By Paul Bowker
MaxPreps.com
Whitney Young won the first battle of the defending Class 4A and 3A girls basketball champions Wednesday. Young, the 4A state champ, led by as many as 21 points, then settled for a 68-56 win over Marshall, the 3A champ
Sophomore Chanise Jenkins scored a season-high 24 points for Young (11-1) and freshman Janee Thompson added 13.
Marshall (9-3) actually led 8-0 before the Dolphins’ offensive machine got cranking.
This will not be the only time the city rivals meet this season. Circle Jan. 16 on your calendar. That’s when Young and Marshall will meet at Young.
Last year, Marshall won two of the three meetings.
Camouflage Night
Tinley Park’s girls basketball team donned camouflage uniforms on “Salute Our Troops Night” Thursday, then went on for a 39-16 victory over Richards.
Before the game, military veterans were honored. Veterans were asked to be on the court, and after the national anthem was played, each veteran shook hands with players from both teams.
“I thought it was great for them (the players) to see the vets and learn some lessons from them,” Tinley Park coach Tim Schnyders told the Chicago Sun-Times.
Boys Basketball: Leo is 10-0
A 3-pointer by Darrin Johnson in overtime sent Leo to its ninth consecutive victory last weekend with a 67-66 win over powerful Simeon in the Loop Capital Markets Shootout.
After the game-winning shot, Johnson’s teammates mobbed him on the court.
On Wednesday, the Lions won their 10th straight game, defeating Hales 56-52 as Johnson scored another 12 points.
It was the second loss in one week for Simeon in a city tournament. A week earlier, Simeon was upset by Thornton, also in overtime, in the Public League Shootout at Chicago State.
The road doesn’t get any easier for Simeon.
The Wolverines face another tough test Saturday night in the Windy City Showdown at Loyola University’s Gentile Center. They will face Indianapolis Lawrence North at 8:30 p.m. Lawrence North has three players already committed or signed to Division I schools and several others being courted by major programs. It is the alma mater of Portland Trailblazer center Greg Oden.
The game prior to Simeon’s on Saturday should be a real showdown, as well, when De La Salle faces Detroit Country Day at 6:45 p.m.
The tournament will also have three games in the afternoon, featuring teams from three states. One not to miss: When Curie meets Bishop Luers of Fort Wayne, Ind., it will feature a pair of stars in Curie sophomore guard Wayne Blackshear and Luers junior forward De Shaun Thomas. Blackshear is considered one of the top sophomore players in the state; he had 10 points and 8 rebounds in the Condors’ 75-48 win over King on Wednesday. Thomas led the state of Indiana in scoring as a freshman and is an Ohio State verbal commitment.
An all-day pass to the Windy City Showdown is $12.
Paddling incident brought to CPS board
The dismissal of Morgan Park basketball coach Mandel Oliver wound up in front of the Chicago Board of Education this week. Oliver and Marshall coach Courtney Hargrays were recommended for dismissal by Arne Duncan, chief of Chicago Public Schools, for paddling incidents. The school district is investigating six other paddling incidents.
Because Oliver has been coach for just a year, Earlean Green, a parent and president of Morgan Park’s local school council, says he should get another chance.
Nathaniel Byrd, an attorney for the school’s alumni association, said paddling has been around for 25 years in the city and that CPS is at fault.
Duncan, who was nominated this week as U.S. Secretary of Education by president-elect Barack Obama, has been cracking down on paddling incidents.
“Anyplace where this is found, we’re going to fire the coach,” Duncan said.
Recruiting: Mt. Carmel guard verbals Illinois
Tracy Abrams, a sophomore guard at Mt. Carmel, has committed to the University of Illinois nearly two years before he can actually sign a letter-of-intent.
He is the first verbal commitment for Illinois’ 2011 class, which is expected to include five recruits.
“The family, everyone’s together. They show like they really wanted me to be in that program,” Abrams told the Chicago Tribune.
Among Abrams’ other suitors: Kentucky, Indiana and UCLA.
Illinois’ class of 2010 includes another city player, Crandall Head of Crane Technical.
Famous alum
Michelle Obama, wife of the president-elect, is a graduate of Whitney Young Magnet High School, and the enormity of that isn’t lost on Marcus Jordan, the son of a celebrity himself, Michael Jordan.
“We definitely all talk about it. Just to be going to the same school, walking the same halls, as she went to,” Marcus Jordan said. “It’s just a great thing, that she’s the First Lady now.”
The Dolphins are off to Hawaii, the birthplace of Barack Obama, this weekend for Iolani Prep Classic in Honolulu. The Dolphins have won three of their first five games. The Iolani, considered to be one of the best holiday prep tournaments, has a 16-team field, including nationally ranked Oak Hill.
The team will also tour the area where Obama was raised, said Young High School assistant principal Michael Grishaber.
Paul Bowker covers the Chicago area for MaxPreps. He may be reached at bowkerpaul1@aol.com
