Although the Lyons Township boys basketball team wasn’t among the three games for the final day of York’s 32-team Jack Tosh Tournament Dec. 31, senior Josh Gutierrez still was there.
That morning, the reserve guard was informed by LTHS coach Tom Sloan that he was part of the 20–player all-tournament team as one of numerous bright spots for the Lions (7-6) and their 3-1 tournament performance.
“I was not really planning on going to watch. After (Sloan) texted me and my parents, we wanted to go,” Gutierrez said. “A very cool experience. It’s something you want to do when you enter the Jack Tosh and I’m just grateful to be named to it.
“So many great people on that all-tournament team. To be named with them is a blessing. It’s something I can always say that I’ll be a part of. It’s something to be in the record books forever.”
LTHS finished by beating Conant 56-50 Dec. 30 for a fitting end to four competitive games decided by a combined 19 points. The Lions defeated Minooka 46-42 Dec. 28 and area-rated St. Laurence 48-44 in their Dec. 26 opener and lost to Lake Zurich 47-42 in the second round Dec. 27. The tournament uses a 35-second shot clock.
Gutierrez had cumulative team bests of 27 rebounds and 15 assists along with 32 points. Other standouts included senior Ian Polonowski (49 points with 5 three-pointers, 26 rebounds, 8 assists), Bobby Vespa (24 points with 5 threes, 13 rebounds), Danny Janiszewski (20 points with 4 threes), 7 assists) and Gavin Carolan (11 rebounds), junior Owen Carroll (29 points with 7 threes, 15 rebounds, 11 assists) and sophomore Timmy Sloan (29 points with 7 threes, 15 rebounds, 11 assists).
“We played four really competitive games against four really good teams. Any time you come out of here with three wins, it’s a great week,” Tom Sloan said.
“We’ve made a lot of progress the last couple of weeks. Playing this level of competition this many days in a row, we’re learning a lot and the kids are learning a lot on the fly.”
Gutierrez had a double-double against Lake Zurich with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Polonowski’s was 19 points with two threes and 10 rebounds against Minooka.
Gutierrez, who added eight assists against Minooka, and Carroll provided great guard play off the bench, often as a duo. Gutierrez is gaining his basketball mojo after being a starting cornerback for the Lions’ 11-1 football team.
“I think my teammates put me in the right position. I just pride myself on hustling and getting the rebounds and assists and scrappy points and doing whatever we need to win,” Gutierrez said.
Winners of six of their last eight, the Lions continued the momentum of their 54-34 home victory over Glenbard West (11-4) Dec. 20.
In surprising St. Laurence (13-3), the Lions trailed 41-39 but then scored four baskets on four straight possessions – two each by Gutierrez and Polonowski – to pull ahead 47-44 with 2:01 left. The Vikings missed two threes to tie before a Carroll free throw.
Polonowski (13 points with 2 threes), Carroll (12 points), Vespa and Janiszewski (8 points each) and Carolan (8 rebounds) fueled the collective effort. Even the Lake Zurich loss came down to the final minute.
“We played four good games. We were a low seed and I think we proved some people wrong,” said Polonowski, the lone key returnee from last season.
“We showed what we can do and it leads us into the new year on a winning streak. I knew going into the season we could play like this. Just getting to this point has been fun.”
Trailing Minooka 42-40 with 2:32 left, threes by Sloan and Janiszewski put LTHS ahead 46-42 with 1:22 left.
Against Conant, Carroll (16 points with 3 threes), Polonowski (7 points, 15 rebounds), Gutierrez (10 points, 9 rebounds) and Sloan (10 points) helped the Lions rally from a 40-31 deficit with 4:40 left in the third quarter.
Janiszewski’s three to open the fourth quarter put LTHS ahead 45-43. The Lions then forced the Cougars into shot-clock hurried misses on consecutive possessions. Polonowski’s driving basket and Carroll’s three opened a 50-43 lead with 2:50 left.
“Owen and I are out there together most of the time. He’s like my best friend out there, a great player. I never played with him (before), but it’s been fun,” Gutierrez said.
“Once we beat Glenbard West, we knew we could play with any team in the state. Coming into St. Laurence, we were just like it’s another team out there. If we play good defense and outphysical the other team, we can give anyone a shot in the state.”
Nazareth boys basketball
The Roadrunners (5-7) went 2-2 at York, earning an impressive opening 63-60 overtime win over Glenbard West Dec. 26 and winning its finale over Minooka 60-45 Dec. 30. The Roadrunners lost to Christ the King 59-32 in the second round Dec. 27 and Conant 61-57 Dec. 28.