DePaul Prep 59, Leo 27
Catholic League Blue game at Leo on January 31
It would have been nice if the court-storming that followed the students’ victory over the faculty in a Friday game that wrapped up Catholic Schools Week at Leo had been a precursor to something bigger.
It would also have been a wildly improbable dream.
Two-time state champion DePaul Prep was rather indignant after two one-point losses in three games cost the Rams the top spot in state and area rankings. They were looking to vent their frustration on somebody, and that somebody was Leo.
The final was 59-27, and it wasn’t that close.
The Lions hit their first shot of the night, then missed their next 14. Mid-range, three-pointers, layups, putbacks – you name it and Leo missed it. It was 19-2 after the first quarter, 31-8 at halftime, and it was Game Over. The fourth quarter was played with a running clock to spare the Lions additional misery.
“We were terrible,” Coach Jimalle Ridley said. “That’s about as bad as we can play.
“We competed, though, and I’m proud of them for that. We’re just not ready to beat a team like DePaul Prep.”
The Rams (23-3 overall, 4-1 Catholic League Blue) subscribe to the late John Wooden’s mantra: Be quick, but don’t hurry. They play at a brisk pace at both ends of the floor, but they don’t rush anything and their cohesion is uncommonly smooth for a high school squad.
Junior Rashaun Porter, a 6-foot-7 menace underneath, showed what all the fuss is about with 21 points and eight rebounds, bullying the smaller Lions all evening. Guards Rykan Woo and Makai Kvamme complemented outstanding floor play with 10 points apiece.
Dontae Bell led Leo with eight points.
A scary thought for the rest of the Catholic League: DePaul Prep looks to be good for a while. Blake Choice and Oliver Kerrigan, intriguing prospects who led the Rams sophomores to a 53-28 romp in the preliminary game, are freshmen.
Perhaps this rinsing will serve as a wakeup call for the Lions (14-9, 1-4 CCL Blue). They were feeling pretty good about themselves after running off eight wins in 10 games in January, but – no offense – Aurora Central Catholic and Providence-St . Mel are as far removed from DePaul Prep as a fourth-grade ‘B’ squad is from the Boston Celtics.
They have a chance to recover on Monday when they entertain University High (4-9) in the makeup of an earlier postponed nonconference game. On Tuesday they visit St. Francis de Sales (5-17, 2-3 CCL White). Then comes a three-game Catholic League gauntlet against Loyola Academy, Mount Carmel and St. Ignatius, who are a combined 56-15 as this is written.
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