Boys Basketball: Rich Central gets by Joliet Central

Updated: December 30, 2011 5:38PM

Holding an eight-point lead through one quarter, Joliet Central coach Jeff Corcoran knew Friday’s McDipper game was far from over.

His Steelmen were playing well, but a Rich Central squad looking for revenge from an early season loss was far from down and out.

The early lead disappeared and an aggressive, pressing Olympians squad ran away with a 64-49 victory over Joliet Central Friday in the McDipper’s third place consolation game.

“The amount of experience we have, I think our guys got comfortable,” Corcoran said. “We played and beat them two or three weeks ago by 17 points on our floor. Maybe we got comfortable or confident that we were going to run away with it. They had the revenge factor.”

Kenneth Carpenter and Jalen Heath scored 13 points apiece for Joliet Central (6-6). Jamaal Murray (13 points), Jalen Miller (12) and Jalen Miller (10) led Rich Central.

Held to just 10 points in the first quarter, the Olympians exploded in the second as their pressing defense wreaked havoc on Joliet Central. After Rich Central took the lead at 28-22, a quick 7-0 run that included a Heath three-pointer, a Heath basket off a steal and a Denzyel Jordan fast break basket gave the Steelmen one last lead.

Rich Central scored seven unanswered heading into halftime and continued the run into the third. Scoring almost at will on fast break layups handed to them by turnovers, the Olympians were off and running, leading by as many as 18 points in the second half.

Joliet Central committed 22 turnovers overall and was outscored 54-31 over the final three quarters.

“We knew what was coming (defensively), and we had practiced against it,” Corcoran said. “They did the same thing the first time, and we struggled, but we were able to figure it out. This time, same thing, and we didn’t take care of the basketball.”

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