Boys basketball: Giant Jaheem Webber, Normal deny cold-shooting Downers Grove North a return to state

NORMAL – Jack Stanton appeared to have a clear path to the basket for a breakaway layup until his shot was swallowed up by the long arms and mass of humanity that is Normal Community’s Jaheem Webber.

Webber, a Wright State recruit, is listed as 6-foot-10 in programs. The giant in orange and white seemed a foot taller than that Monday.

He was a supersized roadblock on Downers Grove North’s journey back to state.

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Downers Grove North’s Jack Stanton goes up for a shot during the Class 4A Normal Supersectional game against Normal Community on Monday, March 4, 2024. (Sandy Bressner)

Webber and Normal’s size, collectively, coupled with the Trojans’ ice-cold shooting from the perimeter was a rough combination for Downers Grove North to overcome in a 53-29 loss in the Class 4A Normal Supersectional at Illinois State’s CEFCU Arena.

Webber had 22 points, five rebounds and five blocked shots and wasted no time impressing himself upon the game. He had Normal’s first two baskets – the second one was the first of his three dunks – affected a Stanton layup attempt and blocked a shot in the game’s first three minutes.

Normal, which needed Webber’s buzzer-beating dunk to stun Quincy in a sectional final March 1, never trailed.

“One of the things coach told us is for us to succeed tonight my presence had to be felt,” Webber said. “Last time we played them we got pushed around. They’re a physical team. Tonight, I had to make an emphasis to use my physicality down low.”

Braylon Roman added 12 points and Conner Smith had 10 for Normal (31-5), which will be making its fourth state tournament appearance and first since 2015, when the Ironmen lost to Jalen Brunson and Stevenson in the Class 4A final.

Princeton recruit Stanton scored 12 points to pace Downers Grove North (31-5), all of his points coming in the second half. Aidan Akkawi had six rebounds.

Stanton missed his first eight shots, including a breakaway layup to start the third quarter with Downers Grove North trailing 25-8. One game after the Trojans shot 61% in their sectional final win over Bolingbrook, Downers Grove North shot just 2-for-35 from the 3-point line and 21.1% from the field.

“I don’t really know. We were just depending too much on them [3-point shots],” Stanton said. “When the first few don’t go in, it makes it harder, it gets in our head a little bit. We had to go to the rim more and that starts with me.”

Understandable, though, why they didn’t.

It is muddy waters navigating around the basket against a Normal lineup that goes 6-foot-10, 6-8, 6-6, 6-6 and 6-4, with 6-10 the first player off the bench.

Normal blocked seven shots and altered four others. On one possession in the second quarter, Downers Grove North’s Owen Thulin seemed all alone under the basket until the 6-6 Roman came soaring in to block his shot out of bounds.

“Their size is a huge factor,” Downers Grove North coach Jim Thomas said. “Their defense pushed us out, they ran some coverages. We knew what well we could drink from and it kind of dried up. We had to go into some different stuff and it didn’t work. They played great. They’re a complete team.”

Downers Grove North had beaten Normal 40-35 on Martin Luther King Day in Wheaton, a game in which Stanton scored just eight points in his return from an ankle injury.

Thomas noted Monday’s game was a different set of circumstances. With the arena a short drive from Normal’s campus, the game brought out a huge crowd with Normal students in black T-shirts taking up two full sections.

“I think we’re just a different team from the last time we played them,” Webber said. “Last time we played after a tournament, we had played four games already that weekend, we were really tired and we didn’t come out very strong. It’s been two months since then. We’re a different team. Tonight we came after it from the jump.”

The rough night denied Downers Grove North an opportunity at a second straight trip to state and a win to match last year’s program record.

But it’s been quite a two seasons in Downers Grove. Back-to-back sectional championships for the first time ever, fourth place in Class 4A last year and a combined 63-10 record.

“No plaque or net or anything takes anything away from the journey we set forth from the first practice,” Thomas said. “It’s nice to get those things. There’s some guys sitting in that locker room between Thanksgiving, Christmas and regional with nine pieces of hardware, but that’s not what we’re all about.”

“The last two years, wouldn’t want to play with anyone else,” Stanton said. “Best time of my life playing basketball.”