Stevenson’s Jalen Brunson scores 41 in win over Notre Dame

With his team ahead by three points and 4.8 seconds remaining in Tuesday’s 4A sectional semifinal at Waukegan, Stevenson head coach Pat Ambrose had a simple message for his top-seeded Patriots, guard the arc.

Anything in two-point range was fine, but do not allow Notre Dame – which was inbounding the ball underneath its own basket – to attempt a game-tying three-pointer.

The strategy worked, as the Patriots emerged with a 78-77 win in a thriller of a playoff game. Notre Dame’s Anthony D’Avanzo made a layup with three seconds remaining, but with the Dons out of timeouts, Stevenson didn’t even have to inbound the ball again. The clock hit zeros, allowing the Patriots to adhere to the old March mantra of survive and advance.

“That was exactly what we wanted,” Ambrose said after the game about the final play. “If they had caught the ball on the outside, we were going to foul them and not give them a chance to get a three off.”

The exciting finish culminated a fantastic game where both teams made big runs and star players shined bright. Stevenson (27-4) trailed by five midway through the third quarter, before All-American guard Jalen Brunson took over. The Patriots star led a 17-2 run, showcasing his full array of skills on both ends of the floor.

Brunson finished with 41 points, matching his season-high. He scored 15 of those in the first quarter and 17 more in the third, when the Patriots regained control of the game. Brunson also had six rebounds, three steals and three assists.

Justin Smith added nine points and Connor Cashaw scored eight, all in the second half.

Notre Dame (25-4) would not go easily, and fought its way back after falling behind by as many as 14 points early in the fourth quarter. D’Avanzo (24 points) and forward Ammar Becar (20 points) each contributed to a 12-4 run that allowed the Dons to narrow the score.

“We were real prepared for them and they are just a fantastic team,” Brunson said. “We barely snuck by, but we get to move on.”

The star guard wouldn’t allow his team to falter. He went 9-for-10 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter, keeping the Patriots ahead the entire way.

“That’s something you strive for, something you dream about as a kid, hitting those tough shots,” Brunson said. “Even though I missed one, I stayed focused.”

Cashaw also sank some clutch free throws, as Stevenson’s senior guards stepped up when the Patriots needed them most.

“We want them there,” Ambrose said of Brunson and Cashaw’s ability to get to the line at the end of games. “We keep it in their hands and they make free throws. It was good. They were clutch.”