Stadells edge Lillards in all- bro battle
Two brothers with alliterative names are revolutionizing basketball in Momence. Lamar and Lamarius Lillard have the Redskins playing a fast- paced and aggressive full- court style that has led to a 21- win season and legitimate hopes to advance to the state finals in Peoria next month.
Lamar Lillard, a 6- 4 senior, recently became the leading scorer in school history. He’s averaging 22.1 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 3.6 steals.
Lillard keyed the Redskins’ second- half rally Saturday, but he fouled out with 34 seconds to play. Younger brother Lamarius attempted the game- winning three- pointer at the buzzer. It didn’t fall, and Momence lost to visiting Cissna Park 56- 54.
Lamar Lillard picked up his fourth foul late in the third quarter but was still a force on defense, stealing the ball from the Timberwolves three times in the fourth quarter. He had 25 points, eight boards and six steals.
“I feel like my intensity brings a lot to the team, so I have to stay aggressive and try to play smart,” Lillard said. “That’s just something I’m capable of. I have a lot of confidence in myself, so I just try to play my hardest and do everything I can.”
Momence coach Kevin Ecker made the difficult but wise decision to keep Lillard in the game despite the foul trouble.
“He’s a four- year starter,” Ecker said. “If we go down, it’ll be with him making the decisions. His defensive pressure, along with everyone else’s, allowed us to get back in the game.”
Cissna Park has two solid junior post players, 6- 7 twins Julian and Christian Stadell. Julian scored six points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and Christian finished with 23 points.
“Those twins are tough for any- body to match up against,” Ecker said. “Fortunately, we have a couple of guys inside that can bang. We just dug ourselves too big of a hole.”
Momence ( 21- 4, 5- 2 Sangamon Valley) trailed by 13 late in the third quarter.
Lamarius Lillard, a 6- 8 sophomore, is averaging 16.5 points and 5.4 rebounds. He’s one of the top 40 prospects in the state’s class of 2019 and is on pace to overtake his brother as the school’s all- time leading scorer next season.
“They are a great pair of kids,” Ecker said. “They are very competitive, always trying to make themselves and the team as good as possible. What they bring to the table is something very difficult to duplicate. They have been a great part of this program.”
Lamar Lillard has committed to Lincoln Trail, a junior college in Robinson.
“He’s excited, and we’re excited for him,” Ecker said. “Hopefully, it will be a good fit. He’s one of the top players to come through this school.”
The win gave Cissna Park ( 20- 8, 7- 0) the conference title. The Timberwolves have a chance to do well in the Class 1A state tournament.
Momence is a Class 2A school. The dynamic Lillard brothers give the Redskins an excellent shot in the playoffs. They could play Corliss and Iowa State- bound big man George Conditt in the sectional finals.
“Our goal is to win regionals first,” Lamar Lillard said. “After that, we just need to play hard and play smart and go as far as we can.”
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