Schaumburg takes postseason preview

This is a case where the sequel could be better than the original.

The stakes of the rematch of Schaumburg’s 51-30 nonconference boys basketball victory over visiting Glenbrook South on Tuesday night will certainly be greater in 12 days. They’ll be playing to keep their season alive when they meet again in a Class 4A Evanston regional quarterfinal game.

The Saxons (12-10) hope they can duplicate a second half where they used a 19-1 tear to open a 45-23 lead with 5:39 to play.

“I thought we played with a little more energy and we were able to execute better,” Schaumburg coach Matt Walsh said after his team hit 12-of-21 second-half shots to finish 19-for-41 (46.3 percent) from the field.

“In the second half we started moving the ball well and we were hitting on screens and getting guys open,” said Schaumburg senior Kurt Kempema, who had 7 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocked shots and 2 assists. “We had more communication and we started being more of a team.

“We took them out of their game and we came out in the second half really hard and aggressive.”

Glenbrook South (8-16) lost its fifth in a row and 10th in 11 games since winning the Elgin tournament consolation title. It was also missing two of its best players in 6-foot-7 Jack Ryan (sprained left ankle) and Corey McMahon (back).

But 6-4 junior Victor Levi scored all 6 of his points in a 9-0 run that cut the Titans’ deficit to 18-17 with 1:56 left in the first half.

“I was pleased with the first half and we competed well in the first half,” said GBS coach Scott Nemecek, whose team shot just 30 percent (12-for-40) and had 17 turnovers. “But we didn’t come just to compete, we came to win.

“Even though (Schaumburg’s) record isn’t great they’ve played as tough of a schedule as we have, if not tougher.”

A 3-point play by Kyle Bolger started the decisive outburst for the Saxons. Javon McDonald finished with 11 points and 4 assists and Christian Spandiary scored all 10 of his points in the second half.

“We weren’t really down (at halftime) but we knew we had to execute,” Kempema said, “and get guys in the post and be more aggressive rebounding.”

That plan won’t be any different in less than two weeks.