A first for Stevenson
PEORIA — It's been a long-time coming for Stevenson.
One of the largest high schools in the state of Illinois, Stevenson has had its critics on the athletic side. Why were state championships in the high-profile sports — football and boys basketball — continually eluding a school that rivals many small colleges in size and resources?
But in the span of the last four months, the Patriots have silenced the critics once and for all. And twice over.
On Saturday at Carver Arena, Stevenson claimed its first boys state basketball title, rolling over Normal 57-40 in the Class 4A IHSA championship.
“I just can't even speak. It's amazing, just really amazing,” said teary-eyed Stevenson senior point guard Jalen Brunson, who scored a game-high 30 points on three 3-pointers and a 9-of-9 performance at the line. “Our team, we just came through. We just really worked hard for this.”
The championship, also monumental because it is the first boys basketball state title in Lake County history, comes in the wake of Stevenson's first-ever state football championship, seized in the Class 8A title game in November at Memorial Stadium at the University of Illinois in Champaign.
Stevenson becomes just the third high school in IHSA history to win both a football state championship and a boys basketball state championship in the same school year. Carlyle was the first school to achieve the feat in 1989, winning the Class 2A football title and the Class A basketball title. In 2007, Maroa-Forsyth won the Class 2A football title and the Class A basketball title.
“We really wanted to do this for the Stevenson community. They've always come out and supported us,” Stevenson senior forward Parker Nichols said. “Football had a great season, got a ring. We supported them the whole way, they supported us the whole way.”
The Patriots, who experienced near misses in the state finals each of the last two seasons (third place in 2014 and second place in 2013), were supported in resounding fashion by an exuberant student section that spanned six full sections in the arena. The fans flooded the court after the Patriots received their state championship trophy.
“Lake County showed us great support, the football team showed us great support, and the student section was huge. We're so thankful for them,” said Stevenson senior forward Connor Cashaw, who finished with 6 points, 6 rebounds and 5 steals. “It was togetherness tonight by everyone.”
Stevenson, which closes out its dream season with a 30-3 record, never trailed Normal (33-2), but didn't take firm command until the fourth quarter. The Patriots were up 34-25 at the start of the fourth and then reeled off a 10-5 run to go up by 14 points (44-30) with 4:39 left.
Brunson and senior guard Matt Johnson (6 points) had a pair of big baskets and sophomore forward Justin Smith (12 points, 7 rebounds) capped the run with a layup off a steal that sent the Stevenson faithful into a frenzy.
Stevenson's lead ballooned to 17 points with about a minute left, and head coach Pat Ambrose subbed out his starters one by one, allowing each to get a robust send-off from the fans.
“It's amazing how powerful this emotion is right now,” Ambrose said moments after receiving his championship medal. “You think it's going to be one way, but it's so much more. It's like synergy, everyone working together, the whole staff, the community, all of our players. Great team, great coaches, great players.
“It was amazing to watch (the way his players played). I think it was our will to win tonight.”
Center Tyler Seibring was the only player to score in double-figures for Normal, which upset Simeon, the only team in the state of Illinois to defeat Stevenson, in the supersectional. He finished with 12 points, and also pulled down 10 rebounds.
“Obviously, (Stevenson) has a great team, and I would say Jalen Brunson's pretty good. It's just tough to hang with them,” Seibring said. “We could have cleaned up a lot of stuff in this game, but looking back, I'm really proud of our guys. We battled hard.”