Batavia wins Windmill Classic for 1st time since 2009

Kamontez Thomas wasn't sure what to expect in his first year of varsity basketball.

So far, so good for Batavia's junior point guard.

Thomas made his first start Saturday night in Batavia's final game of its 39th annual Ken Peddy Windmill City Classic.

Against the pressure defense of Chicago Marine Leadership Academy, Thomas didn't commit a turnover while chipping in 8 points, 3 assists and 2 rebounds in Batavia's 61-46 victory.

Thomas earned the tournament's Most Inspirational Player award for a Batavia (4-0) team that won the tournament for the first time since 2009.

"Coming into (the season) I thought I would get kind of manhandled because of my height and stuff," said Thomas, listed at 5-foot-9. "But once I got going it was like another sophomore game."

Thomas stepped into the starting lineup after senior Tyler Lovestrand suffered a fractured wrist in Friday night's last-second win over St. Francis. The Bulldogs also played without Carter Eberhardt, part of their deep rotation.

If Friday's victory took a little bit out of Batavia, Chicago Marine Leadership Academy (0-4) capitalized early and led 13-12 after one quarter.

Batavia grabbed the lead for good on the first possession of the second quarter. Canaan Coffey rebounded a missed free throw and eventually hit one of his three 3-pointers.

Chasen Peez followed with a 3-point play to open a 5-point lead. Peez, the tournament's Most Valuable Player, finished with 13 points and 8 rebounds but picked up his third foul late in the second quarter as Marine pulled within 29-25 at halftime.

Danny Pieczynski came alive at the start of the second half with a basket, an assist to a cutting John Fitch inside, and then back-to-back 3-point baskets - the second from NBA distance - for Batavia's first double-digit lead at 39-29.

Marine stayed close behind Dwayne Ward (17 points) and Donald Harris (16 points). Ed Golden's fastbreak layup on a feed from Peez followed by Tyler Tamplin's 3 put Batavia up 47-37 after three quarters.

Any hope Marine had at a comeback dwindled when Ward fouled out with five minutes left and his team down 51-41. Batavia quickly followed with a 10-2 run that included a 3-point play from Coffey and four points from Thomas.

"I was playing hard," Thomas said. "I just kept working for it. It was a great experience to play with the starters."

Coffey led Batavia with 16 points. Pieczynski, who also made the all-tournament team, scored 11.

"That was a tough game to play coming out of last night our emotions were really high," Batavia coach Jim Nazos said. "Marine was ready and they played well early. I thought we spurted when we had to and it was kind of enough to keep the lead at the end. I thought it was a total team effort."

Batavia made 21 of 47 shots from the field and 12 of 20 free throws while committing just 7 turnovers to get its season started with a momentum-building tournament title.

"It gives confidence," Nazos said. "It helps. We played a lot of guys, got a lot of contributions from a lot of guys. I think we can continue to move upward. I thought throughout the tournament we were consistent."