D'Amico and Kilfoy's bombs lifts ND past Deerfield in 3A Grayslake North Sectional semifinal

On Tuesday night, in their IHSA Class 3A Grayslake North Sectional semifinal, top-ranked Notre Dame (29-5) defeated Deerfield 48-32.

Notre Dame's 6-foot-8 junior Troy D' A'mico and 6-foot-7 senior Vince Kilfoy both just scored six points in the game.

Notre Dame jumped out to a 27-14 halftime lead behind 10 points from junior Louis Lemond (17 points, eight rebounds, two blocks). Deerfield (20-11) went on a 13-5 run in the third quarter to pull within 32-27 with under a minute remaining in the third quarter.

D'Amico (six points, eight rebounds, six blocked shots), who along with Lesmond and senior Jason Bergstrom (eight points, three rebounds, two 3's) buried first-quarter three pointers to give the Dons a 12-6 lead after one quarter.

"Our plan was to work the ball around and get me the ball in the right corner for a last second three-point third-quarter shot," D' Amico said. "I was not going to miss it."

D'Amico's bomb from the right corner gave the Dons a 35-27 lead after three quarters.

"Troy's three at the end of the third quarter was the shot of the game for us," Notre Dame coach Kevin Clancy said. "We really needed it."

What happened next should have alerted the Village of Grayslake Fire Department's bomb squad.

With 7:18 remaining, Lesmond buried a three-pointer from the left corner for a 38-27 Don lead.

Over the next 90 seconds, Kilfoy buried a three-point bomb from the same spot as D'Amico and with a power-move inside score, was fouled and convert an old-fashioned three-point point play for a 44-27 Dons lead. Game over.

"I am so happy for Vinnie (Kilfoy) for the big lift he gave us off the bench tonight," Clancy said. "Nobody works harder in practice for us everyday and I'm so happy to see his hard work pay off."

"It really felt great to hit the big three and contribute to the win," Kilfoy said. "I have just one regret on my second basket. I should have dunked it. Still, it was good to get the old-fashioned three-point play."

Junior guard Anthony Sayles (nine points, three assists, four steals) and senior point-guard Jimmy Murphy (two points two rebounds, three assists) ran the Dons' offense to perfection.

"Anytime we win I'm happy with our performance," Sayles said. "In every game I try to get all of us involved and do everything I can to help us win."

Lesmond had another outstanding all-around game and gave his ND fans three slams on the night. Not his patented rim-wrecking variety but three, lightning flushes that saved the rims.

"We had a great game-plan and we ran it to perfection for another great win," Lesmond said. "I can't stress enough the tremendous lift Vinnie gave us in the fourth quarter. Vinnie's performance led us to this win."

Last but not least by a long-shot, is the job D'Amico did on Deerfield's 6-foot-11 senior Brandon Lieb.

Having a personal block party D'Amico blocked six of Lieb's shots and hold the Deerfield center to just nine points, six rebounds and one block of D'Amico's shots.

"It was fun playing somebody bigger than me," D'Amico said. "I went out their with the mindset to be a human eraser and a glass cleaner. I had a lot of fun."

The Dons will take on the winner of Wednesday's Class 4A Grayslake North Sectional semifinal between St. Patrick (23-7) and St. Viator (21-9). Game tips off at 7 p.m. Friday.

In East Suburban Catholic Conference action, on Jan. 10, the Dons defeated St. Viator 59-42. On Feb. 7, the Dons defeated their arch-rivals from St. Patrick 58-43.

JOLIET WEST

The vaunted Tiger defense rolled to an undefeated 16-0 Southwest Prairie East championship. Last Friday, the Tigers rolled to the IHSA Class 4A Romeoville Regional championship. The 29 Tiger wins, this season, must be approaching school-record status.

On Tuesday night, in the IHSA Class 4A Lockport Sectional semifinal, the Tigers took on the Wildcats of Neuqua Valley. At the half, the Wildcats led 26-25.

Neuqua Valley (25-9) scored but 14 points in the second half,as the Tigers roared to a 50-40 victory.

According to IHSA records, the 29 wins are the most by a Joliet West program in history.

As a combined program, Joliet Township recorded 29 wins in 2001-02 under coach Bob Koskosky, while Mike O'Connell led Township to 29 wins and fourth place in state in 1994-95 and a program-best 30 wins in 1993-94, which resulted in a trip to the final eight.

Joliet West will go for win No. 30 on the season and an IHSA Class 4A Lockport Sectional championship against the winner of Wednesday's semifinal between East Aurora (23-10) and West Aurora (12-19). Tip off is 7 p.m. Friday at Lockport's East campus.