Blue Devils’ defense ensures lead is quite safe in dispatching Titans

QUINCY — There was no letting a big lead slip away this time.

One night after nearly squandering a seemingly insurmountable 24-point cushion in the second half, the Quincy High School boys basketball team limited Tinley Park to just five field goals over the final three quarters to cruise to a 69-29 victory Friday in the 52nd QHS Thanksgiving Tournament at Blue Devil Gym.

Quincy used a transition layup by Keshaun Thomas on an assist from Ralph Wires, a driving layup by Camden Brown and a 3-pointer at the buzzer by Kamren Wires to close out the final minute of the first half to go up 38-19.

With their transition game operating in high gear, the Blue Devils then scored the opening 13 points of the third period — the last on a Brown dunk off a quick outlet pass from Thomas — to erase any doubt about the outcome to improve to 2-0.

“Building a lead is one thing, keeping it is another,” Quincy coach Andy Douglas said. “Our guys did a really good job of closing the game out. I thought our guys played with a little more heart on the defensive end. We were engaged for four quarters, and with our schedule, we have to be that way.”

And the Blue Devils did it with a fast-paced style they hope becomes the norm. They consistently beat the Titans up and down the floor for easy layups or high-percentage shots while harassing them into 13 turnovers. Quincy also drained five 3-pointers by moving the ball quickly.

“We have athletes who can run really, really good,” Brown said. “We want to get the rebound and get up the court right away.”

That’s a message Douglas has been preaching.

“With the group we have, we want to be one of the top teams getting up and down the floor running the transition,” he said. “Defensively we’re still not where we want to be, but offensively we’ve been better these first two games than we’ve been in years past — maybe every year that I’ve been here.

“It’s a group that’s fun. They share the ball really well. They don’t care who gets the credit. And to be the best version of ourselves, we need that.”

Brown finished with a game-high 20 points and Thomas scored all 10 of his in the first half. Three other players — Ralph Wires, Dom Clay and Tyler Sprick — had seven apiece as nine players reached the scoring column in a game shortened by a running clock after Quincy built a 61-26 lead through three quarters.

Tinley Park led 10-7 midway through the first period before Sprick gave Quincy the lead for good with a 3-pointer from right of the circle and a driving layup on back-to-back possessions.

The Titans sank three 3-pointers in the opening quarter and trailed only 21-16. However, despite often getting quality shots, they managed just one field goal and three points in the second period. Things got no better in the second half when they had more turnovers (8) than field goals (4).

Nolan Maciejewski led Tinley Park with seven points, all in the first half.

Quincy will be seeking its fourth straight and 35th outright tournament title Saturday night when it plays Springfield Lanphier, which has split its two games.

In the opener Friday, Amari Edwards scored 22 points to lead four players in double figures as Chicago Wendell Phillips outscored Lanphier 17-6 to open the fourth quarter to pull away for an 84-70 victory.

JaiQuan Holman scored 32 points and Shaunassey Hatchett Jr. 20 for the Lions. The duo has scored 90 points combined in two games.

“It will be a dogfight,” Douglas said. “Lanphier is always a physical team. We’re going to have to put together a complete game, another game like (Friday) where we’re playing four quarters and not taking plays off.”