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Boys Basketball: Providence weathers Tinley Park rally
Updated: January 4, 2012 10:46PM
Providence coach Tim Trendel said some of his past teams wouldn’t have had an answer for the surge Tinley Park delivered Wednesday night. This year’s Celtics squad, though, is different.
After the Titans trimmed an 18-point deficit to five late in the third quarter, Providence responded with the next 11 points and went on to a 69-49 win in New Lenox.
“In the past we would have just taken that hit,” Trendel said. “Tonight, we hit back.”
Led by nine third-quarter points from Tracey Brandy (19 points), Tinley Park (5-8) drew to within 46-41 with 1:58 left in the third.
The Celtics (10-4) closed the frame with a 6-0 run. Kevin Kozan, who scored a game-high 22 points and had five rebounds, delivered a key three-point play.
“Last year I would have been scared to take that shot,” Kozan said. “I wouldn’t have finished. That was really big. We’re looking pretty good, and hopefully, we can keep on a roll. It’s pretty exciting.”
Brian Oddo (11 points), Mike Marietti (10 points, six rebounds) and Tom O’Halloran (9 points) backed Kozan for Providence.
The Celtics opened the second quarter on a 15-3 run to jump to a 31-13 lead.
With Kozan running the show, Providence got easy buckets all night, finishing 25-of-49 from the field. The Titans were 18-of-53 from the floor.
“The kids are getting used to our system and they know where each other’s going to be on the floor,” Trendel said. “The chemistry they have with each other is a big part of it.”
It was the fifth straight loss for the Titans, who got 10 points from Jon Calhoun and nine points and 11 rebounds from Eldridge Anderson.
“We were lazy defensively and gave up a lot of easy buckets,” Titans coach D.J. Brown said. “We’re at the halfway point of the season and we need to turn a corner.”
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