Elgin hangs on for 3rd straight win

What looked like a walk in the park ended up being a harrowing ride for the Elgin boys basketball team Saturday.

The Maroons nearly blew a 13-point second-half lead against Chicago Clark before hanging on for a 61-59 win in the consolation championship game at the E.C. Nichols Tournament in Marengo.

Clark's Kayvon Williams made the last of his three 3-pointers to make it 60-59 with 36 seconds left. Alonzo Golliday made 1 of 2 free throws to give Elgin a 2-point lead with 14 seconds to go. Clark had two chances to tie in the closing seconds but couldn't convert and Elgin survived, winning its third straight game.

"We had a very low basketball IQ and that showed today," said Elgin coach Mike Sitter. "But a win's a win. It's kind of nice because we're on a nice little three-game win streak coming out of Christmas."

The bright spot for Elgin was junior point guard Desmond Douglas, who had a game-high 22 points and went 11-for-14 from the free-throw line.

Douglas scored 12 points in the third quarter as the Maroons opened up a 43-30 lead early in the second half. They still led by a comfortable 53-44 margin after 3 quarters. But Williams hit two 3-pointers, sandwiched around one by Elgin's Chaquille Bennett, to get Clark within 6, and the Eagles continued to chip away throughout the fourth quarter. Their press bothered the Maroons, who gave up 4 steals in the period.

Bennett finished with 15 points for Elgin (5-8). Mike Miller and Lavion Baldwin added 11 and 9 points, respectively.

Jashaun Carr had 16 points for Clark. Kristopher Claybon added 15 and Williams finished with 13.

Elgin made just 18 field goals compared to Clark's 25, but had an 18-5 advantage in made free throws. The Maroons also connected on seven 3-pointers, including 4 by Bennett.