Lockport imposes its will in win over Minooka – Shaw Local

CHANNAHON – Through the center of Wednesday evening’s recreation, Lockport coach Brett Hespell stored yelling one phrase time and again.

“Tempo.”

The Porters took that phrase to coronary heart as they pulled away within the second half to defeat Minooka 55-30 in a non-conference matchup.

Jaylen Falcon led the way in which with 19 factors and sophomore guard Bryce Turner retains impressing as he completed with 10 factors in his fourth varsity recreation. The win is the fourth straight for the Porters (9-3), who’re in search of their third consecutive successful season and fourth prior to now 5 years.

“Bryce is doing a fantastic job,” Hespell stated. “Most sophomores can be timid and bashful in being introduced as much as the varsity. However he’s not that in any respect. It’s a credit score to him to step in and be aggressive.”

Hespell was additionally blissful together with his workforce’s tempo, particularly within the second half.

“I simply thought, ‘It’s a Wednesday evening, there’s a snowstorm coming, and finals are virtually over,’” Hespell stated of his key phrase of tempo. “We didn’t have loads of vitality early, so I used to be attempting to energise them.”

It labored.

Forward 24-19 at halftime, the Porters went on a 7-0 run to start out the third quarter. Then, main 33-24, they closed the quarter with an 8-0 spurt for a 41-24 lead after three. Senior guard Adam Labuda was the catalyst within the quarter as he scored all 9 of his factors in a 4:47 span.

Falcon, a junior guard, capped his evening by making a pair of free throws with 5:56 remaining within the recreation for a 47-26 lead. He left the sport then because the Porters performed everybody down the stretch.

“We simply had to try this, we simply needed to play our recreation,” Falcon stated of Lockport’s second-half surge. “We have been on their dwelling courtroom and their crowd was yelling at us. However we simply needed to play at our tempo, not theirs.”

Turner thought so, too.

“They have been attempting to hurry it up,” Turner stated of the Indians. “However we needed to get them to play at our tempo. As soon as we did that, we knew weren’t going to lose.

“I could be a sophomore, however each single time I’m on the market, I wish to present that I can play on the varsity degree.”

Lockport jumped out to a 9-0 lead halfway via the primary quarter. However the Indians rallied again on a pair of 3-pointers by senior guard Preston Van Pelt, who had a team-high 13 factors, to knot it at 9-9 after the opening quarter.

Minooka tied it at 11 and 13, and had a number of alternatives to take a lead, however by no means did. A basket by senior guard Quinton Hunter put the Porters forward for good as they ended the primary half on an 11-6 spurt within the remaining 3:41 of the second quarter.

“We did job on (Labuda) within the first half after which he obtained out and scored quite a bit within the third quarter,” Minooka coach Kevin Cain stated. “It was good that we fought again from being down 9-0 early and we stopped the bleeding. However the first 4 minutes of the third quarter is a very powerful time of the sport they usually smacked us within the mouth.”

As traditional, the Porters will play within the 91st Annual Pontiac Vacation Event. They haven’t gained an opening-round recreation there since 2010. Lockport will open the event on Wednesday, Dec. 28 at 1 p.m. in opposition to Peoria Guide. Final yr, Guide beat the Porters, 68-67, in a second-round comfort matchup.

Turner was just a few years previous in 2010. However his confidence confirmed via in his prediction for Pontiac.

“That’s going to vary,” Turner stated of the dropping streak at Pontiac. “We’re going to give it our all and get a W.”

Falcon is assured, too.

“Peoria Guide is a troublesome workforce that’s scrappy, athletic and powerful,” Falcon stated. “But when we hit photographs, field out, and play to the elite degree that we are able to, we’re going to get a win.”

Hespell is aware of that there are not any straightforward video games at Pontiac. He performed at Pontiac for the Porters and helped them to a comfort championship there as a junior in 1999.

“Guide is a historic program,” Hespell stated. “Six of the 16 groups at Pontiac are ranked within the high 15 within the state. It’s such a troublesome event.”

Sadly for the Indians, this has been a troublesome season. It was the sixth straight loss for Minooka (1-9).

The 2 groups break up a pair of video games final season.

“Final yr was a signature win for us to defeat Lockport on the highway,” Minooka coach Kevin Cain stated. “The Porters are stable once more this season. They don’t take unhealthy photographs.”

Junior guard Drew Gallagher added 5 factors for Lockport. Senior swing gamers Nick Andreano (7 factors) and Isaiah DuPree (5 factors) additionally contributed for Minooka.

The Indians might be on the forty eighth Annual Jack Tosh Vacation Traditional at York beginning on Monday, Dec. 26.

“We’ve an 8:30 a.m. recreation in opposition to St. Ignatius,” Cain stated of the opening spherical at York. “So it doesn’t get any simpler.”