Tinley Park's Calhoun Leads Second-Half Comeback

There wasn’t much that went right for Tinley Park point guard Jon Calhoun in the first half of Friday night's 58-56 win over Oak Lawn.

The 6-foot-1 senior’s shots weren’t falling–Calhoun was 1-for-5 from the field—and he committed a handful of turnovers that led to easy points on the other end for Oak Lawn. And as most teams do, Tinley Park took after its point guard and senior leader, falling behind 32-22 at halftime.

“We really didn’t come out with energy like we usually do,” Calhoun said. “We just didn’t play how we really play in the first half. We came out sloppy.”

Calhoun scored five points in the third quarter to help pull Tinley Park within 43-42, but the fourth quarter was when he imposed his will. And he did it at the free throw line.

“If my shot’s not falling, coach always tells me to find my shot at the free throw line and get to the rack as much as I can,” Calhoun said. “I don’t ever get down on myself. I just keep playing.”

After forward Eldridge Anderson scored Tinley Park’s first four points of the fourth quarter to tie the score at 46-46, Calhoun took over. On three consecutive possessions, Calhoun drove in for a layup, hit a runner in the lane and then made two free throws after being fouled to put Tinley Park up 52-46.

Oak Lawn fought back and took a 56-54 lead with 50 seconds remaining, but Tinley Park again looked to Calhoun. He drove down the lane for a lefty layup with 20 seconds left to tie the score. After Anderson stole the inbounds pass, Calhoun leaked out for an uncontested layup at the buzzer to give Tinley Park the win.

“We always stress defense and since we were down, we had to turn it up on defense and that was our biggest key for the second half,” Calhoun said.

Tinley Park’s victory wasn’t in conference play, nor was it in the postseason. But it was important as a confidence-booster. On a night when the Titans didn’t play their best, they still escaped with a win. And Calhoun was a major reason why.

“We go into every game ready. We have to. We don’t ever underestimate any team,” Calhoun said. “We just have to come out and go strong with energy in the first. We have to come out strong as a team.”