Acevedo steps up, helps Maine W. past Fenton
Already short-handed on the bench,Maine West has also lost leading scorer Joel Ferraren to knee tendinitis for the time being.
For the Warriors, it was ‘next man up’ against visiting Fenton in nonconference play Tuesday in Des Plaines.
Junior Matt Acevedo helped ignite a first-quarter run that gave Maine West a 21-12 lead, and the Warriors went on to beat the winless Bison 70-34.
Rag Patel started in place of Ferraren and did a commendable job, scoring 12 points. Jamal Sherman added 10 points and Josh Redd had 9.
“It was a good win for us,” said Maine West coach John Bongiorno. “We’re coming together as a team. Tonight Matt stepped up. With his 3-point shooting, he helped open the floor in the first quarter.”
Acevedo scored 13 of his team-high 15 points in the first quarter.
“I felt good today and wanted to step up,” said Acevedo. “Our aspect tonight was to run the floor, play good defense and find the open man. Right now our chemistry is good. We look for each other. To get better we have to keep working and now get ready for Niles North on Friday.”
“Matt’s a junior,” said Bongiorno. “He’s our 3-point threat, but he is learning what to do with the ball and getting others involved. He’s learning how to create more. His defense has improved to where the defense helps create the offense. Yes, we are shorthanded with injuries — but our kids know how to step it up.
“We’ve played a tough non-conference schedule with Notre Dame, Prospect, Highland Park, and Libertyville and we hung in there pretty well in most of those games.”
The Warriors (6-8) outscored Fenton 24-6 in the second quarter to lead 45-18 at halftime, which disappointed Bison coach Joshua Payton.
“We were only down 9 at the end of the first quarter,” said Payton. “I look at the scoreboard and we’re down 27 points at half time.”
Payton pulled the starters midway through the third quarter and played his bench the rest of the game.
“We go into the game with a game plan, and like tonight, something happens. We get away from what we’re supposed to do. In all but about two or three games, I felt he had the same talent level and we’re 0-13.
“The other players executed what we wanted to do with the starters out, so they were the ones that played the rest of the game.”
David Echeveria scored 14 points and had 7 rebounds for the Bison. Starting forward Zach Jakalski scored 6 points.
Rockford Christian Life 65, Christian Liberty Academy 64: The host Chargers came up a point short in Northeastern Athletic Conference play.
Wes Swiderek led Christian Liberty with 17 points while Paul Weiss contributed 15 and Sam Silva had 13.