Lane Drops Taft 50-40 in Chicago Elite Classic

The Lane Tech basketball team defeated the Taft Eagles Friday (Dec. 3) 50-40 at the Chicago Elite Classic. The Lane basketball team gained the edge on the Eagles as the CPS Northside leader.

The game started slowly with both teams missing shots they would ordinarily make in their home gyms. Senior point guard Sean Molloy took early control for the Lane Basketball Team (5-1, 0-0 CPS Red West/North) with seven first quarter points. Lane grabbed a 12-9 first quarter lead that it would never relinquish.

It just seemed like the kind of game Lane wanted to play. Tough aggressive defense, control the tempo, score inside and kick out for open jumpers. It all worked, except for the open jumper part. The Basketball Team could barely find a bucket from beyond the arc, going 2 for 18 for the game.

Even so, Taft (3-2, 0-0, CPS White-North) never went away. Tons of effort on the offensive and defensive boards kept the Eagles in the game, out rebounding Lane 49 to 31.

The difference in the game was turnovers. The Eagles gave up the ball 25 times with Lane scoring 27 of its fifty points off Taft turnovers.

Molloy led all scorers with 14 points. Sean also had an impressing block in the first quarter swatting a ball away above the rim.

Interestingly, Lane’s scoring was spreadout throughout its roster. In addition to Molloy’s 14, Sophomore forward Shaheed Solebo had 9, Senior forward Stephen Goonan had 8, Junior guard Jack Tzur had 5 and three other players had 4 points each.

Taft’s 6’3” Junior forward Armin Aliloski lead the Eagles with 13 points and 18 rebounds.

With the Basketball Team lifting its record to 5-1 and Taft falling to 3-2, Lane looks to be the best CPS team on the Northside.

Lane Coach Nick LoGalbo wanted none of that, downplaying the rivalry with Taft.

“It’s another game,” LoGalbo said. “We improved tonight. We got better. Hats off to Taft. They played a great game. The got a new coach. He’s doing a great job. But it’s just another game for us. We prepared the same way we prepare for everybody. We did what we needed to do tonight one possession at a time.”

Modesty aside, Lane’s appearance in the prestigious Chicago Elite Classic is no accident. The Chicago Elite Classic started ten years ago by Whitney Young coach Tyrone Slaughter and Simeon coach Robert Smith. The legendary CPS coaches wanted to showcase top programs in bring in some out-of-state teams to amp up competition. This year’s out-of-state teams include Vashon High School and Chaminade College Prep from St. Louis, Evangel Christian from Louisville, Gonzaga from Washington, DC, and Mater Dei from California.

“It means a lot [to win in the Chicago Elite Classic,] Lane Senior guard Sean Molloy said. “We’ve been trying to get ourselves on the map. We started a few years back and we are getting more and more noticed from the local tournaments. To win in this, just proves that we should be here.”

“It was very clear tonight that it meant a lot to our boys to be here,” LoGalbo continued. “It meant a lot for our school to be here. We had a big crowd. We had alumni come out. I thought we represented well tonight.”

The Lane Basketball Team will get no rest next week with Steinmetz on Monday, North Lawndale on Wednesday, Schurz on Friday and Oak Forest on Saturday.

Likewise for Taft, from one high profile shootout to another. The Eagles will face host Ridgewood at the Ridgewood Shootout on Sunday (Dec. 6).

Taft Stuns Von Steuben 52-50

The Von Steuben Panthers (7-7, 4-1) hosted rival Taft Eagles (13-5, 4-1) at Northeastern Illinois University for an important game between leaders of the CPS White North Division.

Taft lead the game for only 3.2 seconds. But when those are the last 3.2 seconds, well that’s the important part.

The Eagles tied the game at 50 with 58 seconds to play. The Panthers brought the ball up and were content to run down the clock and take a last shot.

With thirteen seconds on the clock, Panther point guard Sr. Jerry Karr drove the right side of lane. Taft guard Alexei Vlahos tipped a pass. Taft’s Dexter Stigall grabbed the deflection and raced up court for a layup to give Taft its first lead of the game. He missed.

Trailing the play was Taft’s senior guard Matt Leach who in one motion, rebounded the ball and dropped it in the hoop giving Taft its first lead of the game with 3.2 to play.

Stunned, Von Steuben didn’t call time out. They inbounded the ball for a full court last shot. It missed. Taft had pulled off the unlikely comeback after not playing defense or shooting well throughout the preceding thirty minutes.

Taft 52, Von Steuben 50.

The White-North now sits in a four-way tie at the top between Taft, Schurz, Von Steuben and Mather.

DePaul Prep Defeats Taft 60-15 in Battle of the Bridge

The DePaul Prep Rams played angry. The Rams defeated the Taft High School Eagles 60-15 in the season opener last night in the Tom Wienicki Gym. The game wasn’t as close as the score suggests. 24-2 at the end of the first and 34-5 at the half. Taft played hard; they just ran into talented team that wanted to play hard.

It did not seem to matter who the Rams were playing. They were focused. Not a lot of cheering or congratulations on the lopsided score—just focused, serious business.

Perry Cowen looks like he has added muscle. Sophomore Ty Johnson started the game at point guard and looks a foot taller that the last time I saw him in March. The Rams starting line-up of Cowen, Pantovic, Anthony, Mosley and Johnson is going to give a lot of teams trouble. Shower and Matthews off the bench can keep up the pressure. This team is poised to win a lot of games and make a deep run in 3A.

Based upon the Rams Super 25 rank at #21, Sun-Times Reporter Michael O’Brien sees the Rams obvious talent but doesn’t appear to believe at they have the mental toughness to be a top tier team. City Suburban Hoops Report’s Joe Henricksen does and puts the Rams in that top tier of his rankings at #10. I know it was Taft but last night at least, it looks like the Rams have what it takes.

The season has just begun 30 or so games to play. It will go quick. Stay tuned.