Libertyville's Steinhaus sparks big comeback
In a sense, it's good that no Green Bay Packers football players saw this boys basketball game on Tuesday night in Wauconda. They would have to relive the nightmare of that loss to the Seattle Seahawks again.
Playing the role of the underdog Packers were the home-standing Wauconda Bulldogs. After one quarter, Wauconda (9-9) led NSC Lake contender Libertyville 13-4. That advantage held firm in the third quarter. On a 3-point play from senior Matthew Bulgarelli, the Bulldogs looked like a victor in the making, up 34-20.
Enter the equivalent of Seattle QB Russell Wilson in this plot, which would be Cats junior Paul Steinhaus. His second 3 of the game pulled Libertyville within 3 points early in the fourth quarter.
Steinhaus had 12 of his game-high 24 points in the final quarter as Libertyville led only in the final two minutes of this 54-51 thriller.
"They were killing us in this game,'' Steinhaus said. "We were being out-hustled. We picked it up a little in the second half. It was an ugly win."
Ugly is the right word for the Cats' start. On a Joe Borcia shot inside, it was knotted up at 4-4 with three minutes to play in the first quarter. On a dandy layup from Wauconda guard Daniel Stanley, the Bulldogs had scored 11 points in a row and led 15-4 two minutes into the second quarter. The Cats made just 2 of 18 shots in the opening quarter.
"We came out so lackadaisical,'' said Libertyville coach, Scott Bogumil. "It was one of those Tuesday night games on the road. But give Wauconda credit. They came right at us."
The Bulldogs used the one-two punch of Ricky Sidlowski (18 points) and Ben Carlson (14 points) to extend the lead.
"Lately, we've been taking too many outside shots,'' Carlson said. "We started getting the ball inside tonight. I'm glad we hung with a big school like Libertyville."
Steinhaus didn't check into the scoring column until halfway through the second quarter. He opened with a 3-pointer and had 8 points in their period.
"He (Steinhaus) was big tonight,'' Bogumil said. "He really took over the game."
Wauconda led at halftime 25-18. Sidlowski showed off his hook shot in the third quarter, and his personal 6-point quarter pumped the Bulldogs' lead again to double figures (36-25). The Cats answered back via the 3-point shot from Jake Mansfield. He hit a pair to close out the third quarter. Carlson dropped one in before the quarter buzzer and Wauconda led 40-34 heading to Steinhaus' big fourth quarter.
Steinhaus was quick to credit his team.
"It was all heart,'' he said. "We picked up the intensity and our defense picked up."