Boys Basketball: Evanston coach Ellis demanding more from Kits
BY MATT HARNESS mharness@pioneerlocal.com February 4, 2012 7:47PM
Wilmette, 01/29/12 -- Evanston's Bobby Clayborn (right) reaches in on St. Patrick's Parish McCullum (center) as he fights for control of the ball during Saturday afternoon's game at Loyola Academy in Wilmette. | Eric Davis ~ For Sun-Times Media
STANDINGS
CSL South
New Trier 7-1 18-4
Waukegan 7-1 13-8
Evanston 4-4 14-9
Maine South 4-4 16-10
Glenbrook S. 1-7 5-16
Niles West 1-7 3-15
CSL North
Glenbrook N. 6-2 15-5
Niles North 5-3 15-7
Maine West 5-3 12-9
Highland Park 4-4 12-9
Deerfield 4-4 9-10
Maine East 0-8 4-15
(Records through Sunday)
Article Extras
Updated: March 10, 2012 8:08AM
Mike Ellis was a successful coach at Peoria’s Richwoods High School, his team placing second in the state two times in five seasons.
Evanston is a proud program with a rich basketball history, too.
That’s why Ellis, now the Wildkits’ coach, gets angry when his team doesn’t live up to his expectations — and its obligations.
But it’s not all about wins and losses. It’s about playing the right away and doing the little things that help win games.
Evanston didn’t do that, however, in its 58-56 loss to St. Patrick at Loyola’s second annual War on the Shore Tournament on Saturday. The Wildkits failed to execute the basics in a game they had in control during the first half — and even during much of the third quarter.
“In the second half, there were seven loose balls on the floor, and every single one of them was recovered by (St. Pat’s),” said Ellis, who needed several minutes to cool off before talking to his players after the game. “Our guys didn’t do a good job of going after those loose balls after first shots. There were also plenty of situations when the ball went off the boards and we didn’t catch it, and they were the ones that ended up with the possession. In a game that ended up being decided by two points, you can’t have that happen.”
Josh Irving scored seven of his team-high 14 points in the first quarter to help Evanston jump out front. The Wildkits led all the way until the fourth, when St. Patrick finally caught up and went ahead 37 seconds into the quarter.
Leonard Garron’s two free throws returned the lead to Evanston, but Nicholas Coleman’s three-pointer at the 5:30 mark sent the Shamrocks on their way to a sixth straight win.
Two St. Patrick turnovers, including one with 22 seconds remaining, gave Evanston an opportunity to tie the score. But the Wildkits failed to get off a shot, and fell to 14-9 overall with the loss.
“We got real stagnant,” Ellis said of the last series. “We played it to get a three. We were not aggressive enough, and we played right into their hands.”
Garron added 10 points in the loss. Early last week, the senior committed to play football at Southern Illinois University.
The Wildkits evened their record in the CSL South on Friday, with a 51-39 win over Niles West, which is tied for last place in the conference.
Evanston now readies itself for fifth-ranked rival New Trier at Northwestern’s Welsh-Ryan Arena on Friday. The Wildkits lost to the Trevians 58-48 in Winnetka on Jan. 6. The game had been moved from Welsh-Ryan Arena due to a scheduling conflict with the university.
“Connor Boehm hurt us too inside the first time,” Ellis said. “We have to do better on him. We also have to move the ball more, share it and execute our stuff.”
But Ellis believed the biggest key to Friday’s game can’t be measured on paper or seen on film.
“We have to play with heart,” he said. “Whoever plays with the most heart, most likely will win the game.”
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