HINSDALE CENTRAL HOLIDAY CLASSIC

HC SQUARED:  Building a New Tradition of Basketball at Its Best
 

2017 GAME 32 RECAP: Saint Rita 55, Bolingbrook 49 (Championship Game)

Box Score

HINSDALE, Ill. – Saint Rita captured the tournament title by defeating defending champion Bolingbrook 55-49 at the 2017 Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic.

Saint Rita (9-7) trailed by nine points multiple times in the first half and faced a 34-25 deficit at the half. The Mustangs opened the second half on an 11-2 run to pull even at 36-36. A three-pointer from Joel Watts with 2:33 left in the quarter gave the Mustangs their first lead of the half. Isaiah Clemens responded with a three-pointer just before the end of the quarter to put Bolingbrook (10-2) up by one point entering the fourth quarter.

The lead changed hands three times at the start of the fourth quarter with Saint Rita going ahead for good on a Watts’ three-pointer with five minutes left to play. The Mustangs pushed their lead up to five points with four free throws before a free throw from Joseph Yesufu brought Bolingbrook to within four points with 38 seconds remaining. Saint Rita managed hit four free throws down the stretch sandwiched around a Bolingbrook bucket to come away with the six-point win.

The Mustangs shot 40.5 percent (17-of-42) from the floor but were 77.3 percent (17-of-22) from the foul line. Watts led the way with 13 points while Alec Millander came off the bench to score 11. Laden Gladney added nine points and six rebounds while Jordan Matthews totaled six points and three assists.

Bolingbrook finished the game shooting 41.3 percent (19-of-46) from the field and outrebounded the Mustangs 33-20, but the Raiders turned the ball over 16 times resulting in 18 points for Saint Rita. Tyler Cochran led the Raiders with a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds. Yesufu added a team-leading 15 points while Joseph Saracco scored eight.