Full-strength Phoenix storm past Crane

Illinois has lacked a dominant team so far this season.

When North Lawndale had the top spot, it had its close calls and then lost. Waukegan seemed to have a nail-biter almost every week when it was No. 1 and then it was upset. Even Thornton now as No. 1 has had to pull out its fair share of games in the final seconds.

On Thursday, the Phoenix, now No. 2, showed they just be the team Illinois has been missing so far. With a full squad for the first time all season, North Lawndale ran Crane off the floor with an 83-52 win in the Red-West matchup at Collins.

“It’s a statement that we’re even better,” North Lawndale senior Jonathan Mills said. “We’re trying to put fear in people.”

The Phoenix (14-2, 4-0) welcomed Paul Bunch and John Taylor back to the team against Crane. Bunch, a 6-11 junior, had missed the entire season so far due to academics. Taylor had been out since suffering an injury in Florida two weeks ago.

Coming off the bench, both contributed right away. Taylor scored 14 points, which include nine points in the second quarter. Bunch had six points and two blocks.

“It felt good,” Bunch said. “All I’ve been doing is sitting on my butt. I just missed being on the floor. I want to get back to the player I was. The coaches tell me I’m a big part of this team, but I didn’t see it until I had to sit.”

North Lawndale shipped in and out a collection of 10 players throughout the game and never lost a beat. Mills (12 points, 11 rebounds, four steals), Terry Johnson (15 points, six rebounds), Miles Mayfield (12 points), Stephen Thorpe (three steals) and Zilijan Jones (four steals , five assists) all contributed in the win.

Crane was within 12 points at halftime, but North Lawndale took it to another level in the second half after Phoenix coach Lewis Thorpe got after them in the locker room. They outscored the Cougars 22-4 in the third quarter.

“They were giving us some cheap shots,” Thorpe said of Crane. “I wasn’t happy with it. I got on our team at halftime. It was like waking a sleeping giant.

“Yes, I’m surprised we won by that much. I think Crane’s a good team. It’s hard to explain.”

Crandall Head scored 12 of his game-high 17 points in the first half. He and his teammates were taken out of their game by North Lawndale in the second half. The Cougars (12-5, 2-3) committed 19 turnovers in the final two quarters.