Jalen Falcon takes flight, leads Lockport past Joliet Central – Shaw Local

JOLIET – All through the years, Lockport and Joliet Central have loved many thrillers on the Joliet Central fitness center.

The 2 renewed hostilities Monday night time in a nonconference recreation that was tight early till Lockport’s Jalen Falcon triggered a spurt within the second quarter that offered the impetus for the Porters’ 58-28 win.

Each groups struggled to attain within the first quarter and many of the second. Joliet Central (6-21) took a 13-11 lead when Robert Williams hit a 3-pointer halfway by way of the second. Adam Labuda answered with a 3-pointer of his personal, his solely basket of the sport to go along with six assists, which began a 15-0 run by the Porters that swung the momentum of their favor.

Falcon, who had a game-high 22 factors to go along with 5 rebounds, was fouled on consecutive journeys down the ground and went 4 of 4 from the free-throw line earlier than Quinton Hunter added a 3-pointer. Then, off a turnover by Joliet Central, Hunter lobbed an alley-oop to Falcon, who slammed it house with authority. Falcon then scored within the lane once more for a 25-13 lead for Lockport (15-10).

Joliet Central ended the run on a basket by Isaiah Molette. Falcon then delivered a play simply as, if no more, spectacular than his dunk, simply earlier than halftime. Labuda launched a 3-pointer, and from his place on the left wing Falcon swooped in and tipped the missed shot in from the suitable facet of the rim to provide the Porters a 27-13 lead at halftime.

“They have been taking part in us scrappy and hard early within the recreation,” Falcon stated. “I wasn’t getting any calls going to the rim, so I needed to kick the ball out to my teammates. Then we bought some turnovers and I bought the alley-oop and the tip-in. These bought my teammates hyped, and we saved it up the remainder of the sport.

“It’s enjoyable to play them. [Joliet Central] Coach [Lawrence] Thompson teaches at our college and he roots for us, too. He’s a cool man, and I see him within the hallways so much.”

Thompson, who was the top coach at Lockport for 16 years earlier than transferring to Joliet Central, had excessive reward for Falcon and the Porters.

“Numerous turnovers we had have been self induced,” Thompson stated. “However you must hand it to Lockport, they blended up their strain. We prefer to strain, too, however they do it otherwise than we do with their size. I’ve to do a greater job of educating our guys to see it and to comprehend that dribbling will not be the one technique to get by way of that strain.

“Jalen Falcon is an actual good athlete. He’s fast and he will get into the passing lanes.”

Zion Kostyra led Joliet Central with eight factors, whereas Williams and Jamarcho Holman every added three.

The Porters continued to close down the Steelmen within the third quarter, limiting them to solely seven factors. In the meantime, Lockport scored 14 of its personal, getting 3-pointers from Hunter (8 factors) and Falcon, in addition to 4 factors from Caden Schoolcraft, who completed with six factors, because the Porters took a 41-22 lead into the fourth.

Within the fourth, Falcon put the sport away with a pair of 3-pointers for a 47-22 lead and each groups emptied the benches.

“It’s all the time nice to play in opposition to Coach Thompson,” Lockport coach Brett Hespell stated. “He was my coach after I was in highschool at Lockport, and he helped me get my begin in educating and training. He was a mentor to me then, and nonetheless is, actually.

“We have been struggling offensively within the first half, however then we bought some offense off of our protection and that picked issues up for us. As soon as we bought the alley-oop, the ball appeared to maneuver sooner and our offense was cleaner. We additionally did a very good job of getting offensive rebounds, which is a giant key if you find yourself struggling to attain.”