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One step left for Stevenson

PEORIA - Exactly one year ago, Stevenson guard Jalen Brunson had the game of his life here.

He lit up Whitney Young at Carver Arena for an IHSA state finals single-game record of 56 points. He made 16 field goals, including seven 3-pointers, both also state finals records.

But he was in tears at the postgame press conference.

Despite Brunson's outburst, Stevenson lost to Whitney Young by 7 points in the Class 4A state semifinal.

This time, there were no records broken. But eyes were completely dry.

"It feels a lot better," Brunson said Friday night at this year's semifinal postgame press conference. "I remember last year sitting in this chair right here crying my eyes out. This feels so much better. It doesn't matter how much I score, or how many assists or whatever stats I have. As long as we get the win, I'm more than happy."

Stevenson did get the win this time in the semifinals. The Patriots, even with a much more human performance from Brunson, rolled over Bolingbrook 63-43.

The victory propels Stevenson (29-3) into the Class 4A state championship game for the second time in three years. The Patriots will face Normal Community (8:15 p.m., Comcast SportsNet), and are seeking their first boys basketball state title in school history, not to mention the first state basketball title for boys in Lake County history.

Brunson struggled from the field, hitting just 4-of-18 shots overall. But he still led Stevenson in scoring with a game-high 21 points, thanks to lethal shooting from the charity stripe. He knocked down 13-of-14 free throws. He also had 5 assists.

"My mentality stays the same every time," said Brunson, who came alive in the second half after missing on 9 of 10 field goal attempts in the first half. "I just try to make the right play at the right time and stay aggressive."

Stevenson stayed aggressive after a flurry to end the first half.

The Patriots trailed 21-19 with 2:51 left in the second quarter but finished on a 7-0 run, thanks to 2 free throws by Brunson and a steal by Brunson that he converted into a thunderous breakaway dunk right at the halftime buzzer. That gave Stevenson a 26-21 lead at the break.

Stevenson, which also got 14 points, 12 rebounds and 6 steals from senior guard Connor Cashaw as well as 11 points from Justin Smith, opened with a 13-1 run in the third quarter and would never be seriously challenged again. Bolingbrook scored only 4 points in the third quarter.

"The game really came down to the last minute of the second quarter and the first three minutes of the second half," said Bolingbrook coach Robert Brost, whose team drops to 24-7 and will face Geneva in Saturday's third-place game (6:30 p.m., Comcast SportsNet). "We had a turnover, took a bad shot and the next thing you know, we're down by 5 at half. Then we kind of deviated from our game plan to start the second half and they burned us on it. Once you get down to a team as good as Stevenson, especially with Jalen as their primary ball-handler, it's really difficult to get back into the game.

"We did a good job on him for the most part. He was 4-of-18. That part of it was executed almost to perfection. But then we had to foul him and he's a very good free throw shooter."

Stevenson hit 11 of 14 free throws in the fourth quarter to close out the game. That included a 6-of-7 clip from Brunson. The Patriots' lead had ballooned to as many as 25 points midway through the quarter and coach Pat Ambrose was able to pull all five starters for the last two to three minutes, ensuring some extra rest for the title game.

"It's the state championship game. That's all I'll have to say to them (prior to the game) is those two words," Ambrose said. "It took us a little while to get our groove (against Bolingbrook). I know we'll be ready."

Bolingbrook was led by center Julian Torres, who put up 12 points and 12 rebounds. Guard Prentiss Nixon added 11 points.

"I don't know if it was anything (Stevenson) did, we just didn't step up and hit shots when we needed to," Nixon said. "I don't know if it was the stage of the game or just us, but we had open shots. We just didn't knock them down."

Images: Stevenson cruises past Bolingbrook, advances to Class 4A title game

  Stevenson's Matt Johnson, right, tries to steal the ball from Bolingbrook's Devon Sams during the Class 4A state semifinals at Carver Arena in Peoria on Friday. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
  Stevenson's Connor Cashaw leads a fastbreak during the Class 4A state semifinals against Bolingbrook at Carver Arena in Peoria on Friday. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
  Stevenson's Connor Cashaw has the ball knocked from his grasp by Bolingbrook defenders including Nana Akenten, right, during the Class 4A state semifinals at Carver Arena in Peoria on Friday. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
  Bolingbrook's Prentiss Nixon, left, and Stevenson's Jalen Brunson dive to the floor in pursuit of a loose ball during the Class 4A state semifinals at Carver Arena in Peoria on Friday. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
  Stevenson's Jalen Brunson celebrates from the bench late in the fourth quarter as a teammate scores during Class 4A state semifinal action at Carver Arena in Peoria on Friday. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
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