DePaul Prep defeated Niles North 65-54 on Wednesday to advance to face Notre Dame the championship game of the 2019 Battle of the Bridge tonight at 7:00 p.m., at DePaul’s Tom Winicki Gym.
This was an exciting game from the outset. The Rams jumped out to a 20-6 first quarter lead. The Rams got every single rebound offensive and defensive. Okay, maybe not every one but it sure seemed like it. They would get the rebound and dish it out quickly for easy points in transition. The Vikings could not hit a shot.
It was a tale of two halves. The Vikings came out from halftime down 35-18 but East Tennessee State commit Aquan Smart was determined to get his team back in the game. That he did. Smart scored 27 of this 30 points in the third quarter bring the Vikings almost all the way back. At a point early in the fourth quarter the Rams only had a 5 point lead.
It was not to be—a successful comeback. I cannot remember a Tom Kleinschmidt team blowing a big lead. They are just too well coached. The Rams made their layups and free throws at the end and keep their lead, winning 65-54.
The Rams advance to the second big test of the early season with the Battle of the Bridge championship game against #7 ranked Notre Dame coming up here in a couple hours.
The Notre Dame Dons are an excellent team. Troy D’Amico and Anthony Sales are a year older and stronger. And then, top area prospect junior Louis Lesmond transferred to Notre Dame from Evanston. Kevin Clancy and Shay Boyle have the Dons primed and ready to dominate the ESCC and make a deep run in the playoffs. Oh, and did I mention that they are in 3A year? The Dons are right there behind Morgan Park as favorites in 3A. I will get my first look at them this season tonight at 7:00 p.m., in the DePaul’s Tom Winicki Gym, come out and join us for a early season matchup between two top 3A teams.
