SRP-IMAGE-Logo

Boys Basketball | Adam Stuursma scores 30, helps rally Chicago Christian to win over Shepard

Spread the love

By Steve Millar
Correspondent

Chicago Christian went into last week’s game against crosstown rival Shepard having lost eight games in a row.

It didn’t seem likely the Knights were going to end that streak when they went to halftime down by 16 points.

Knights coach Kevin Pittman implored his team to focus on slowly chipping away at the deficit.

“We told them at halftime that you can’t come back and get it all back on one or two possessions,” Pittman said. “There has to be a bucket and then a stop, and then you have to keep doing that. Once we started doing it, I saw that confidence where the kids were like, ‘Hey, we can really do this.’

“I haven’t seen that confidence in quite a while, so that was probably the coolest part of the night for me.”

Chicago Christian found the belief and completed the improbable rally behind a huge performance from senior guard/forward Adam Stuursma, who scored a career-high 30 points as the host Knights beat the Astros 63-55 in Palos Heights.

Matt Stevens scored 10 points, Joel Crowell had nine points and Liam Crotty chipped in seven points for Chicago Christian (6-18), which won for the first time in 2023.

Robinson Hale finished with 10 points and nine rebounds, while Tyrion McGhee and Manny Oroczo scored eight points each for Shepard (11-13).

“We didn’t give up,” Stuursma said. “We started coming back, and by the time we got into the fourth quarter we felt like we could win.”

Stuursma scored 20 points in the second half, including eight in the third quarter as the Knights started to cut into the deficit.

They were still down 11 with under two minutes left in the third, but closed the quarter with a 9-4 surge. Stuursma hit a 3-pointer and Crowell came up with a steal and scored with seven seconds left to pull Chicago Christian to within 49-43.

Stuursma scored 12 more points in the fourth quarter, hitting a pull-up jumper to tie the game at 50-50 with 5:35 to go.

Stuursma also plays football and baseball for the Knights, and feels he benefits from year-round competition.

“Basketball helps the most with other sports because there’s nothing that gets me conditioned like basketball,” he said. “Basketball pushes you to a third gear.”

After Payton Crims scored to give Shepard a 52-50 lead, Chicago Christian outscored the Astros 13-1 over a five-minute stretch to take over.

Stevens converted a crucial layup and hit a free throw during the run.

“Especially with an insane comeback like that, it feels really good,” Stevens said. “We had a not-so-good game (a 65-29 loss to St. Francis on Jan. 24), but we made up for it, so I’m happy.

“It’s nice to get a win and end the losing streak, but it’s time to get an actual winning streak going now.”

Shepard will look to bounce back after being held to six points in the fourth quarter to let the lead slip away.

“We couldn’t make a basket,” Shepard coach Tony Chiuccariello said. “I think we were 2-for-9 in the fourth quarter from the free-throw line. We got gun-shy and we turned the ball over.

“Stuursma played great. Chicago Christian made shots and we didn’t.”

Hale, McGhee and Jeremiah Storey — the latter who scored six points — all had solid contributions off the bench for Shepard.

“The bench in the first half, I thought did a great job,” Chiuccariello said. “McGhee had a couple steals and layups. Konstantinos (Primbas) hit a nice 3 at the buzzer at the end of the first quarter. But we’ve got to learn how to close out a game. That’s the only way to win.”

The Knights could not turn the victory into a winning streak as they ran into a strong Riverside-Brookfield team, which improved to 19-4 on the season by beating the Knights 78-56 on Friday night.

Shepard, meanwhile, capped a busy week with two more games following the loss to the Knights.

The Astros beat St. Anne 80-68 on Jan. 26 night behind 27 points from Jermell Lymon, 17 from Storey and 11 from Crims.

They fell 69-45 to Lemont on Jan. 27.

Local News

District 230 Supt. Robert Nolting said 145 districts across the state involved in a lawsuit are waiting a judge’s decision. (Photo by Jeff Vorva)

District 230 waits for judge’s decision on mask mandates

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Stagg and Sandburg students, parents and teachers are awaiting the decision of a Sangamon County judge to find out if there is any change in the mask mandate. District 230 was one of 145 districts in the state taken to court by parents who are against the mandate and believe…

thumbnail_LIHWAP FLYER

Summit approves deal with CEDA for water assistance

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan Help may be on the way for some Summit residents that have trouble paying their water bills. The Summit Village Board recently approved an ordinance authorizing an agreement by, and between the Community and Economic Development Association of Cook County. It’s a vendor agreement for the Low-Income Household Water Assistance…

Ryan Grace, the new village administrator, with Willow Springs mayor Melissa Neddermeyer (center), and Meghan Grace, his wife, after his Jan. 27 hiring. (Photos by Steve Metsch)

Willow Springs hires Grace as village administrator

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Steve Metsch Citing his experience in Lyons, Willow Springs Mayor Melissa Neddermeyer said Ryan Grace was the best of five finalists interviewed for the job of village administrator. Grace, 38, had been public works director in Lyons the past four years, working on a wide range of village issues and events in…

Charisma Ehresman

Body of missing Forest View woman found

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan The search for 20-year-old Charisma Ehresman of Forest View is over. The body of the young woman was found Friday evening in her vehicle in Chicago’s South Austin neighborhood, on the city’s west side, which borders Oak Park. The car had apparently been there for several days. The Cook County…

Members of the Heritage Middle School Cheer Team at their recent competition. (Supplied photos)

Heritage Middle School cheer team takes first

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan Congratulations are in order for the Heritage Middle School Cheer Team. The team competed for the first time on Saturday, January 15, at Old Quarry Middle School in Lemont and took first place. It was a huge accomplishment for the team and Summit School District 104 is very proud of…

Sandburg’s boys bowling just missed bringing home a trophy but had its best showing ever at the state meet.  Photo courtesy of Sandburg High School

Area Sports Roundup: Sandburg bowls ’em over at state; Marist cheerleaders win sectional

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Is there a state trophy coming for the Sandburg boys bowling team in the future? With this unpredictable sport, that’s hard to predict. But after a fourth-place finish in the IHSA state tournament, held Jan. 28-29 at St. Clair Bowl in O’Fallon, the needle is pointing up. The…

Evergreen Park’s competitive dance team shows intensity while finishing sixth in Class 1A in the state dance competition on Saturday in Bloomington. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Intense dance performance nets Evergreen Park sixth place at state finals

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Actual competitive dancing returned to the state level this year and Evergreen Park’s dancers couldn’t be happier. The Mustangs are on the rise, and the team enjoyed its highest state finish by placing sixth in Class 1A in the IHSA state meet held Jan. 28-29 at Grossinger Motors…

Niklas Polonowski  drives around Glenbard West’s Bobby Durkin in the first half of a West Suburban Silver game on Jan. 28. Polonowski led Lyons with 20 points. Photo by Steve Metsch

Lyons rally falls short against unbeaten Glenbard West

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Steve Metsch Correspondent The third time was not the charm. Lyons, which had lost games by 37 and 32 points to Glenbard West earlier this season, headed into their third matchup of the season hoping to break through against the unbeaten Hilltoppers. With a frenzied, near-capacity home crowd behind them, the Lions…

Ray Hanania

GOP needs this centrist with common sense

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Ray Hanania Four years ago, Sean Morrison barely won re-election over an unknown Democrat, by only 1,377 votes of 121,767 votes cast. I supported Morrison, believing his promise to be a “commonsense centrist” who would follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, Liz Gorman, and not join the radical far right. Gorman,…

Rich Miller

Not your grandfather’s petition drive

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Rich Miller I’ve been fascinated by election petition-gathering season this year because of the adjusted primary schedule, the crazy Omicron variant, and the prevailing fear of crime, not to mention the awful weather. Petition season was always during the fall. But because the primary was moved to June 28, petition circulators now…

Neighbors

Illinois child tax credit: who gets it, how much is it?

Illinois child tax credit: who gets it, how much is it?

By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com In the final hours of their spring legislative session, Illinois lawmakers approved a tax credit of up to about $300 for families with young children.  The credit is available to Illinoisans with children under age 12 who qualify for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC. Although…

Illinois’ ban on ‘bump stocks’ remains in place despite U.S. Supreme Court decision

Illinois’ ban on ‘bump stocks’ remains in place despite U.S. Supreme Court decision

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – An Illinois law banning the sale and use of “bump stocks” and other devices that increase the firing power of semiautomatic weapons remains in place, at least for now, despite a U.S. Supreme Court decision Friday striking down a federal ban on such items. “Illinois law…

Another Choate Mental Health Center employee indicted for abuse of resident

Another Choate Mental Health Center employee indicted for abuse of resident

By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com Another caregiver at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in Anna is facing charges for abusing a patient. A grand jury indicted Joseph A. Clark, 24, of Grand Chain, on a felony charge of aggravated battery and a misdemeanor charge of battery. Clark pinned a Choate resident to…

State highway shootings decline as critics sue over ‘dragnet surveillance’

State highway shootings decline as critics sue over ‘dragnet surveillance’

By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com Illinois State Police say an automated license plate reader program has helped the agency identify witnesses or suspects in 82 percent of highway shooting cases this year, including all eight that resulted in a death.  But as the state looks to further expand its network of more than…

Illinois’ ban on ‘bump stocks’ remains in place despite U.S. Supreme Court decision

Illinois’ ban on ‘bump stocks’ remains in place despite U.S. Supreme Court decision

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – An Illinois law banning the sale and use of “bump stocks” and other devices that increase the firing power of semiautomatic weapons remains in place, at least for now, despite a U.S. Supreme Court decision Friday striking down a federal ban on such items. “Illinois law…

Just weeks before Republican National Convention, Illinois GOP chair announces resignation

Just weeks before Republican National Convention, Illinois GOP chair announces resignation

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com Halfway through the 2024 election cycle and just a few weeks away from the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Illinois GOP Chair Don Tracy on Wednesday announced his resignation as head of the state Republican Party. Tracy, who’d held the job since February 2021, explained his resignation in…

Pritzker signs bill creating new Department of Early Childhood

Pritzker signs bill creating new Department of Early Childhood

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation Tuesday creating a new cabinet-level state agency dedicated to early childhood education and development. The new Department of Early Childhood, which will become operational in July 2026, will take over programs currently housed across three state agencies, including funding for preschool…

Speaker Welch rebuffs lawsuit from would-be staff union as ‘forum shopping’

Speaker Welch rebuffs lawsuit from would-be staff union as ‘forum shopping’

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch is urging a Cook County judge to dismiss a lawsuit members of his staff filed against him last month seeking to force recognition of their union. In a new filing Monday, attorneys for Welch argued the Illinois Legislative Staff Association has no…

Advocates say SCOTUS ruling paves way for law ensuring abusers have guns confiscated

Advocates say SCOTUS ruling paves way for law ensuring abusers have guns confiscated

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com After the U.S. Supreme Court last week upheld a federal law that bars those under domestic violence-related restraining orders from owning guns, victim advocates say Illinois lawmakers should pass a measure to ensure firearms are actually confiscated in those situations. The legislation has been stalled for more than…

Communities, commission push Pritzker admin for more prison plan details

Communities, commission push Pritzker admin for more prison plan details

By DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com Jimmy Soto spent more than 42 years wrongfully imprisoned in Illinois Department of Corrections facilities. In 2020, he was moved to the “F-House” at Stateville Correctional Center in Joliet, a condemned unit, not because he was being punished, but because it was where the facility was housing individuals…