Tims, Hinsdale South knock off St. Francis
Aaron Tims experienced a wide range of defenders in a two-day span this weekend.
The Hinsdale South senior forward showcased his immense skills by scoring a game-high 15 points in a 51-33 nonconference victory over St. Francis on Saturday night in Wheaton.
The Hornets (6-0) claimed their second road win in two days to extend their magical start. After scoring 11 points in an up-and-down, fast-paced game that featured a lot of 3-pointers against Morton on Friday, Tims displayed his versatility by relying on a power inside game to dominate the Spartans (3-2).
"It was tough in the post this game because they had two really big guys," Tims said. "I had to work to get better shots and keep moving."
The 6-foot-8 Tims rarely demonstrated his post moves in the blowout win over Morton, but St. Francis' methodical offense relied on numerous set plays that led to a lower scoring game.
Tims scored two early baskets to give the Hornets a 9-5 lead. He scored on a spin move in the post and added a free throw for an 18-9 early in the second quarter.
With St. Francis center Bryce Walker and forward Robert Nocek providing bulk in the middle, Tims relied on an array of moves to maneuver his way for points. Tims didn't back down, attacking the basket for power moves to not let the Spartans mount a comeback.
Tims said he's trying to showcase his game for colleges, plus lead the Hornets to a memorable season.
"I just have to keep showing colleges that I'm able to use my athleticism to score over smaller opponents and use my length to guard taller players," Tims said. "It's been a fun season so far. We're trying to win conference and show people what we can do."
Hinsdale South coach Brett Moore said Tims is a next-level recruit with a big upside.
"Aaron played great defense the entire game," Moore said. "He has gotten so much better using his length. We had two really good games and learned a lot about ourselves. Aaron helped us a lot. He's going to be a completely different player in college."
Billy Durkin and James Ruzicka each poured in 13 points for the Hornets. Durkin drilled a 3-pointer to open the scoring and sealed the win by tossing an alley-oop to Tims for a lay-in with 1:56 left in regulation.
The Spartans managed to play solid defense in the second half but couldn't recover from an early 25-9 deficit. Brendan Yarusso led the Spartans with 9 points.
"They are too good of a team to give up that kind of lead," St. Francis coach Erin Dwyer said. "We responded after their run and did a good job fighting, but we'll learn from it and try and go forward."