By Dominic Scianna
Kenwood head varsity basketball coach Mike Irvin makes no excuses when playing the best teams in the state in a highly competitive non-conference schedule each year. And, during his team’s recent two-game losing streak he sees a remedy that can turn things around pretty quickly..
“It’s a quick fix in becoming a (more well-rounded) team. My motto is if you have 15-plus assists you win and when you do that it means the basketball is moving,” said Irvin. “We’re not moving the basketball around like I want to right now. We have enough basketball players on this team to do it – and when we do – we’ll have some success.”
In a Martin Luther King Day tilt at New Trier dubbed the Deep Dish Classic (which also featured Mount Carmel, Glenbrook North and the host school) on January 15, Kenwood had its hands full with New Trier, who shot the ball extremely well from three-point range in a 59-49 win over the Broncos.
Senior Edwon “BJ” Duling led Kenwood with 16 points but it wasn’t enough to rally the Broncos in a late comeback effort against New Trier on its home floor.
“I think we need to turn things around on the defensive side and not just think offense,” Duling said. “Defense has to be first. We got beat on the 3’s today against New Trier, so we have to turn it up on defense. These games against teams like this prepare us for state-level play downstate at the end of the year.”
Kenwood and New Trier (17-3) were tied after one period of play at 12-12 but a six-point second quarter did the Broncos in trailing 26-18 at the half. The Broncos closed to within five points midway through the third quarter, but that would be as close as they would get in a see-saw second half that favored the Trevians, their home crowd, and raucous student section.
“It means a lot to beat a team like Kenwood and shows that we can compete with the top city schools,” New Trier sophomore Danny Houlihan said. “It seemed like we shot 40-plus three pointers today, and when we’re moving the ball well like that it doesn’t matter who’s shooting it. If it’s a good shot we’ll take it.”
Kenwood (12-6) was led in scoring by Duling, who also chipped in with six rebounds. Sophomore Rajan Roberts had 11 points, junior Aleks Alston finished with nine, and freshman Devin Cleveland tallied six points in the loss. Houlihan finished with 13 points on the day and fellow sophomore Christopher Kirkpatrick (21 points) led all scorers to pace the Trevians.
Things don’t get any easier for Kenwood as it faces Catholic League power Mount Carmel (19-2), another quality non-conference opponent on the road on January 20, but Irvin wouldn’t have it any other way.
