 2A Champion by easily defeating Winnebago 76-49

https://www.ihsa.org/SportsActivities/BoysBasketball/StateSeriesInformationResults.aspx?url=/data/scores/bkb2.htm

All of Orr's top 6 players are seniors. Here is my impression of them.

Former Bradley recruit 6'5" Tyronn Mosley (now committed to UW-Milwaukee) had 7 points and 9 rebounds. He does not have much offense unless it's right under the basket. He takes very few 3-pointers and only shoots about 30% on the season. I have seen him listed as a point guard, but he is definitely not a point guard.

http://verbalcommits.com/players/tyronn-mosley

Orr's point guard, Chase Adams, had 17 points and 6 assists. He averages 13.0 ppg and 5.5 apg. He is a very good little point guard, but he is only 5'8" at the most. He has reportedly been offered by Bradley, but he is uncommitted-

http://verbalcommits.com/players/chase-adams-il

One of their forwards is Raekwon Drake. He is 6'5", and very active around the basket. He averages 13.5 ppg for the season, and leads them in rebounding with 8 rpg. At 6'5", he can dominate in Class 2A, but he does not have guard skills. That may explain why his only offers are low-D1-

http://verbalcommits.com/players/raekwon-drake

Orr's best player, IMO, is 6'5" forward Dannie Smith. He leads them in scoring with a 16.1 ppg average, and is second in rebounding with an average of 7 rpg. He is another strong player who is very active around the basket, but he also takes a lot of threes and makes about 41% on the season. He lead Orr tonight with 22 points. He has a couple midmajor offers, but is uncommitted-

http://verbalcommits.com/players/dannie-smith

Bryan Hernandez is maybe Orr's best shooter. He takes way more three pointers than anyone else on the team, and that is about all he does. He was 64-170 (38%) coming into the state finals. He had 5 points tonight, and averages 9.2 ppg. The entire team took 17 threes tonight, and Hernandez took 9 by himself. He was just 1-9. His only offer is Chicago State-

http://verbalcommits.com/players/brian-hernandez

Emanuel O'Neal is the other senior in the main rotation. He is a 6'3" solidly built guard. He is a good defensive player, doesn't shoot much, and takes a 3-pointer. He only had 4 points tonight (he averages 4.9 ppg). He is probably not a D1 players.


FWIW, the runner-up Winnebago had a big 6'9", 235 pound senior who averages 19.7 ppg, and 15 rpg, named Andrew Morrisey. He looked a lot like Cameron Krutwig of Loyola physically, with a wide body and a lot of baby fat, but his game was nowhere near as developed. He appears he gets most of his points and rebounds simply by being several inches taller and taking up more space than almost all the players he plays against in Class 2A. However, Orr did a good job of frustrating him with their quickness and double-teaming, and that limited his effectiveness in tonight's game. He still managed to end up with 16 points and 12 rebounds. He is reportedly committed to Division II University of North Alabama.

http://www.saukvalley.com/2017/12/08/task-too-tall-for-dukes/ao3sxgk/

Box score-

https://www.ihsa.org/SportsActivities/BoysBasketball/StateSeriesInformationResults.aspx?url=/data/bkb/2box1.htm

[Canton BU fan]

Metamora beats Sterling in the LaSalle Sectional Final 48-43.

Metamora advances to the DeKalb Supersectional at 6 PM next Tuesday against Chicago Heights Marian Catholic HS (high school of former Bradley Brave Frankie Sylvester).

Congratulations to Metamora! Nate Kennell and Jayden Hodgson were at the game.

Their recruiting efforts have really paid off.

[Da Coach]

Their recruiting efforts have really paid off.

Be nice!
Metamora does seem to get a few transfers, but the bulk of their kids are home grown.

[Chico]

Can??™t blame a family for wanting their kids to grow up there instead of where they were in most cases.

[Canton BU fan]

Can??™t blame a family for wanting their kids to grow up there instead of where they were in most cases.

In general you would be correct. Not what I was referring to though. Anyway, I always like to see Mid Illini teams doing well.

[Da Coach]

Metamora, the only remaining area team still alive in the state playoffs, is playing Chicago Heights Marian Catholic HS in the Class 3A Supersectional in DeKalb. With just a couple minutes left, Metamora leads 41-40.


Edit- with 30 seconds left- it is tied 42-42......Go Redbirds.

[Da Coach]

It is headed to overtime tied 42-42

[Da Coach]

Metamora tied the game with 5 seconds left, but Marian Catholic makes a 3-pointer a the buzzer to win 49-46. Tough luck for Metamora.
There was a controversial call at the end where Metamora made a three pointer that would have won it, but they were only given 2 points. There is no replay in HS basketball, even though all these tournament games are televised and streamed online. Tough luck.

Metamora is predominantly an underclass team, but they could look a lot different next year as I have heard there are multiple players who are considering transferring to prep schools for next year..

[Da Coach]

Metamora tied the game with 5 seconds left, but Marian Catholic makes a 3-pointer a the buzzer to win 49-46. Tough luck for Metamora.
There was a controversial call at the end where Metamora made a three pointer that would have won it, but they were only given 2 points. There is no replay in HS basketball, even though all these tournament games are televised and streamed online. Tough luck.

Metamora is predominantly an underclass team, but they could look a lot different next year as I have heard there are multiple players who are considering transferring to prep schools for next year..

From WMBD Sports anchor Matt McClain ...
Here is the Marian Catholic 3-point shot at the buzzer that won the game 49-46 for Marian-

https://twitter.com/MattMcClain3/status/973723359992340481

Here is the Metamora shot that appeared to be a 3-pointer, but was called a 2-point shot that would have put Metamora into the lead.

https://twitter.com/MattMcClain3/status/973722987504570368

[Da Coach]

A better video of the final seconds of the 2nd overtime in the Metamora-Marian Catholic game last night-

https://twitter.com/MattMcClain3/status/973767447475040256

There was the disputed shot that should have been a 3-pointer, but was called a 2-point shot. The shooter was barely on the college 3-point line, and well behind the high school 3-point line. That would have given Metamora a 1 point lead. Instead the game remained tied 46-46 with 5 seconds left. The final possession lead to Marian Catholic's buzzer-beating three pointer to win the game 49-46.

Metamora had 3 fouls to give on the final possession. I have heard that the coach would have fouled if Metamora had taken the lead (if the previous shot had been ruled a three, which it should have been), but chose to take his chance and not foul with the game tied. Tough way to lose.

[Da Coach]

A better video of the final seconds of the 2nd overtime in the Metamora-Marian Catholic game last night-

https://twitter.com/MattMcClain3/status/973767447475040256

There was the disputed shot that should have been a 3-pointer, but was called a 2-point shot. The shooter was barely on the college 3-point line, and well behind the high school 3-point line. That would have given Metamora a 1 point lead. Instead the game remained tied 46-46 with 5 seconds left. The final possession lead to Marian Catholic's buzzer-beating three pointer to win the game 49-46.

Metamora had 3 fouls to give on the final possession. I have heard that the coach would have fouled if Metamora had taken the lead (if the previous shot had been ruled a three, which it should have been), but chose to take his chance and not foul with the game tied. Tough way to lose.

I have heard the Metamora high school people have filed an official complaint with the IHSA. The official who overruled the other official who correctly called the final Metamora shot a 3-point shot, had also overruled a 3-point shot earlier in the game that was a legitimate 3-pointer. He seemed to be confused all night between the college and the HS 3-point line.
I doubt such an appeal will change anything, but the official whose blunder may have cost Metamora the game should not be allowed to be the head official in future games with the ability to overrule other competent officials, for his erroneous and forceful overruling of correct calls by the other officials in this game.

Here is the video of that last few seconds of overtime-



Here is a video from another angle-



Clearly, the Metamora player is well behind the high school 3-point line.

And another video with a good angle-



Notice the official who is closest to the shooter, and who has the best view, is clearly signalling that it is a 3-point shot. He was later overruled by the lead official who was well away from the shooter on the other side of the court. You can see him erroneously signalling it was a 2-pointer.


In another strange turn of events, I just heard that the Peoria Quest head coach Michael Jenkins was fired today by email by the school principal. Quest had a fantastic season and made it all the way to the Supersectional game in Class 1A, and lost in double overtime to Okawville, the eventual state champion.
As is often the case, people close to the situation say there are politics involved.

[Da Coach]

Is anyone else watching any of the IHSA class 3A and 4A games?

Belleville West is playing Elgin Larkin right now. Belleville West's E.J. Liddell is really a nice player. But he is just too good to end up at Bradley. But he is a strong, big kid (listed a 6'7", maybe not quite that big but probably still growing), and a very smart player. He will have many high-major offers before he's done.


In the 3A games this afternoon, the best player was Morgan Park's Ayo Dosunmu, but he is already committed to Illinois. Bradley has reportedly been in recruiting contact with a couple of his Morgan Park teammates- Tamell Pearson and Cam Burrell.
I was not very impressed with Pearson, though he is listed at 6'9" (not that tall) and 230 lbs (nowhere near that heavy). IMO, he needs a prep year or a juco to get stronger and develop his skills. I think Nick Irvin (head coach at Morgan Park and for the Mac Irvin Fire AAU program) does a great job of over-hyping and adding height and weight to his kids' bios.

But Cam Burrell reminded me a lot of Donte Thomas when he came out of high school. Burrell is thin, about 6'5" or 6'6", but athletic, and almost always got the ball in the basket if they got it to him. But he is limited to scoring within a foot or two of the basket, and is not a shooter. But I could see him becoming a good mid-major player if he develops his game. I haven't heard that Bradley is recruiting him. His only offer was Chicago State, but now they have fired their coach. He should have more offers.

The only other D1 prospect I was impressed with (other than former Peoria Manual guard Adam Miller of Morgan Park) was Anthony Fairlee of Springfield Southeast. He's a super athletic 6'3" kid who is just a junior. He also doesn't have much of an outside game, but can do everything else. If he develops an outside shot, he'd be a high-major recruit.

In the first Class 4A semifinal tonight, Belleville West leads Elgin Larkin 35-26 at half-

https://www.ihsa.org/SportsActivities/BoysBasketball/StateSeriesInformationResults.aspx?url=/data/scores/bkb4.htm

Here were this afternoon's 3A semifinal scores-

https://www.ihsa.org/SportsActivities/BoysBasketball/StateSeriesInformationResults.aspx?url=/data/scores/bkb3.htm

Box scores-
3A- https://www.ihsa.org/SportsActivitie.../bkb/3box1.htm

4A- https://www.ihsa.org/SportsActivitie.../bkb/4box1.htm

[Da Coach]

It was mentioned elsewhere, but Coach Brian Wardle is at the games tonight watching the 4A semifinals tonight.