Leo 64, Harlan 35; Class 2-A Regional title game
at Harlan on Friday, February 28
No going easy on an inferior opponent and letting it stick around, as the Leo Lions had done against U-High two nights earlier.
This time the Lions started firing when the bus arrived and never let up, burying Harlan 64-35 Friday night in the title game of the IHSA Class 2-A Harlan Regional to earn a second straight regional championship. They’ll face North Lawndale College Prep (15-11) in the first round of the Julian Sectional at Julian on Tuesday, March 4.
“Much better energy tonight,” Leo Coach Jimalle Ridley said. “And we were able to sustain it.”
So charged up were the Lions that it was 16-0 before Harlan could think about a shot, much less make one. A running clock was only a matter of time after a 29-8 first quarter. Karon Shavers had five points in the first 24 seconds, 10 in the first quarter and 14 in the game as Ridley used all 14 players who dressed and 11 of them scored. Jamarion Upshaw provided only two points, but he had seven rebounds and four blocks in one of his better performances this season.
“Energy and focus,” Ridley said, “We had it tonight.”
Jameel Patterson scored 15 for Harlan.
North Lawndale, to be sure, is made of sterner stuff than Harlan. The Phoenix went 6-5 in the CPS Red Northwest Conference and 2-1 against three teams Leo also faced and defeated, beating Bogan and Marshall and losing to Payton. Arnez Jones had 27 points and 13 rebounds in North Lawndale’s regional title game win over Dunbar.
Dyett (23-7), the sectional’s top seed, will face Butler College Prep (21-9) in the other sectional semifinal on Wednesday, March 5. The championship game is Friday, March 7, with the winner moving on to the Joliet Supersectional on Tuesday, March 11.
Leo (22-11) has come pretty far in Year 3 of a from-the-ground-up rebuild, but there is more work to be done.
“What’s ahead of us is more important than what’s behind us,” Ridley said. “We’ve got a chance to do something special.”
Leo ‘s next game will be Tues March 3rd @ Julian High School @ 6pm.
Their opponent will be the winner of the Dunbar /North Lawndale game
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