Violence disrupted another Public League boys basketball game Monday, forcing the suspension of a contest between Collins and No. 13 Farragut.
Farragut (12-4, 8-0) led 53-30 just 19 seconds into the fourth quarter when Collins freshman John Flowers took exception to an apparent elbow by Farragut freshman Jeremy Brazil. When play stopped due to a dead-ball situation, Flowers and Brazil clashed. Both benches emptied and players on both teams started pushing and shoving each other.
Six Chicago police officers and Chicago Public Schools security personnel restored order and sent both teams to their locker rooms. The referees met with both coaches and decided to suspend play. No arrests were made, and while about 10 fans came onto the floor during the melee, none was involved in the fighting.
Both Public League Director of Athletics J.W. Smith and boys basketball coordinator George Stanton said a decision would be made Tuesday regarding the status of the suspended game and any possible player suspensions.
Bob Skolnik.
Julian 61, Simeon 59: Jim Brown sank a 14-foot jumper from the right baseline as time expired as the Jaguars upset No. 11 Simeon.
The victory gave Julian (14-8, 7-1) a one-game lead over the Wolverines (12-5, 6-2) in the Public Red South with two section games remaining. Julian controls the tiebreaker, having won the second game between teams that split their season series.
T.J. Gray led the Jaguars with 16 points. DeShawn Walker had 20 for Simeon.
Young 80, Prosser 59: Andre Knox scored 20 points as the No. 2 Dolphins (19-1, 8-1) rolled in the Public Red North-West. Young was without center Dwayne Curtis, who has a right foot injury sustained Saturday.
Crane 101, Austin 40: Lorenzo Thompson’s 16 points led the No. 3 Cougars (17-1, 7-1) in the Red West.
Lincoln Park 69, Westinghouse 64 (OT): Navarro Thompson drained a three-pointer at the buzzer to cap an 11-point fourth-quarter rally, and the Lions (15-6, 7-2) went on to win in the Red North-West.
Girls basketball
Marian Catholic 78, Joliet Catholic 65: Missy Mitidiero scored 24 for the No. 4 Spartans (20-2, 5-0) in the East Suburban Catholic.
Buffalo Grove 58, Elk Grove 23: The No. 17 Bison (20-6, 7-0) rolled in the Mid-Suburban East as Ashley Sandstead had 13 points.
Lincoln-Way East 46, Joliet 41: Courtney Schiefelbein led the No. 20 Griffins (18-3, 8-1) with 11 points in the SICA West.
Public League playoffs: Jacquay Holmes scored 23 points to lead No. 5 Marshall over Orr 72-10. . . . Tatiana Valentine scored 24 points as No. 7 Hope (20-2) beat Harper 57-35. . . . Rovina Broomfield’s 15 points led No. 12 Young (17-5) to a 97-19 win over Payton.
Football
All-State quarterback Steve Walker of Lockport orally committed to North Dakota State on Monday while Richards All-State offensive lineman Mike Jones is getting closer to making his decision.
Walker, who chose the Bison over Wyoming, Eastern Illinois and Drake, will compete against front-runner Tony Stauss, who transferred from Northwestern this season. Walker’s teammate, All-State receiver Spencer Jensen, is still deliberating between walking on at Illinois or accepting a scholarship from Eastern Illinois.
The 6-5, 305-pound Jones, rated among the top offensive linemen in the country, had a home visit Monday night with Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz. After Tuesday night’s visit by Penn State’s Joe Paterno, Jones will take a few days to decide among those two schools, Miami, Notre Dame and Tennessee.
