Boys Basketball: Hinsdale South Mauled by Simeon in Regional Final

Hinsdale South’s season came to an end Friday against nationally-ranked Simeon in the regional final. Sophomore guard/forward Jabari Parker’s 23 points led the way in a 74-45 win over the Hornets. 

“Our margin for error against them (Simeon) is very, very thin,” Hornets coach Vince Doran said. “We really needed to make baskets to succeed, and we didn’t.” 

The Hornets (17-11) struggled on offense in the opening minutes, unable to crack the Wolverines’ (25-2) relentless man-to-man offense. The only good news is the few points they were able to score in the first kept them close late in the first because of their lengthy possessions. 

And then the Wolverines attacked. Forward Steve Taylor and guard Kendrick Nunn each hit a three-pointer to give them a 14-7 lead after one. The Wolverines continued their run, extending their lead to 30-12 with 3:54 left behind a balanced offensive attack. 

“It took us a while to get our rhythm together offensively,” Simeon coach Robert Smith said. “It was a total team effort on our part.” 

The Hornets managed to cut the lead to 32-19 after a pair of free throws by guard Joe Petrak and a three-pointer by Phil George. Wolverines guard Reginald Norris responded with three straight baskets in the final 90 seconds to give them a 38-21 lead at the half. 

The third quarter was by far the best for the Hornets. They played smart, aggressive defense and forced four Wolverine turnovers in the quarter. Petrak and center Brock Benson brought the score to 47-33 late in the third before Parker scored off a tip-in and Taylor hit a three from the corner to put the lead at 52-33, effectively sealing the win for the Wolverines. 

Jabari Parker, rated as one of the best high school players in the country, showed off his remarkable talent and athleticism on both sides of the floor with 23 points, six rebounds and six assists. Listed at 6’7", he looked like a man among boys, playing every position on the floor and dominating by just his presence alone. 

“He is an NBA player,” Doran said. “No doubt about it.” 

In addition to Parker, Steve Taylor finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks for the Wolverines. For the Hornets, Phil George led the team with 14 points followed by Brock Benson with 13 points and nine rebounds. The Hornets, particularly Benson, struggled against the man-to-man defense, shooting 14-of-49 from the field.

For the Hornets, it was a tough way to go out, losing the regional title on their home court. The Hornets graduate nine seniors, but do have a strong core to work with in juniors Phil George and Brock Benson, the team’s two leading scorers. 

“It was an honor to coach with them,” Doran said. “You can’t put a value on the kind of leadership the seniors provided. It’s a huge loss in terms of leadership. Hopefully some of our younger guys will use what they learned.” 

Simeon will play the winner of the St. Rita regional on Tuesday at Argo High School.