Boys Basketball: Lemont tops Richards
By Mike Fitzgerald For Sun-Times Media January 6, 2012 11:12PM
Richards' Josh Meier and Lemont's Matt Lipowski battle for a rebound. | Judy Fidkowski~For Sun-Times Media
Article Extras
Updated: February 10, 2012 8:43AM
Juozas Balciunas scored 14 points to help host Lemont defeat Richards 52-44 Friday night in a South Suburban crossover game.
Balciunas hit two key three-pointers during a third-quarter Indians push, and he scored his team’s first six points of the fourth quarter to keep the Indians (12-2, 4-1) comfortably in control.
Lemont led 9-6 after one quarter in a game in which both teams started slowly offensively. The Bulldogs (7-6, 4-1) shot 3-of-13 in the quarter while Lemont shot 3-of-10.
The Indians built a 19-11 lead with 2:27 to play in the second before Richards came back behind the scoring of guard Jovone Shorter and forward LaBrian Whittle. The two combined to lead an 8-0 run that tied the game at 19-19 with 18 seconds left before halftime. Two free throws by Lemont’s Joe Hehir (10 points) gave the Indians a 21-19 halftime lead.
The Indians built a 32-23 lead on the first three-pointer by Balciunas in the third quarter. His second trey of the period made it 37-25 with 3:10 to go. Lemont held a 41-29 lead after three. The Indians shot 9-of-11 in the quarter.
“I thought our defensive intensity picked up in the second half,” Lemont coach Rick Runaas said. “We let up a bit at the end of the first half, and they got back into it. They make it difficult to score in the halfcourt, but we were able to get some run outs and Juozas was able to get to the basket. He got a couple of makes at the basket and that helped his confidence.”
The Bulldogs outscored Lemont 14-6 over the first six minutes of the fourth quarter, cutting the lead to 47-43, before Lemont free throws opened the lead back up again. Richards did not score a field goal in the last 1:44.
Matt Lipowski added 10 points and six rebounds for Lemont. Shorter led Richards with 14 points.
Comments Click here to view or make a comment