Defense carries rams into final
CHAMPAIGN — Peoria Richwoods senior Lathan Sommerville dominated opponents this season, averaging 24.6 points and 12.3 rebounds.
Even Sun-Times Player of the Year Morez Johnson failed to stop Sommerville, a 6-10 Rutgers recruit, in the supersectionals. Sommerville had 32 points and 13 rebounds against Thornton.
But Sommerville’s dominance and the Knights’ playoff run ended Friday against DePaul Prep in the IHSA Class 3A state semifinals at State Farm Center.
The Rams, renowned for their defense, limited Sommerville to 18 points and three rebounds and beat Peoria Richwoods 52-41 to clinch a spot in the championship game Saturday against Catholic League rival Mount Carmel. They beat the Caravan 41-38 in a conference matchup Feb. 12.
‘‘They shadowed me the whole time, like a double-team or triple-team,’’ Sommerville said. ‘‘I wouldn’t say it stopped me, but it slowed me down a little bit. That’s the first time I’ve been guarded like that. They didn’t really leave at all. They just stayed the whole entire time.’’
Sommerville primarily was guarded by DePaul Prep senior Jaylan McElroy, who plays much bigger than his 6-7 height, and 6-6 sophomore Rashaun Porter.
‘‘[Sommerville] is a very good player overall,’’
McElroy said. ‘‘He’s really big. Our game plan was to swarm him when he put the ball on the floor, and we executed it pretty well.’’
DePaul Prep (34-2) opened a 15-5 lead and never trailed after the first couple of minutes. Sun-Times All-Area selection PJ Chambers scored 15 points, and junior point guard Makai Kvamme added 15 points and six assists.
Kvamme was able to score over Sommerville multiple times.
‘‘I work on those shots a lot [while] training with my dad,’’ Kvamme said. ‘‘I knew he was going to be big and that I had to get it on the glass or he was going to block it.’’
Richwoods cut the Rams’ lead to 28-26 on a jumper by Marlon Herron with 1:51 left in the third quarter, but McElroy responded with a tip basket and a rebound and score to close out the quarter.
‘‘They had a really good defensive strategy, packed three in the lane,’’ Richwoods coach William Smith said. ‘‘And every time we hit a shot, they came back and hit another big one. That was really the difference.’’
Senior DaQuan Little added 10 points for the Knights (29-5), which shot 2-for-13 from three-point range.
DePaul Prep, which won the Class 2A title last season, hasn’t been challenged in the playoffs yet this season. The Rams have won every game by double digits.