Lemont readies for toughest task yet with sectional championship game against Brother Rice

The Class 3A Brother Rice Sectional semifinal between Lemont and Marian Catholic was one for the books. A back-and-forth contest throughout, Lemont appeared to have the game in hand until Zack Sharkey sank a fadeaway 3-pointer with 11 seconds left to give the Spartans a one-point lead.

Then Gabe Sularski made a driving layup with three defenders clogging the lane, made the ensuing foul shot, and Lemont won 56-54 to advance to the sectional finals.

“We feel great that we get to come to practice tomorrow,” coach Rick Runaas said after the game. “These guys really like each other. I know it’s a cliche, but they really do, and a loss means that you don’t practice anymore or come together after school. We’re excited about coming to practice tomorrow.”

Excitement would be underselling Wednesday night’s thriller. Multiple lead changes, Lemont pulling ahead by nine in the fourth quarter before falling behind by four only to get the win, Sularski starting off slowly only to finish with 28 points. It was the stuff playoff basketball is all about.

They don’t have long to celebrate it, however, as the next challenge is already on the horizon. Not only that, but it’s Lemont’s toughest task yet.

The sectional championship game will be against Brother Rice, the host school. That means the Crusaders will have a familiar environment and the fan advantage. To top it off, Brother Rice is the top seed of the sectional with a record of 28-6.

That doesn’t mean things are already written, however. Lemont is the second seed for a reason and enters the game with a record of 26-7. After losing in regionals last year, Lemont is playing at a whole new level this year.

That’s thanks in no small part to Sularski. A junior, Sularski is rated as the top recruit in the state for the class of 2026. He’s earned college offers from Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Purdue, DePaul, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Michigan State, Michigan and others. He’s also had visits with Northwestern, Iowa and Notre Dame.

The 6-foot-6, 190-pound Sularski transferred into Lemont this past summer after spending his first two years of high school at Benet Academy. The addition has paid off tremendously, as Lemont won the South Suburban Conference title with an undefeated conference record.

“He’s been so good at getting to the rim,” senior Matas Gaidukevicius said. “Especially the way teams have been guarding us. They don’t want to help off me and Alanas [Castillo], so we have so much room to work down there. It’s been working all year.”

Make no mistake, Gaidukevicius, Castillo, Shea Glotzbach and the rest of the team have been just as important to Lemont’s success as Sularski has. Gaidukevicius and Castillo are each 6-6, as well, and have proved to be matchup problems for opposing teams all year. Glotzbach is 6-4 and an outstanding athlete, featuring as a strong pitcher for Lemont’s 3A state runner-up baseball team last year.

The depth of the team showed Wednesday after Sularski missed several shots and had four turnovers in the first half before heating up to finish with 28 points. He was the first to point out the contribution of his teammates after the game.

“It’s amazing [to have them],” Sularski said. “I came in over the summer and didn’t really know what to expect, but we had chemistry early. The trust factor with Alanas, Matas, Shea was big. I had a couple of shots that didn’t go, but they kept us going.”

Lemont will be hoping to have things going from the onset when 7 p.m. rolls around Friday. Brother Rice, led by Citadel commit Marcos Gonzales, will be looking to win the sectional title after coming up short against Thornton in the championship game last year. The Crusaders are ready for a shot at the supersectional round against the winner of Peoria and Metamora.

So, too, is Lemont.

“The biggest key is to play better,” Runaas said. “We’ve just got to get everyone on the same page and stay in front of everyone. Brother Rice has guys capable of going off, so we’ve got to be ready.”