Boys Basketball: Austin Angel leads New Trier past Morgan Park

Updated: December 30, 2011 12:12AM

Austin Angel is the kind of supporting star who is good enough to steal the limelight though humble enough to deflect the attention.

“All I did was shoot when I was open,” the New Trier senior forward said. “Give all the credit to our point guards.”

Angel hit four second-half three-pointers and scored all 12 of his points after intermission in keying the No. 13 Trevians’ 50-41 victory over No. 18 Morgan Park in the semifinals of the Proviso West Holiday Tournament Thursday night in Hillside.

“I wasn’t feeling it in the first half,” Angel said. “I was tentative. I thought to myself, it’s a new half and I had to play that way.”

The victory punches the Trevians’ ticket to Friday’s finals. It marked first time since 2001 New Trier (12-1) has played in the championship game. 

Angel opened and ended the second half in grand style. He scored his first points on a three-pointer to start the third quarter. More importantly, he drilled two three-pointers from an identical spot on the left wing that permanently changed the momentum. 

“Those shots were the daggers,” Morgan Park coach Nick Irvin said. “I just said to myself as soon as he shot them, ‘Those are good.’”

Junior guard Billy Garrett Jr. scored 30 points on 10-of-26 shooting for Morgan Park (7-3). No other Mustang scored more than Kain Harris’s five points. “We have to have other people step up, especially when teams are running so many defenders at Billy,” Irvin said.

Connor Boehm scored 14 points and grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds for the Trevians. In the second half New Trier converted 5-of-12 three-pointers after making just two in the first half. 

Angel and senior point guard David Bragiel (12 points) ended the third quarter by drilling consecutive three-pointers the Trevians rode to a 32-28 lead after three quarters.

After Angel’s consecutive three-pointers, Garrett did everything possible to keep the game close. His steal and three-point play pulled the Mustangs within 40-39.

New Trier 6-4 junior forward Steven Cook keyed a 10-2 closing run in the final 2:03. During that stretch, Cook converted two free throws, recorded a key steal and made a crucial block that yielded a Bragiel breakaway layup. Cook finished with six points, four assists and three blocks.

Morgan Park was also hurt by its poor free throw shooting, missing half its attempts in going 9-of-18. In the third quarter, Morgan Park failed to build a lead by making just 4-of-12 free throws. “That stretch just killed us,” Irvin said. “We missed way too many free throws.”

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