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Boys Basketball: Rich South wins battle with Rich Central
Updated: December 17, 2011 12:02AM
In a matchup that was chippy from the get-go, Rich South outlasted rival Rich Central in a 58-47 victory Friday night in Olympia Fields.
With the two Southland Athletic foes battling before a packed gym, Stars center John Ruffin locked horns with Rich Central big man Jalen Love seconds into the game and the two had to be separated after a brief face-off.
“You know what, it’s a typical rivalry game,” Rich South coach Scot Ritter said. “Both teams made some mistakes. At times we made good decisions, at times I thought we were sloppy with the basketball. It is what it is when you’re playing against Central. It’s going to be tough, going to be a dogfight, and emotions are high.”
Senior forward Marquell Small spurred the Stars to a hot start, knocking down his first six shots and racking up 12 points in the first quarter. He finished with 21 points to lead all scorers.
Rich South took a 24-14 lead early in the second quarter, but the Olympians ran off nine consecutive points to close the gap to one midway through the frame. Fouls and turnovers by the home team allowed Rich South to close the half out strong. Jaylen Zachery’s 15-foot jumper at the buzzer gave the Stars (7-3, 2-0) a 35-27 lead at the break.
Rich South held a double-digit lead through most of the second half, but miscues prevented the Stars from delivering the knockout blow. The team turned the ball over 22 times on the night.
Munang Ekoi dropped in 14 points to lead Rich Central.
Olympians coach Bobby Smith was hoping to get a victory as a gift for his 43rd birthday, but Rich Central (2-8, 0-3) was unable to deliver the upset. The young Olympians absorbed their fifth loss of the month.
“We’re working really hard to bring them around, and every game I see so much improvement,” Smith said. “We play everybody tough, but we haven’t got over the hump yet. It’s a long process, but I’m not going to give up on the boys.
“For a birthday, it’s kind of sad.”
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