Boys’ Basketball: Lemont stuns Thornton to win first sectional title since 1975

CHICAGO HEIGHTS – History was not on Lemont’s side.

But now it is.

For the first time since 1975, Lemont’s boys basketball team has won a sectional championship. Rokas Castillo scored a game-high 21 points as Lemont stunned Thornton, 56-49, on Friday evening to capture the championship of the Class 3A Marian Catholic Sectional.

Lemont (27-7) will face Simeon, a 71-51 winner over Hyde Park at 6 p.m. Monday in the UIC Supersectional.

“To win a sectional championship for Lemont is big,” Castillo said. “We won it for our school, for our coach.”

Last playing in a sectional 31 years ago and last winning one in 1975, Lemont was the new kid on the block. Its opponent, Thornton was playing in its 57th sectional after winning its 50th regional championship, to go along with seven district titles.

But none of that mattered on Friday.

“I’m just happy and proud,” Lemont coach Rick Ruunas said. “I get to come to practice and coach these kids again tomorrow. I told them before the game not to expect any big words from me. We’ve got three more games after this, I will save my big words for later.”

With Castillo, who hurt his left knee in the win over Hillcrest on Tuesday, hitting four 3-pointers in the first half, there was no need for words. Lemont took the lead for good on a 3-pointer by junior forward Joseph Pender with 3:06 to play in the first quarter. It was 16-9 after a quarter and 27-16 at halftime.

“I took some ibuprofen and there was no way I was going to miss this game,” Castillo said of his injury. “The [first half 3-pointers] were big. I had been in a slump but I felt it. I had the confidence.”

Thornton (22-6) closed within four points twice in the second half, including 36-32 with 1:41 left in the third quarter. But Lemont stored the next five points to fo ahead, 41-32, after three.

Ahead 53-49, Castillo made 3 of 4 free throws in the final 22.2 seconds to clinch it.

His twin brother, fellow junior guard Matas Castillo, and sophomore forward Nojus Indrusaitus each added 10 points for Lemont.

Senior forward Arihon Herring had 15 points and junior guard Vincent Rainey added 14 for Thornton. But star player Ty Rodgers was limited to six points and fouled out early in the fourth quarter.

“We just came out in a 1-2-2 and collapsed on him,” Rokas Castillo said of defending Rodgers. “We had a goal at the beginning of the season to be the first Lemont team in a long time to make it this far. Our chemistry is insane.”

It was the 31st time that the Wildcats have played in a sectional since the 1976-77 season and they’ve won 10 sectional titles in that span. On the flip side, this was Lemont’s only second-ever Sweet 16 appearance.