Zion-Benton continues to roll

Updated: March 22, 2011 4:58PM

Freshman Malik Yarbrough scored 15 of his game-high 21 points in the second half here Wednesday, leading unbeaten Zion-Benton past host Lane Tech 63-55 on Day 3 of the Indians' six-team, round-robin prep boys basketball tournament.

The Bees are 3-0 in the event, tied for the top spot with Notre Dame. Those teams will clash in the tourney finale on Saturday night. But first, the Bees have a Friday game against Chicago Taft.

Lane Tech is 2-1 in the tourney and faces Notre Dame on Friday and Evanston on Saturday.

Yarbrough, a highly-touted 6-foot-4 wing, went off after intermission. In the first half, he was just 2 of 12 from the field. But in the second half, he showed why one of the coaches in the stands watching him was Illinois head coach Bruce Weber.

Yarbrough was unstoppable on drives to the bucket. He finished 7 of 12 from the field in the final two quarters, including 2 for 5 from behind the arc.

Keeping pace with the freshman was Zion senior forward Owen Worthington.

A four-year varsity player, the power forward had 19 points and 16 rebounds.

"In the years we've been down here, Lane Tech has always played tough. I was disappointed in the first half," said Zee-Bees coach Don Kloth. "We had a lead (31-20) and I thought we rushed things and fouled too much."

Lane Tech, led in scoring by Dyllan Torres with 15 points, closed 1-28 at halftime, and actually took the lead at 42-40 midway through the third quarter.

That's when Yarbrough and Worthington stepped up.

Zion led 57-55 with 1:30 left in the fourth quarter, but Zion scored the last six points as Worthington scored down low, Yarbrough scored on a break, and Worthington hit two free throws.

"When you're in a close game, hopefully you learn something," Kloth said. "It was very hard-fought. Lane Tech deserves a lot of credit, but our guys deserve a lot of credit too."

Zion's other starters were Carylss Jackson (9 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks), Dondre Osborne (3 points) and Roiland Griffin.

Freshman Javarius Amos-Mays had six points and four steals off the bench, and knocked down a trey when Zion was regaining control of the game late.

Jadon Brown added two points and five rebounds.

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