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Boys Basketball: Paris Lee, Proviso East lock down Downers South
Updated: January 19, 2012 10:08PM
Proviso East is one unbeaten team that no one is questioning, and Thursday in Downers Grove the No. 2 Pirates showed why, dominating Downers Grove South 78-70 in a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the score indicated.
Junior guard Paris Lee led the charge with 25 points and seven steals. He was 5-for-8 from three and 9-for-13 from the field, but it was the defense that rocked the Mustangs.
“[Proviso East coach Donnie Boyce] wants me to be a lockdown defender, that’s what he wants me to do,” said Lee. “[Boyce] has turned up the pressure. Last year we were lackadaisical.”
Lee was more than a lockdown defender. The Mustangs literally had trouble dribbling anywhere near him in the first half. The Pirates forced Downers South into 21 turnovers in the game.
“I love my guys, I love the way they compete,” Boyce said. “They sacrifice a lot of their game for the good of the team.”
That sacrifice is something that Downers South star Jerron Wilbut has struggled with throughout his high school career. Wilbut didn’t start for the Mustangs, due to disciplinary reasons-a common occurrence over the past few years. Midway through the second quarter, Wilbut attempted a contested dunk instead of passing to a wide-open teammate under the basket. He missed the dunk.
Greg Garro led the Mustangs (13-3, 4-1 West Suburban Gold) with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Jordan Cannon added 14 and Wilbut finished with 13. Kevin Honn scored 12 and grabbed nine rebounds.
Proviso East led by 15 at the half and 12 after three quarters. The Mustangs were able to cut the lead to nine twice in the fourth quarter and a three from Jordan Cannon trimmed the lead to eight to end the scoring.
Paris Burns scored 16 for the Pirates (15-0, 5-0) and Sterling Brown added 12 points and six rebounds. Point guard Keith Carter scored 11, grabbed five rebounds and dished out six assists.
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