Conference titles are a wierd entity in highschool basketball. Some colleges don’t appear to care about them a lot in any respect, they’re centered on metropolis or state titles or one other native rivalry.
That isn’t the case in Country Club Hills. Don Houston’s program is constructed on convention supremacy. Hillcrest has gained no matter convention it has performed in for 31 of the final 32 years.
The South Suburban Blue title was on the road Friday in Oak Forest. A win would give the Hawks a share. A loss would give the Bengals their first convention title since 1987.
“We wouldn’t have been able to go to sleep tonight if we lost,” Hillcrest’s Julius Rollins mentioned. “It would have been kind of embarrassing. We had to continue the legacy that goes back generations so we just played our hearts out.”
Rollins, a 6-6 junior, had 14 factors and 11 rebounds. Jakobi Heady, one other 6-6 junior, completed with 23 factors and 7 rebounds. The defensive effort of the 2 tall juniors was simply as necessary.
Oak Forest (26-3, 12-1) has been profitable on account of its size. The Hawks neutralized that, out-rebounding the Bengals 33-17.
“They disrupted whatever we were trying to do,” Oak Forest coach Matt Manzke mentioned. “We weren’t able to get anything going in the half court set. In the third quarter just getting a shot off was hard.”
Hillcrest outscored Oak Forest 20-Four within the third quarter.
“I don’t even want to tell you about that halftime speech,” Houston mentioned. “It was epic. It was just something. We wanted to get the fire out of them. They didn’t have the fire in the first half.”
Houston didn’t try and downplay the importance the convention dominance has to his crew and city.
“It’s important for the kids, the school and the community,” Houston mentioned. “We are playing for something that is bigger than us. There are guys in this locker room, guys in the community, guys all around the world that are Hawks that have kept this alive. This legacy is everyone’s and we have to continue it.”
Hillcrest (21-8, 12-1) was highly-regarded within the preseason but it surely has been an up and down few months. Junior level guard Mar’Keise Irving is the important thing to the crew. The Hawks have a number of lengthy athletes however he’s the participant that ties all the things collectively and makes the crew go. He’s additionally among the finest working backs within the state. It took a pair months for Irving to get his basketball legs again.
“He definitely needed that time,” Houston mentioned. “He plays so hard in everything that he does. He needs those legs. For him to not be able to do what he wants to do naturally takes away from him as a person and a player.”
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When he’s at his greatest Irving can blaze by means of the baseline for acrobatic layups. That was his transfer in opposition to Oak Forest. He completed with 23 factors, six steals and 4 rebounds.
“The baseline is my thing,” Irving mentioned. “I feel like the defender can’t stay with me. I just blow right past him and do the up and under.”
Jayson Kent led Oak Forest with 23 factors and 6 rebounds. Sophomore Robbie Avila added 11 factors, 5 rebounds and 4 assists and his older brother, senior Juan Avila, had eight factors and 4 assists.
Next up for Hillcrest is Rich South on Tuesday within the Class 3A regional semifinals. Oak Forest, additionally a Class 3A crew, will play the winner of Bremen vs. Brooks on Tuesday.
“We needed to come together and play as a team,” Irving mentioned. “That happened. Now we can go far in the state playoffs.”