Boys Basketball: Pressure defense pushes Pirates past Hinsdale South

• Reprints

Updated: February 22, 2012 12:17PM

Hinsdale South has seen enough of Paris.

Paris Lee, that is. The Proviso East junior teamed with fellow guards Paris Burns and Keith Carter on a devastating full-court press in the third quarter that allowed the host Pirates to knock off Hinsdale South 71-59 in West Suburban Conference Gold Division action Friday night in Maywood.

Lee and Burns, who both had five steals, each scored four points during a decisive 14-0 run which gave Proviso East (18-0, 8-0) a 52-37 lead after three quarters. The run was keyed by the defense, which forced the Hornets (9-10, 3-5) into 11 turnovers in the period and 31 overall.

“I think as always our guards really amped up the pressure,” Proviso East coach Donnie Boyce said. “It really got us going a little bit. With our guard quickness and our guard aggressiveness, especially when we lock in and focus, we make it pretty hard for you to get the ball across the court and really get in a good rhythm.”

Hinsdale South was able to get in a rhythm in the first half thanks to guards Phil George and Jerry Stoltz, who combined to knock down four three-pointers and score 21 points as the visitors trailed just 33-32 at intermission.

George, who had a game-high 18 points to go with seven rebounds, drained a trey to pull the Hornets within 38-37 with 4:08 left in the third quarter. That’s when the Pirates turned up the heat defensively and wilted Hinsdale South’s upset hopes.

Sterling Brown started the run with a baseline jumper and Lee followed with a steal and layup, forcing a timeout that failed to stop Proviso East’s momentum. Burns later scored on a fast break and then the Hornets turned it over on their next six possessions.

In the niftiest sequence, Lee scored off a feed from Burns and then Lee stole the inbounds pass and flipped a backhanded pass to Burns for another layup. Michael Nicholas followed with a three to end the quarter.

“They came out playing strong,” Lee said. “They made us work for everything first half, but as a team we’ve got to learn how to share the ball more because we were a little selfish first half.

“Coach Donnie stressed at halftime that we’ve got to pick it up on defense or it was going to be a tough game. So we picked it up on defense and that made the game a little easier.”

The Hornets finally got used to the pressure in the fourth quarter, bringing 6-8 center Brock Benson to midcourt as a safety valve, but by then it was too late and the visitors could only trade baskets with the Pirates.

Benson had 16 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks and Stoltz scored 16 points, including four three-pointers, for the Hornets. But it was no match for the Pirates, who got 16 points, six rebounds and three blocks from Brown and 14 points each from Burns and Carter. Nicholas had 11 points, all in the final nine minutes, and Lee added 10 points and three assists.

“It was the first game of the year where I thought we didn’t come out with the right energy, with the right intensity,” said Boyce, whose team was outrebounded 32-15 but made only nine turnovers. “A lot of the credit goes to Hinsdale South. It took us a little while to figure out what they were trying to do. As bad as we played I think a lot of that had to do with Hinsdale South in the first half.”

Proviso’s run frustrated Hinsdale South coach Vince Doran, who burned through all of his timeouts by the end of the third quarter, but he gave kudos to the Pirates.

“You can’t have that many turnovers and expect to win over here but it’s easier said than done to take care of the ball against Proviso,” Doran said. “They really get up on you and they make you do some things that you don’t necessarily want to do. They have tremendous quickness at all five spots. It was too much to overcome.”

But Doran was pleased with his team’s effort.

“Proviso is where they’re at because of how hard their kids play and I thought our guys played really hard, too,” Doran said. “I thought Jerry was great tonight. He really kept us in it. He scored and he was able to handle the pressure. They did a nice job of trying to take him out because our other players really struggled handling the ball.

“We’ve clearly improved from the last time around and we’re headed in the right direction.”