In what has been a most difficult season, known at Fenwick as the post-Corey Maggette days, coach John Quinn is not above pointing out the cruel ironies of postseason high school basketball.
Especially if yours is the team teaching the lesson.
Jabari Harris scored 18 points and pulled down seven rebounds and Reggie Stoval added 13 points and 12 boards as the Friars nearly wasted an 11-point third-quarter lead in their 59-51 victory over village rival Oak Park.
“At this point of the season, it doesn’t matter how poorly you’ve played in the past,” Quinn said. “You only have to be good on one night.”
The Friars (10-15), the 11th seed in the Morton sectional, were more than good enough in capturing their third straight, and perhaps most unexpected, regional crown.
“I don’t think this was an upset as much as we just outplayed them,” Quinn said. “It was just a great effort with a lot of hustle tonight. Three weeks ago we looked like a grade-school team. Tonight we just kept bouncing back.”
Fenwick held the Huskies (20-7) to only six first-half field goals in 23 attempts, blocked seven shots and outrebounded Oak Park 13-9 to lead 27-18 at halftime.
Fenwick pushed the lead to 11 early in the second before the Huskies woke up. Oak Park managed a 40-40 tie heading into the final quarter. Fenwick started the fourth on a 13-5 run and led 53-45 with 1:50 remaining. Oak Park closed to within 54-51 with 1:12 remaining on a second-chance putback by Pierre Monagan (11 points), but the Huskies didn’t score again.
“We’ve been in games like this all year,” Quinn said. “We’ve been in six games where we lost in the last 20 seconds. Our seniors all remember what it was like last year.”
Jonathan Cheeks scored 15 for the Huskies. J.P. Tenuta added 12.
