Willowbrook makes comeback against Downers Grove South

A halftime deficit can cause any level of stress among any team.

The Willowbrook boys basketball team, though, knows how to handle that kind of anxiety.

Trailing to Downers Grove South at the half, Cornelius Paxton Jr. wasn't alarmed.

"Not at all. The first half we started off too slow," the senior said.

Teammate Marshawn Phillips knew the team had its head straight.

"When we're down, we're always worried, but we're not worried a lot, because we knew can play hard enough," Phillips said. "We can make the comeback."

The Warriors made that comeback, using a 13-2 run in the third quarter to claim a 68-55 win over the Mustangs in West Suburban Gold action.

"We knew we had to pick it up the second half," Paxton said. "They were making their shots, they came out hot."

The Mustangs (10-9, 2-4) found their groove from beyond the 3-point arc in the first half.

Downers Grove South was 6 of 12 from 3 in the first half and led by as many as 7 points in the first half.

"We have really good shooters," Downers Grove South coach Kris Olson said. "Everybody says, 'It seems like you can't miss,' well, we have really good shooters."

So the Mustangs went in with a 34-31 halftime lead, but the Warriors (15-3, 3-2) kept their confidence.

"We knew we were the better team, but we didn't play like it in the first half," Phillips said.

Wesley Hooker connected with Justin Eagins for a layup to give the Mustangs a 42-35 lead with 4 minutes, 54 seconds left in the third quarter.

Eagins finished with a team-high 20 points. Willowbrook's Ethan Schuemer led all scorers with 24 points and added 8 rebounds.

Then Willowbrook rattled off a 13-2 run that gave it a 52-44 lead at the end of the third quarter.

During that run Phillips had 4 points, and 2 assists, including a runner as time expired in the quarter.

"We were moving the ball, playing as a team," Paxton said.

Just as important as that run, was Willowbrook's defense in the second half.

Willowbrook held Downers Grove South to 2-of-16 shooting from beyond the arc in the second half.

"They were on fire (in the first half)," Willowbrook coach Chris Perkins said. "We held them to just 2 made 3s in the second half. It started, defensively, keying in on their shooters and trying to slow those guys down."

Willowbrook improved on the glass, too.

Downers Grove South held a 13-10 advantage in rebounding in the first half. The Mustangs' Hooker was key in that, snaring 9 rebounds in the first half. Hooker finished with a double-double of 12 points and 13 rebounds. Willowbrook outrebounded Downers Grove South 15-10 in the second half.

"Person that had to drop, we wouldn't box out and they would get a putback or a layup," Paxton said. "We just had to clean it up, talk to our teammates about it."

And with Hinsdale South knocking off Proviso East on Friday night, Willowbrook is still in the hunt for the West Suburban Gold crown.

"We're trying to get that No. 1 spot in conference again," Paxton said. "We're going for that."