PREP BOYS BASKETBALL

Stevenson stuns Zion-Benton in overtime

ZION – The best thing about this morning for Zion-Benton High’s boys basketball team is that it is the start of a new week.

And no matter what happens in the next seven days, it has to be better than what happened in the last seven.

Unbeaten and riding a 16-game winning streak heading into the January portion of the schedule, not only have the Zee-Bees hit the proverbial bump in the road, but the wheels have suddenly come completely off.

Saturday’s stunning 68-62 overtime loss here to Stevenson came on the heels of a 64-62 loss on Tuesday night at Lake Forest. With those two losses, the Zee-Bees have played themselves into the sad position of perhaps not winning the North Suburban Conference Lake Division title and NOT earning a shot at powerful (14-2) North Chicago in the NSC Championship Game.

This game was close throughout, with Zion tying the game at 55-55 with about 40 seconds left in the fourth quarter on a runner in the lane by Rodney Clinkscales. After Stevenson missed a shot and then turned the ball over, Zion shot for the win, but Clinkscales’ 3-pointer was off target.

In overtime, Stevenson hit eight free throws to bring the Zee-Bees back to the NSC Lake pack and pop the March Madness IHSA Class 4A Barrington Sectional wide, wide, wide open.

Stevenson’s offense was basically a two-man show, with Kevin Stineman getting 26 points and Dylan Richter 25.

Zion got 19 points from Quintrell Love, 12 from Ronald Steward and 10 from Markus Yarbrough.

Zion does not play again until the Hononegah tournament on Saturday, when it will play two games against teams (Rockford Guilford and Normal West) with sub-.500 records.

Stevenson will play a non-league game on Friday against Vernon Hills.