From Staff Reports
The Brother Rice boys basketball team is off to a strong start, winning their first four games and taking the title at the Joliet West Thanksgiving Tournament.
Marquise Kennedy roared into his senior season by scoring a school-record 41 points in the Crusaders season-opening, 77-65, victory over Plainfield South.
Kennedy kept the good times going with 29 points in a 92-62 whipping of Crete-Monee.
Junior forward DeAndre Hagan pitched in with 18.
The Crusaders were finally challenged by Lincoln-Way East in the tourney semifinals, but led by Kennedy’s 22 points and four blocked shots pulled out a 61-58 win. Hagan added 14 points and two blocks.
Rice closed out the tournament with a 62-40 pasting of Harlan in the championship game.
PBO registration underway
Registration for the 2019 Palos Baseball Season is open online. Registrants can save money by registering early and getting the early bird discount.
PBO offers a quality youth baseball program designed to provide an environment where players can learn and develop fundamentals, skills, teamwork and good sportsmanship. Visit the PBO website at palosbaseball.org for more information.
SXU’s Welter scores 1,000th point
Junior guard Maddie Welter became the 18th player in Saint Xavier women's basketball history to reach 1,000 career points, as the 4th-ranked Cougars took a 77-67 victory over Wilberforce (Ohio) as part of the Siena Heights Thanksgiving Tournament on Nov. 24.
Four players scored double-figures as No. 4 Saint Xavier used a big first quarter to earn the win. Welter led the way for the Cougars (3-2), scoring 18 points on 7-of-17 shooting.
Chanel Fanter was a rebound away from a double-double, posting 15 points and nine boards in the win. Janie McCloughan set a new career high with 15 points, and Gabby Kreykes finished with 13.
Saint Xavier scored 29 points in the opening period, their highest output in a single quarter in any game this season. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Welter gave the Cougars a 24-11 lead at the 2:07 mark, and McCloughan's layup with 45 seconds left in the quarter stretched the SXU lead to 29-13.
Wilberforce (2-3) would briefly cut the lead down to single digits late in the second quarter, but two quick scores from Fanter would lead to a 41-29 halftime lead for the Cougars.
The Bulldogs were unable to get any closer throughout the second half, as McCloughan gave the Cougars a 21-point lead midway through the fourth quarter.
Fire bring back Collier
The Chicago Fire Soccer Club has exercised its 2019 contract option for forward Elliot Collier.
A native of Hamilton, New Zealand, Collier, 23, was selected by the Fire in the third round (49th overall) of the 2018 MLS SuperDraft from Loyola University Chicago. In his debut season in MLS, the striker provided one goal and one assist in 16 regular season appearances, including nine starts, while tallying one goal in the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Prior to joining the Fire, Collier posted 15 goals and 11 assists in 69 games played across four seasons at Loyola University-Chicago. The striker was also named to the All-Missouri Valley Conference First Team in his senior season.