Drew King steps up to lead Joliet West over Rich

When Joliet West and Rich met on Friday, Drew King knew what to expect.

Rich controlled the first meeting in January, relying on a strong presence inside and winning by 17.

King helped flip the script this time. The 6-8 senior center scored 12 points and grabbed 17 rebounds to lead the Tigers to a 65-57 win over the Raptors in the Class 4A Lincoln-Way West Regional final.

Valparaiso recruit Justus McNair scored 24 points for Joliet West before fouling out with 3:35 left in the game. And Zion Gross added 16 points for the Tigers (22-9), who play Homewood-Flossmoor Tuesday in the Rich Sectional semifinals.

Jayden Williams scored 14 to lead Rich (23-8), and 6-6 junior Matthew Lesure had nine points and 13 rebounds off the bench. Sophomore Jamson Coulter and Avery Hearn Jr. also scored nine points each.

“We knew it was going to be a physical game,” King said. “I just knew I had to do my part ... because their bigs are really physical, big and strong.”

Mission accomplished for King, who blocked three shots, altered others and had two dunks after missing his first four shots.

The Tigers never trailed and led for all of the last three quarters. In fact, they were up 13 early in the fourth after junior guard Brilan Townsend came off the bench to hit two three-pointers and make some big defensive plays.

But Joliet West went scoreless for more than four minutes while Rich cut the deficit to 59-55.

With McNair on the bench, though, the Tigers recovered and King’s dunk with a minute left all but clinched their second straight regional title.

“Drew played amazing,” McNair said. “I fouled out and you always worry, being the best player on the team. [But] my guys stepped up. That’s why I didn’t want to hold the [regional] plaque at the end of the game because they won it for us.”

Last year’s title was expected for a senior-dominated team that featured Big Ten recruit Jeremy Fears Jr.

With those players gone along with Fears’ younger brother Jeremiah, who left for a prep school, expectations were different this season.

“It means a lot for me to see it from these guys because all they’ve heard all year is doubters,” Tigers coach Jeremy Kreiger said. “You graduate seven seniors, Jeremy leaves for Michigan State, Jeremiah leaves for AZ Compass -- but the belief they had in one another and the way we wanted to coach allows moments like this to happen.”

McNair heard the chirping, making this title that much more meaningful.

“It means everything,” he said. “You look at the scouts and the critics, they didn’t even believe in us.”

But the Tigers believed in each other, even with McNair on the bench late.

“We play all our guys in crunch time for moments like this,” Kreiger said. “You get a Brilan Townsend to sub in, cause two turnovers and hit two corner threes -- the crowd might be surprised. ‘Who’s No. 4? Brilan Townsend?’

“We know who he is, we see him every day in these moments.”

The Tigers had a comfort level with Nobles and Gross taking over ball-handling duties.

And, Kreiger said, “we had confidence that we could bring it home because at the end of the day, our defense was going to stand true.”