Weaver helps Cary-Grove down Glenbrook South for LZ title
Cary-Grove got its usual big-time contributions from stars Beau Frericks and Frank Jakubicek before junior Ryan Weaver provided the final push to get past Glenbrook South.
Weaver's second 3-pointer of the fourth quarter gave the Trojans the lead for good with 2:17 remaining.
The 6-foot-2 forward later delivered an assist under pressure to set up Frank Jakubicek for a dunk that ultimately was the difference as C-G edged South, 66-65, in the Lake Zurich Martin Luther King Tournament championship Monday.
"(Weaver) is not scared of that moment," Trojans coach Adam McCloud said. "He's one of the best players in our league. He just keeps getting better. That's the kind of shooting we need to be a great team. Teams are going to work so hard to guard Frank and Beau, to get contributions like that from Ryan are huge."
Frericks led the Trojans (18-2) with 23 points and hit four 3s. Jakubicek scorded 20 points and grabbed a game-high eight rebounds. And Weaver helped seal the deal in a game that C-G led for only 2:00 before his last basket.
"We trust in each other to put the ball in each others' hands when we have an open shot," Weaver said. "For me, it was just in my hands and I had an open shot and took it. I know anyone else on this team would have taken the exact same shot."
South (17-3) grabbed an early lead that grew to 11 points in the second quarter and was still as much as seven in the third. C-G eventually grabbed a brief lead on Frericks' 3, 55-54, with 5:15 to go in the fourth quarter, but the Titans came back to lead 61-55 before Weaver hit a 3.
"We were right there the whole game," Frericks said. "We just had to string along a couple scores and stops."
Weaver's second 3 of the fourth quarter gave the Trojans a 62-61 lead with 2:17 remaining. Jakubicek added two free throws, then South's Dom Martinelli, a 6-foot-5 senior, made a pair of free throws with 1:02 remaining and the Titans called timeout.
Weaver brought the ball up the floor under man-to-man pressure, knowing what was coming when he reached the frontcourt.
"I could sense they were going to trap when I got past halfcourt," Weaver said. "I went to my strong left-hand side and tried to get it to Beau. Frank's guy slid over and I saw Frank open and have to give him a good bounce pass."
Jakubicek dribbled once and threw down a two-handed dunk for a 66-63 lead.
"I was trying to call timeout, so I'm glad they didn't hear me," McCloud said. "(Weaver) did a great job."
Martinelli made a pair of free throws to make it 66-65. Weaver missed a 1-and-1 free-throw shot, but the Trojans defended Martinell's drive to the basket well and Clark Cunningham corraled the rebound. Cunningham missed his free throw and Martinelli rebounded with 5.6 seconds remaining.
Frericks hounded Martinelli, who had a look from about 27 feet at the buzzer, but the ball bounced off the back of the rim.
"They just hit some tough shots," Titans coach Phil Ralston said. "No. 21 (Weaver) hit those two 3s, one we were right on him and he nailed it. The other one, we missed communication on a skip and a guy gave a half-hearted closeout.
"This will make us stronger. This will make us better. We feel like we gave this one away a little bit. Usually when we have a four-point lead with 3:30 to go, that's a game we can close out. We missed a front end of a 1-and-1 by a kid (Martinelli) who's a 90% free-throw shooter."