5 Takeaways: Thornton vs Kankakee

<p>Thornton and Kankakee met up on Tuesday night in one of the biggest games of the year in the south suburbs of Chicago.  Thornton is rolling at 18-0.  Kankakee came into the game at 14-1 and held home court advantage.  It was a fun one in the first half with each team trading runs.  The third quarter was the difference as Thornton’s defense was amazing pushing them to a big lead.  Kankakee made a run late, but it wasn’t enough as Thornton won the game 67-55.  Here are our <strong>5 Takeaways: Thornton vs Kankakee</strong>!</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Dominant Defense Defines Thornton</strong></p> <p>The defensive performance by Thornton was the best I have seen all season long.  That is saying something, but they were that good!  Their guards pressured the ball all over the floor getting right up into their opponents creating steals.  They just made it uncomfortable all night for the Kankakee ball handlers.  Over and over they got steals and quickly converted them into points at the other end.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Brandon Hall is Physical Force at Guard Spot</strong></p> <p>Thornton’s 2021 combo guard <strong>Brandon Hall</strong> was at his best on Tuesday night.  He is a powerfully built guard that can play both on and off the ball.  Hall is one of the better junior rebounders in the state.  Scores so well in the lane with his strength and is efficient doing so.  Slashed for powerful drives on his way to 16 points.</p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p><strong>Depth for Thornton</strong></p> <p>The most impressive part of Thornton beyond their team defense was their depth.  Hall is probably their best prospect, but they do it more with numbers.  It was a huge night for junior guard <strong>Sean Burress</strong> and senior <strong>DeMarco Minor</strong>.  They played so well off each other creating turnovers defensively and sharing the ball in the open floor for scores.  Each showcased quickness with the ball in their hands getting to the cup and solid passing ability.  Burress had 16 points while Minor went for 15 points.  Senior <strong>Ari Brown</strong> got off to a slow start, but provided perimeter shooting in the second half hitting a pair of threes for 8 points.  <strong>Donald Coats</strong> is very intriguing.  The 6’7” forward has excellent length and good size.  The projectable 2021 snatched rebounds, hit a pair of runners, and scored inside on a jump stop.  Finished with 8 points.  <strong>Derrick Williams</strong> is the leader of this group.  He only scored 2 points, but his defensive intensity and leadership set the tone!</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Athletic Duo Shine in First Half for Kankakee</strong></p> <p>In the first half we saw flashes out of Kankakee’s 2021 shooting guard <strong>AJ Storr</strong>.  The wing has good length and athleticism.  Can put it on the deck for straight line takes and is a capable three point shooter.  He had 11 points on the night.  Liked the energy and tenacity that <strong>Lavell McIntosh</strong> played with.  Super bouncy around the hoop finishing dump off passes and slashing for acrobatic finishes going for 13 points.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Huge Year for South Suburbs</strong></p> <p>With these two squads along with Bloom and many others this just might be the best year in the South Suburbs in a long time!  It was an intense game with a big time environment!  Look for these two squads to make noise in March.</p>