This was yet another stinging performance.
Zion-Benton has not been Downstate in its basketball history, but the Zee-Bees took another step in that direction Friday, buzzing Schaumburg 54-41 in the Barrington sectional finale.
Next stop? The Northern Illinois University supersectional Tuesday against Elgin.
Sophomore Lenzelle Smith was super Friday, leading the No. 1 seed with 17 points and 12 rebounds, while teammates Markus Yarbrough (11 points, seven rebounds) and Quintrell Love (10 points) also contributed on the offensive side. Schaumburg (19-10) got 18 points from Cully Payne.
“We knew Schaumburg had a lot of fight in the second half, so we tried to slow them down before they got going and got hot,” Zion guard Rodney Clinkscales said.
The Saxons were having all kinds of trouble with Zion’s speed, size, defense and multitalented offense. Yet, with 3 and a half minutes left in the third quarter, Schaumburg trailed 30-27. But a 6-2 run to finish the quarter, highlighted by Smith’s trey, gave Z-B a 36-29 advantage going into the fourth.
Zion-Benton (30-3) led 40-33 early in the final period when it kicked it up another notch offensively. A 10-2 run with five different players contributing, made it 50-35.
“Our defensive play set up our offense tonight,” forward Smith said. “We knew the difference in this game would be our defense.”
The Saxons shot 7 of 24 in the first half, but only trailed by 22-17 at the half. In postseason wins over Hoffman Estates and Highland Park, Schaumburg had come up big in the second half. This time, however, the Saxons were unable to made such a bid. “In the fourth we got going on offense and our defense played harder,” said Z-B guard Ronald Steward. “We really got it rolling.”
