Loss aside, Andrew has the goods

Updated: February 1, 2012 8:53PM

There was no way Thornton’s Joshua Russell was giving up the ball.

Despite the pleas of a few teammates near him, Russell, a 6-foot-2 senior guard, remained focused on the task at hand Tuesday, which was to somehow convert a game-winning shot that would hand No. 1 Andrew its first loss of the season.

The game was tied at 45.

The crowd was on its feet.

Russell appeared oblivious to the noise and, most important to Wildcats fans, the pressure.

“I just tried to stay focused,” he said. “I wanted to take the shot.”

More like, The Shot.

Thornton coach Troy Jackson considered calling a timeout, but reconsidered.

“I was going to draw up a play, but then I just thought, let them go,” Jackson said.

In an age where over-coaching is rampant, Jackson’s decision should be viewed as ground-breaking.

Russell continued to dribble near the top of the key as the seconds ticked away ... 12 ... 11 ... 10 ...

Andrew guard Glorind Lisha, who moments earlier had forced a tie with a three-point bomb of his own, was in Russell’s face.

“He was playing good defense,” Russell acknowledged.

Lisha was pumped. The junior guard literally was clapping while guarding Russell during those critical final seconds, intent on denying the game-winning play.

In what seemed like a blink of an eye, Russell made his move. He used a crossover dribble and then a drop-step to his left in an attempt to provide additional separation from Lisha.

It worked, with Russell creating barely enough space to launch a fadeaway 18-foot jumper. Lisha no longer was in Russell’s jock, but still had a hand in the shooter’s face.

When the ball dropped through the net, Thornton, which trailed by 13 at halftime, had itself a stunning 47-45 win on Andrew’s home floor.

And the Thunderbolts had their first loss of the season.

The Wildcats, an uncharacteristic 8-10, reacted as if they’d won a state championship.

They had every right. They’d just knocked off the Southland’s undefeated No. 1-ranked team.

Forget the, “act like you’ve been there before” baloney.

Thornton reacted precisely how high school athletes should react: naturally and with great excitement.

“We showed some guts,” Jackson said. “We played hard and played Thornton basketball.”

I’ll admit. I haven’t covered very many Thornton-Andrew basketball games through the years.

There was no point, really. Thornton was, well, Thornton: a basketball powerhouse that reloaded every season.

Andrew was, well, never very good. There were always more competitive games to cover.

Tuesday’s outcome and Thornton’s reaction verified Andrew’s ascent among the area’s elite.

“When was the last time you saw Thornton celebrate like that against us?” Andrew coach Mike O’Halloran said. “Usually, they walk out of here like no big deal with another win. I guess it shows how far our basketball program has come.”

Yes, it does. Andrew is 16-1 — no one could have predicted that prior to the season.

We so-called experts were well aware the Thunderbolts were going to be good. This publication ranked Andrew No. 10 in its preseason poll.

I’ll admit I never figured Andrew to be standing atop our poll, which it has done for a few weeks now.

“The kids were disappointed, but I told them if someone would have told you we’d be 16-1 at the end of January, you’d be ecstatic,” O’Halloran said.

Skeptics have been pointing to Andrew’s lack of quality competition as a reason for the gaudy record.

Is it the area’s toughest schedule? No. In fact, Andrew has played just one team in our current
Top 10 — Crete-Monee. Even that win was tainted. Michael Orris, the Illinois-bound guard, was injured and didn’t play for the Warriors.

Still, there’s no denying Andrew is a very good team. Jubril Adekoya, a junior, had a rare off night Tuesday, but remains among the best talents in the Southland.

“We got good looks; the shots just didn’t fall,” O’Halloran said.

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