My final week of coverage included seeing arguably the best team in the state, and a Regional Showdown that I was so thankful to witness. Its been a fun season of High School Basketball, and I am really looking forward to next season! Here are the places I went and the teams I saw.
February 27, 2018
Simeon 79 Reavis 41
Simeon came in and made a statement that they are one of the best teams in the state, as they dismantled Reavis 79-41. Freshman Kejuan Clements led all scorers with 20 points, while Zion Young and Talen Horton-Tucker each had 12 points for the Wolverines. Sami Haiiar led the Rams with 15 points.
Crete-Monee 67 Sandburg 45
A dominating upset at the Reavis Regional as Crete-Monee took down Sandburg. Malik Hardmon was impressive, as he led all scorers with 25 points. Karriem Hamilton and
Joshua Evans also put up 12 points apiece for the Warriors in the winning effort. The Eagles were led by Marvin Agwomoh with 13 points and Sami Ismail with 11 points.
Experience: My time at Reavis High was very enjoyable. Even though it was not my first pick in terms of a regional venue, there was a lot I liked about their setup. With tons of parking right outside the gymnasium, it made it super easy to get in. Also, you could see the character of the old school in two ticket booths within the school, one on the outside, one on the inside. The gym itself was average, but the staff running it was top notch. The atmosphere the home team brought to watch the #1 seed was fun and made it really exciting. Cheap prices at the concession stand. Glad I made the trip to Burbank.
March, 2, 2018
Larkin 46 St. Charles North 43
In a thrilling Regional Final, the Larkin Royals took down the host St. Charles North by a final score of 46-43. Larkin big man Jalen Shaw took over in the second half, as he ended 17 points. Anthony Lynch 15 points dropped for the Royals in the win. The North Stars got solid games out of Cade Callaghan and Kyle King who each had 13 points in the loss.
Experience: Leading up to attending the St. Charles North Regional, I wasn’t expecting too much out of the gymnasium itself, but I was so wrong. It was very modern and unique. The gym can hold easily 2,000 people, and had a really high ceiling to make the court spacious. Lots of parking, and it was close to the entrance. In terms of awards and trophies, it looked like they were renovating their cases, so there was none to be found. The people were all very kind and respectful. Didn’t get to see the concession stand options. Overall a great way to end the year with a close game between the host North Stars and the Larkin Royals.
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