Friars pull off shocker; upset No. 3 De La Salle

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Friday, Jan. 7, 2011
11:57 PM

By Patrick McGavin
YourSeason.com

Dylan Barnett always believed. We were probably the only ones who thought we were capable of winning, he said.

The Fenwick senior guard created off the dribble and assisted Tim Gancer on a layup with 15 seconds remaining as the host Friars stunned No. 3 De La Salle 49-48 Friday night in Oak Park.

We were trying to run something off a screen or get something going to the basket and I saw Tim underneath and I just passed him the ball, Barnett said. We were confident that we could play with them. You saw that tonight, the way we shared the ball, nobody scored a lot, just everybody had 10 or 12.

Gancer and Sam Ainsworth both scored 11 points to lead the Friars (7-5, 3-1). Barnett scored four of his 10 points in the fourth quarter.

De La Salle had two final chances but missed twice, including a layup, with less than two seconds remaining, as Fenwick's student body rushed the floor in celebration after handing the Meteors their first loss of the season.

I thought this would be the kind of game where I said, Wed competed for 31 minutes and 45 seconds, but the kids fought through it and held together, Fenwick coach John Quinn said.

The Meteors missed their first 11 shots and did not score from the field until Demarcus Richardson scored on a drive with a minute to play in the first quarter. Star forward Mike Shaw scored 14 of his 17 points in the second half.

We were never in sync offensively, and at the end we played like we were trying not to lose, De La Salle coach Tom White said. They put everybody below the free-throw line and they dared us to shoot.

Despite its offensive struggles, De La Salle (12-1, 3-1 Catholic League) led by as many as six twice in the second half. Shaw drilled two three-pointers en route to an eight-point third quarter.

Barnett, who missed the Proviso West Tournament with a sprained ankle, drilled two jumpers at the start of the fourth quarter to wipe out a 40-36 De La Salle advantage. The Friars took their first lead of the fourth quarter, 47-46, on two free throws by Ainsworth with 1:56 remaining.

Sophomore Jaylon Tate (eight points) scored off a steal to give De La Salle its final lead at 48-47 with 44 seconds remaining. Sophomore forward Alex Foster added 10 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. Sophomore Alvin Ellis contributed nine points.

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