BOYS BASKETBALL: Boilers win WJOL Thanksgiving Classic

The Boilermakers, led by senior Nick Allen’s 25 points and 13 rebounds, earned a 57-53 win that gave Bradley-Bourbonnais its first-ever WJOL title.

Lemont took control early, utilizing senior guard Matas Gaidukevicius on offense, scoring 10 first-half points and helping his team to a four-point lead despite Lemont shooting 0-for-5 from 3-point range.

The Boilermakers, after turning the ball over several times early in the first, were able to bounce back in the second quarter, outscoring Lemont 18-16 to cut the deficit to two at halftime.

It was all Allen for Bradley-Bourbonnais in the second half. The 6-foot-11 big man dominated the glass and the post, which seemed to slow down the Lemont offense and allowed BBCHS to keep things close. Allen finished as the tournament MVP, setting a record for points per game with 29 and rebounds with 12 per throughout the four games, notching a double-double in each of them.

“His parents and us coaches know how hard he has worked to get to where he’s at today,” Kemp said. “I was watching a film of him last year; the difference is unbelievable. He is the best center in the state of Illinois.”

The future Illinois State Redbird said that, as evidenced by the narrow margin of victory, Lemont was a worthy opponent.

“They are a tough team,” Allen said of Lemont. “I just tried to go out there tonight and do what I’ve been taught by my coaches.”

Lemont still held a 43-41 lead going into the fourth quarter, but struggled to close out the Boilermakers in the final eight minutes, shooting just 23% from the field in the final frame.

“If we are not making 3-point shots, then [we have to figure out] what else can we do,” Lemont coach Rick Runaas said. “We are going to have to work on stuff like that and getting other players to step in when [opposing teams] take away our primary scoring option.”

Despite Lemont going just 4-of-25 from 3-point range, the game remained close late. Allen, who was able to score at will during the second half, got support from teammates like senior Gavin Kohl, who scored 13 points and went 7-for-8 from the free-throw line in the final quarter, to help secure the championship win.

“Our focus today was trying to show poise,” Kemp said. “We knew that Lemont would go on runs, and I give a lot of credit to my coaching staff for their adjustments and our players for staying strong.”

STAT BOOK

Allen’s 23 points and 15 boards weren’t the only double-double for the Boilers. Liam Martin notched one as well, finishing with 11 points and 16 rebounds. Kohl, who finished alongside Allen on the all-tournament team, had 13 points.

UP NEXT

The Boilers host Manteno at 7 p.m. Tuesday.