Boys Basketball: Lincoln-Way Central edges out Joliet Central

Updated: February 3, 2012 11:08PM

Matt Mikolajczak’s three-pointer from the corner with 5.4 seconds remaining proved to be the game-winner as host Lincoln-Way Central defeated Joliet Central 46-44 Friday night in the SouthWest Suburban Blue.

“It was a nice pass to Matt and he was wide open,” Lincoln-Way Central coach Bob Curran said.

Johnny Finnin led a balanced Knights offense with 13 points on 3-of-8 shooting, while teammates Brad Foster (11 points), Kevin Mampe (10) and Mikolajczak (9) also contributed.

Joliet Central’s Curtis Parker led all scorers with 18 points.

Lincoln-Way Central (9-13, 2-7) couldn’t have asked for a better start to the game. Mampe’s basket gave the Knights a quick 7-0 lead. Foster then slammed home a one-handed dunk for a 9-1 lead and everything seemed to be going the Knights’ way.

“The dunk was pretty cool,” Foster said. “Me and Johnny are always doing stuff like that in practice.”

Lincoln-Way Central led 14-3 after the first quarter.

Joliet Central (7-12, 2-6) shot 1-of-14 in the opening quarter but got hot in the second period. Consecutive three-pointers by Eddie McElrath and John Aversa cut the deficit to 16-12 with 1:30 left in the half.

“Their pressure was hurting us,” Curran said. “They kept staying in and clawing back in the game but our kids hung in there and made the play down the stretch.”

Foster’s spinning basket for a three-point play extended the Knights’ lead to 33-27 with 6:15 left in the game.

“Brad is a difference-maker out there,” Curran said. “Teams have to account for him out there.”

Joliet Central continued to have success pressuring the ball and took its first lead at 44-43 on Parker’s three-point play with 18.1 seconds left.

Lincoln-Way Central pushed the ball up the court where Finnin found Mikolajczak wide open in the left corner for the decisive three-pointer.

“We always have Matt in the corner because that is his spot,” Foster said. “He was the safety valve and he was wide open.”

“It was nice to see that our kids didn’t quit early and really it was the last possession that got us,” Joliet Central coach Jeff Corcoran said.

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