PONTIAC—Things could have turned out much differently for Simeon on Friday at the Pontiac Holiday Tournament.
The Wolverines picked up two technical fouls in the first few minutes of their quarterfinal game against Peoria Manual. One was on the bench, one on a player.
Simeon coach Tim Flowers sprang into action, immediately and loudly making sure that his team’s spirit stayed positive and focused. Just one technical foul in a stressful game sometimes sends a team spiraling. The Wolverines didn’t miss a beat.
Flowers’ instructions from the sidelines often focus on attitude and the mental side of basketball.
“It’s something you have to do with this generation,” Flowers said. “It’s so easy for them to be distracted and consumed with things outside the actual game of basketball. Sometimes you have to reinforce to them that they need to leave the outside stuff alone and just focus.”
Flowers is a lifelong friend of former NBA star Derrick Rose. The pair won two state and city championships at Simeon. Those Wolverines’ teams were sensations. They beat national powerhouse Oak Hill and traveled to play at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
“Even with all the hoopla around Derrick, we didn’t have to deal with all this,” Flowers said. “This is a new generation, the social media era. They care about the perceptions of people outside of their team. So I’m just trying to get them to stay locked in and not let the outside things get to us.”
Benet’s Daniel Pauliukonis may be the area’s most under-the-radar Division I recruit.
The 6-9 senior, signed with SIU, had some nice games last season, and sparkled in club basketball over the summer. His full arsenal of skills was displayed in a 58-44 win against Bloom in the quarterfinals of the 93rd Pontiac Holiday Tournament on Friday.
Pauliukonis finished with 20 points and six rebounds. He scored on threes, midrange jumpers, takes to the basket and post moves.
“I got off to a good start so that was nice, got in my groove,” Pauliukonis said. “In the second half when they started face-guarding me I set some screens and helped get the other guys open.”
Pauliukonis scored 18 in the first half to help the Redwings jump out to a 34-20 halftime lead. Benet stayed in control throughout the second half.
Sophomore Xavier Martin led Bloom (8-3) with 13 points and Adam Page added 12 points and eight rebounds.
Curie 54, New Trier 52
From the outside, both Curie and New Trier are new teams that graduated most of their starting lineups last season.
In reality, this group at Curie has been playing together for three or four years.
“Since day one freshman year,” Curie senior Rashaad Wilson said. “We have great chemistry now and that makes it easier for us to get open looks.”
The Condors have been playing together at the lower levels and that continuity has paid off early in the season. They keep finding a way to win close games late.
“They don’t quit,” Curie coach Mike Oliver said. “They just play hard. We don’t have the talent of everybody else but they know how to win.”
New Trier (11-4) led throughout the second half and 50-46 with 2:05 left.
A three-pointer from Curie’s Mike Oliver Jr. cut the deficit to one point with 1:17 to play. The Trevians turned the ball over on the next possession and the Condors capitalized with a three-point play by Justin Oliver to take the lead.
“We work on these late game situations in practice so we feel prepared at the end of games,” Justin Oliver said. “That’s credit to the coaches. We know what plays to run and what to do on defense.”
Justin Oliver led Curie with 18 points, five rebounds and four assists. Brad Johnson added 14 points and nine rebounds. He scored nine consecutive points for Curie in a stretch of the third and fourth quarter.
Wilson finished with 13 points.
“These guys just love to play basketball,” Mike Oliver said. “They aren’t big names. They just play hard for 32 minutes.”
Junior guard Christopher Kirkpatrick led New Trier with 17 points and five rebounds. Senior Colby Smith scored 17 and junior Danny Houlihan added nine.
DePaul Prep 66, Joliet West 46
AJ Chambers led a balanced attack for the Rams with 18 points. Makai Kvamme scored 15 and Rashaun Porter added 14.
DePaul Prep jumped out to an early 21-6 lead and cruised the rest of the way.
Aamir Shannon led the Tiger swith 15 points.
Saturday’s schedule:
Curie vs. DePaul Prep, 1
Simeon vs. Benet, 2:30
Pontiac title game, 9