Boys Basketball: Wegner’s steal caps big night for Broncos against Conant
BY GARY LARSEN Contributor January 28, 2012 12:28AM
Barrington Friday, 1/27/12 Barrington's Lee Conforti (40) comes up with a loose ball in front of Conant's Joey Ranallo (11) during the third quarter of Friday evening's game. Barrington beat Conant, 46-43. | Brian O'Mahoney~for Sun-Times Media
Article Extras
Updated: March 3, 2012 8:06AM
When you hold a boys basketball team to two fourth-quarter field goals — and 11 in all — you’re doing just about everything a coach can ask for on the defensive end.
Barrington and Conant fought tooth-and-nail throughout Friday’s Mid-Suburban West showdown, with the host Broncos pulling out a 46-43 win.
“We felt like that might have been one of our best defensive performances of the year as a team,” said Barrington coach Bryan Tucker. “Every possession, for the most part, we felt like we didn’t give them very many easy looks.”
The Broncos’ ability to force turnovers may well have been the difference in the game.
“I think in our conference, we play the best defense of any conference around,” said Barrington senior Jackson Wegner. “This win keeps us in the race, and we want to repeat as conference champions. We lost to Schaumburg (Dec. 16), but every game counts, and we’re just trying to stay in it.”
Barrington’s 5-2 league mark has the Broncos one game behind Schaumburg (6-1). The Broncos, who were 1-1 against the Saxons this season, have five MSL games left to play.
Wegner provided one the Friday’s pivotal moments, stealing a Conant pass at midcourt halfway through the fourth quarter, and then swooping in for an uncontested layup to give Barrington a 39-38 lead.
The Broncos never trailed again. Wegner scored again a minute later, and netted five of his seven points in the final stanza. The Broncos only went 9-for-19 from the free-throw line, but Brad Zaumseil buried two in the fourth quarter, while Wegner and Scott Nelson hit one apiece to help ice the game.
“Our conference is crazy. It’s always going to be a close game,” Wegner said. “There’s always pressure at the end of games to hit free throws, and every game you just hope to get better at it. Our defense helped us make up for it and helped us win this game.”
Mark Bennett led Barrington with 14 points, and point guard Zaumseil (7 points) created havoc on the offensive end all night for the Broncos, who avenged a 53-44 loss to Conant on Dec. 8.
“They geared their defense to take (Zaumseil) out of the equation, but he’s got some good players around him, and he’s able to create and find them,” Tucker said. “Mark Bennett gave us a solid night, and we had good balance. Wegner was hard to guard all night, and he got us some easy baskets.”
Comments Click here to view or make a comment