Joliet West uses 43-8 run to beat Zion-Benton 76-42 in season opener

BROOKFIELD – They say basketball is a game of runs, and the season-opening game between Joliet West and Zion-Benton was no different.

Except the Tigers were the ones doing all of the running.

After falling behind by two points midway through the second quarter, Joliet West closed the opening half on a 17-0 run that grew to 23-0 in the third. The run became 43-8 by the end of the third as 10 of the 11 players on the Joliet West roster scored with the defense holding the Zee-Bees scoreless for an eight minute stretch.

The result was a 76-42 win to open the Riverside-Brookfield’s VandeMerkt Tournament.

Both Joliet West (1-0) and Zion-Benton (0-1) didn’t get their offenses going until the second half of the opening quarter as it was just 4-4 after four minutes of play. The Tigers used an 8-1 run to close the first before the Zee-Bees used an 8-2 run of their own to open the second quarter. Eventually the Zee-Bees took a 24-22 lead to start feeling comfortable.

That feeling didn’t last long with the Tigers dominating the rest of the quarter and the game to start the year with a monster win.

“I think we just needed to get adjusted to playing our first structured game of the year,” coach Jeremy Kreiger said. “You get used to practicing against yourselves and then you go out against a different opponent with a crowd, three refs, real stats, fouls counting. ... We just needed to get composed and play our brand of basketball.”

After the slow start for both teams, the offense picked up with a 3-pointer by Kendall Bosby with a minute left in the opening quarter to give West a 14-11 edge. Zion Gross followed that with another 3 and an 8-1 run to close the first gave Joliet West a 19-12 edge.

The Zee-Bees got one good run of their own in, opening with an 8-2 stretch to cut their deficit to 21-21 with five and a half minutes left in the second. They eventually pulled ahead 24-22 on a layup by Rmoni Beals to give them some confidence.

A layup by Joliet West newcomer Ethan Hillsman with 3:40 left tied the game and a layup by Gross gave them the lead for good. A steal and score by Nasir Sears was followed by an and-one layup by Mickeis Johnson to give the Tigers a 30-24 advantage. Free throws the rest of the quarter gave the Tigers a 39-24 edge following a 17-0 closing run to the half.

It didn’t stop there. A layup by Aamir Shannon a minute in was followed by a Gross layup and a dunk by Hillsman to make the run 23-0. A technical foul called on Hillsman for excessive celebration put Beals at the line and he ended the eight minute scoreless stretch by sinking both free throws. His layup seconds later ended an 8:24 stretch without a shot from the field.

A slam dunk by Johnson reminded the crowd who was in front just after that while also triggering a 14-0 run over the next two minutes. Detavius Frierson’s jumper just before the third quarter buzzer cut the disadvantage to 65-32, but the game went to a running clock in the fourth as the Tigers cruised to victory.

Gross led all scorers with 17 points, Tristian Saunders added 10, Hillsman had 10 points and seven rebounds, and Johnson, Sears and Bosby each finished with eight points. Johnson also added seven rebounds with the Zee-Bees being led by Frierson (13 points) and Beals (11 points). Every Tiger saw the court on the night, showcasing the level of depth Joliet West possesses this year.

“(Our depth) is very important,” Gross said. “It’s important that we all play as one. We all try to play unselfish and as a collective group.”

Joliet West will next play at 4 p.m. Wednesday against Thornwood at Riverside-Brookfield. Right now, the focus isn’t so much on the final score as it is becoming the best version of themselves they can be.

“Whether we go 4-0 or 3-1 in Thanksgiving our job is to build day by day for March,” Kreiger said. “We’ve been fortunate enough to win some conference and regional championships, but we haven’t gotten over the sectional hump. For us, it’s not about winning the Thanksgiving tournament, it’s about playing a sound, quality brand of basketball so that we’re prepared to win in the hostile environment in March.”