By Jeff Vorva
Staff Writer
Boom, boom, boom.
Three area men’s college basketball players’ offensive games exploded on Dec. 16.
At Saint Xavier, Cedric Johnson had 27 points as the Cougars topped Indiana University Northwest, 77-68, in a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference matchup.
Johnson shot 11-of-14 from the floor and scored the game’s first two baskets in the first 90 seconds, prompting IUN to burn a fast timeout.
“He’s unguardable,” Cougars teammate Sando Hill said of Johnson.
“I put trust in my teammates and my teammates trust in me,” said Johnson, a senior guard from Nebraska. “Teams are locking in on defense and trying to get me out of my spots.
“As long as everybody plays together and is ready for the ball, everything is going to be all smooth.”
At Morton College, El Sieger popped in 36 points in an 85-73 loss to Milwaukee Area Technical College — the defending National Junior College Athletic Association Division II champion — in Cicero. The scoring output was the most by a Panther’s men’s player since Matas Deksnys had 36 on Feb. 15, 2022.
Sieger, a sophomore guard from Whitney Young, had 33 against 2022 national champion South Suburban College earlier in the season. His father, Dave, played at Oklahoma, where he was a college teammate of future NBA players Mookie Blaylock, Harvey Grant and Stacey King.
Moraine Valley’s Luis Acevedo had 30 points – 26 in the second half – to lead the Cyclones to a 79-75 win over Bryant and Stratton in Palos Hills. Acevedo is a sophomore guard from Homewood-Flossmoor.
Great debut for Greene
Trinity Christian College sophomore Garret Greene, an Oak Lawn native who prepped at Brother Rice, made his Trolls debut on Dec. 15. The wait was well worth it.
Greene, a 6-foot-5 forward who transferred from Quincy College, scored 23 points and added six rebounds in an 86-68 non-conference win at home over Welch College (Tennessee).
Greene erupted for 16 points in seven minutes of play in the first half as the Trolls took a commanding 51-29 lead at the break.
Johnny Dieck, who starred at Chicago Christian and played last season at Wayne County Community College, added 18 points and five rebounds to help Trinity snapped a seven-game losing streak.
The next day, the Trolls dropped an 87-57 conference game to Roosevelt. Former Marist star Maurice Commander had 19 points for the Lakers, who are coached by former Illinois great Dee Brown.