Mundelein handles Waukegan
It seemed no one could stop Mundelein senior Ryan Sawvell on the basketball court Friday night as the host Mustangs faced Waukegan in a Class 4A regional final.
Finally, and long after the outcome had been decided, someone did catch up to the 6-foot-8 Evansville-bound Sawvell. Eight-year-old Robert and 6-year-old Daniel McKee stopped Sawvell long enough for an autograph. It was Sawvell’s first.
His signature on the back of the game program was just as perfectly placed as his signature performance against the No. 10-seeded Bulldogs.
Sawvell poured in 32 points, matching his season-high performance established three games ago against Vernon Hills. He also pulled down 9 rebounds and sent 8 Waukegan shots away in leading the second-seeded Mustangs to an 84-77 win over the Bulldogs, earning Mundelein its first regional crown since 2007.
The victory also tied a school record for wins in a season with 28, against 4 losses. Mundelein now gets a rematch with Libertyville regional champion Deerfield, a 45-41 overtime winner over Barrington, at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Barrington sectional semifinals. Mundelein defeated Deerfield on Jan. 22, 73-59.
“We have been doing things as a team this year that no other Mundelein team has done before us,” Sawvell said. “We have worked so hard together to get to this point. It’s just such an unbelievable feeling.”
Sawvell had plenty of help from his teammates Friday night, and the Mustangs needed all of it to hold off a Waukegan team that had made consecutive trips downstate.
“We knew what kind of team they were and that they wouldn’t stop playing,” said Mundelein senior Leavon Head. “We did this together as a family. Everyone that played contributed.”
Head got the Mundelein offense going early, draining a pair of long 3-pointers in the first half to help Mundelein open up a 34-31 halftime cushion. Head then nailed three more long balls in the second half, the biggest of which came with 2:13 to play and helped seal the win. Head finished with 18 points.
“The way that Leavon was shooting in warm-ups and then in the 3-point contest, I could tell he was going to have a big night,” Sawvell said.
Robert Knar contributed 15 of his 21 points after halftime.
“I thought Robert did an excellent job of not forcing things and letting his shots come to him,” said Mundelein coach Richard Knar. “We had so many people come in and contribute to this win tonight. I am so proud of this team.”
Waukegan (12-13) fought all the way to the end but could get no closer than 4 points in the final quarter. The big two of Aaron Johnson and Akeem Springs were sensational for the Bulldogs. Johnson scored 12 of his 22 points after halftime while Springs led Waukegan with 23 points.
“We are real passionate about basketball up here which makes this hard to see it come to an end,” Johnson said. “(Mundelein) is a real good basketball team and I have a lot of friends over there and wish them luck and hope they keep it going.”
Devonte Taylor (12 points) and Matt Wozniak (10 points) also hit double figures for Waukegan.