HINSDALE CENTRAL HOLIDAY CLASSIC

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

2019 GAME FIVE RECAP: SAINT RITA 61, WILLOWBROOK 59

Box Score

HINSDALE, Ill. – Christian Henry hit a game-winning floater in the lane as time expired to propel St. Rita to a 61-59 win over Willowbrook in the opening round of the 2019 Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic.

Willowbrook (4-6) raced out to a 16-point lead in the first half before St. Rita (8-4) stormed back into the contest. Willowbrook led 18-8 after the first quarter and opened up a 16-point edge with five minutes left in the opening half. The Mustangs responded by closing the half with a 21-6 run over the final five minutes of the half to cut Willowbrook’s lead down to just one (34-33) at the half.  

Willowbrook pushed its lead back up to seven points early in the third, before St. Rita used an 8-0 run to take its first lead of the contest with 2:50 left in the quarter. The two teams traded leads eight more times over the final 10 minutes of the contest.

The Warriors opened up a three-point cushion following a Sam Tumilty layup with 1:35 left to play, but Alec Millender tied the game with a three-pointer with 1:11 remaining. After Willowbrook missed a jumper, St. Rita ran the clock down and called timeout with four seconds remaining. Henry hit a game-winning floater in the paint as the horn sounded to help the Mustangs advance to the quarterfinals.

St. Rita shot 42.3 percent (22-of-52) from the floor, including 29.2 percent (7-of-24) from downtown. Millender led the Mustangs in the win with 20 points and six assists. He shot 7-of-15 from the floor, including 4-of-11 from beyond the arc. Henry added 16 points and six assists while Kevin Murney totaled 14 points. Connor Serven tallied six points and a game-leading 11 rebounds.

Willowbrook shot 47.8 percent (22-of-46) from the floor, including 44.4 percent (8-of-18) from downtown. Everett Stubblefield led the way for the Warriors with 21 points and six rebounds. Sam Bruns came off the bench to score 11. Tumilty and Haven Pryor totaled nine points apiece for Willowbrook.

St. Rita will face the winner of the Marian Catholic/T.F. South contest in Thursday’s third quarterfinal at 7:00 p.m. Willowbrook will take on the loser of the Marian Catholic/T.F. South game on Thursday’s consolation game at 12:30 p.m.