NORMAL – After the last regular season meeting between Normal Community High School and Normal Community West High School last month, which NCHS won 45-40, as the final seconds ticked off the clock, Normal West students stood and chanted toward those in NCHS’ bleachers, “Wait ‘Til Regionals!”
Following their performances at NCHS Regionals Tuesday, the showdown the West faithful were hoping for then will become a reality Friday night, starting with a 7:30p.m. tip-off. That’s because first seed Normal West eased past fourth seed Minooka, 68-42, while second seed NCHS conquered third seed Bradley Bourbonnais, 64-46.
Normal West 68, Minooka 42: First seed Normal West’s 68-42 victory over 6-21 Minooka got the evening off to a fast start, with the Wildcats jumping out to an 8-0 lead on a pair of baskets by Austin Stewart and a deuce from Tyler Bell at the 4:18 mark. Minooka cut West’s lead, 10-5, in part, on a trey by Ben Heide with 2:20 to go in the quarter. But a trey from Bell with 2.5 seconds left gave West a 15-5 lead to begin the second quarter.
From there, a 7-0 run, led by a trey from Bradley Hallstein with 3:31 until halftime and a pair of unanswered deuces from Stewart helped push the Wildcats toward their 40-18 halftime lead.
West (19-10) never looked back from that point, doubling the lead on fourth seed Minooka going into the fourth quarter, 56-28.
Hallstein led four West players in double figures with 15 points. He was followed by Bell with 14 points, and Taylor Scheuermann and Stewart each scoring 13. Jake Butler was Minooka’s lone player in double figures, scoring 11.
“I think we had real good energy defensively, and I think that fed into our offense,” said West head coach Brian Cupples. “I thought we were really active. Austin (Stewart) got us going (with) a couple of steals (and) a couple of dunks early.”
Cupples said Minooka “scared” him as a team because they “are really scrappy. They are really physical, and I thought matched that. (Our guys) really played well.”
Cupples said that if there are things he would like to see his team do when they play NCHS on Friday, they would include “moving the ball a little bit better (and) do a better job of setting screens.”
At 7:20p.m., 10 minutes before NCHS was to tip-off against Bradley Bourbonnais, Minooka head coach Scott Tanaka was not available for comment, as he and his team were still behind closed locker room doors.
Normal Community 64, Bradley Bourbonnais 46: Second seed NCHS’ road to the Regional Final against third seed Bradley Bourbonnais had a similar start to what West experienced, starting with a quick 7-0 lead on baskets by Kyle Dierkes and Kevin Bischoff, and free throws by Anthony Beane as response to a technical foul called against the Boilermakers’ Zach Wadley at 4:21 in the first quarter.
NCHS (20-9) owned a 13-4 lead with two minutes left in the quarter, taking a 20-7 lead into the second quarter. Only Kurt Homberg’s trey with 1:05 left in the quarter managed to slow NCHS’ scoring sprint down.
That sprint continued when the second quarter began with back-to-back from Taylor Lierman and Nathan Haynes pushing the Ironmen lead to 24-7. But the Boilermakers struck back with four treys – two from JoVaughn Shivers and one each from Paddy Rooney and Brandon Moliga – to pull within 8, 31-23, with 1:45 left in the quarter.
Although Kevin Bischoff and Anthony Beane scored back-to-back buckets to close out the half for NCHS, the Ironmen owned a 10-point lead, 35-25, going into the intermission.
Fouls committed by Bradley Bourbonnais (8-17) sent Kyle Dierkes to the free throw line to down four free throws, giving NCHS a 41-28 lead with 5:39 left in the third quarter. Beane added two threes to increase the lead to 47-30 with 3:24 left. Although Tim Smith had one trey for the Boilermakers in the quarter, NCHS had a 50-35 lead going into the fourth quarter.
Bradley Bourbonnais pulled within 10, 50-40, to begin the fourth quarter, including two free throws by Shawn Downey. NCHS responded with a bucket from Nathan Haynes and a three from Bischoff to increase NCHS’ lead to 55-40. from there, the Boilermakers would only score six more points on the night – deuces from Wadley, Zarius West, and two free throws from Zach Pallissard to close out the night and assure the Ironmen a victory.
Bischoff led all players in double figures with 18 points. He was followed by 15 from Beane, 13 from Dierkes, and Haynes’ 12. Wadley was the only Boilermaker player in double figures, scoring 11.
“We jumped out to a big lead on them, and maybe, we relaxed a little bit, and (Bradley Bourbonnais) did a good job of fighting all the way to the end,” said NCHS head coach Dave Witzig.
“When they got within 10, we starting getting a little concerned,” Witzig said. “I thought our defense was pretty solid. We just didn’t want any weird stuff to happen (to us). But I’m glad our guys were able to regroup and weathered the storm and have a great second half.”
Witzig said “there is a lot at stake for us against West” Friday.
“I think we made more shots (in the third and fourth quarters),” said Boilermakers head coach Alex Renchen. “We got them to turn the ball over a little bit, but, that’s what we thought we would have to do tonight, is attack from the parameter and try to get them to turn the ball over.”
Renchen said getting NCHS to turn the ball over was key since his team was playing without the services of starting center Austin Halcomb, who was out sick.
“We were kind of hoping Bischoff and Beane wouldn’t get off (as many shots). Those guys are a load inside. Those guys played real well. They knocked down some big shots. Our fingers were crossed that they would miss shots.”
NORMAL – Normal Town Council members approved a modified resolution concerning signs for the new CVS Pharmacy, one of the anchor stores for the new Uptown Crossing complex along North St. in Uptown Normal.
NORMAL – Normal’s Unit 5 School Board members heard four “Good News” reports at their regular meeting Feb. 24, held at Sugar Creek Elementary School. Members of the Normal Rotary Club, and three Unit 5 instructors received recognition for recent achievements.
NCHS Band Director Serves As Guest Conductor: Josh Masterman, NCHS Band director, was recognized by Board members for being invited to be guest conductor for the Springfield Public Schools All-City Music Festival, which was held on Feb. 23.