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Plainfield East and Providence won regional championships while Lemont and Minooka won over the skeptics. Joliet West and Bolingbrook showed flashes of dominance while Lockport and Morris were steady, not flashy. Plainfield Central and Plainfield North had to struggle for victories yet still strove for improvement during a trying season. And Edvinas Presniakovas scored from everywhere on the floor in Ken Bublitz’s … ]]> Tue, 13 Mar 2012 19:20:01 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/11276231-393/boys-basketball-season-full-of-key-moments.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/11276231-393/boys-basketball-season-full-of-key-moments.html
When Lemont rallied from a 39-23 halftime deficit to tie the game at 50 with 4 minutes, 18 seconds left, it looked for all the world that the Indians’ Cinderella season would continue. But Providence, which had played a near-perfect first half, rediscovered the magic and rolled to a 63-53 victory Friday night in the championship game of the Class 3A Providence … ]]> Fri, 02 Mar 2012 23:40:17 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/11024815-393/boys-basketball-providence-has-lemonts-number.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/11024815-393/boys-basketball-providence-has-lemonts-number.html Juozas Balciunas is calm and cool under pressure. And he can flat-out score. Lemont coach Rick Runaas knew he had the right person on the line when it mattered most. Balciunas made 1-of-2 free throws with 13.8 seconds left in the game Tuesday night to secure Lemont’s hard-earned 59-55 victory over Corliss in the semifinals of the Class 3A Providence Regional. “I … ]]> Tue, 28 Feb 2012 21:30:23 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/10947601-393/boys-basketball-lemont-outlasts-corliss.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/10947601-393/boys-basketball-lemont-outlasts-corliss.html
Lemont’s historic regular season ended in storybook fashion Friday night. The Indians rallied from a 40-26 halftime deficit to stun No. 1 Hillcrest, Joe Hehir’s driving layup with 11 seconds left lifting them to a 58-57 South Suburban Blue win in front of a packed house in Lemont. The win, believed to be Lemont’s first over Hillcrest, left the teams to share … ]]> Fri, 24 Feb 2012 22:16:00 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/10865147-393/story.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/10865147-393/story.html Coming off the bench in the first quarter of Thursday’s game, Lemont’s Mike Wisz drilled a jumper from long range. The shot was ruled a two-point field goal with the sophomore’s toe on the three-point line. As for the rest of the game, Wisz made sure he was beyond the arc, drilling six three-pointers on his way to a game-high 20 points … ]]> Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:34:19 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/10546409-393/boys-basketball-mike-wisz-shoots-lemont-past-tf-north.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/10546409-393/boys-basketball-mike-wisz-shoots-lemont-past-tf-north.html Down 21-3 to Tinley Park early in Friday night’s game, Lemont never panicked, confident it would have a response. How’s a 27-0 run for an answer? Juozas Balciunas caught fire to lead the charge as the No. 10 Indians remarkably led 40-32 at halftime on their way to a 75-66 South Suburban Blue win in Lemont. “I told the guys I was … ]]> Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:04:00 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/10425332-393/boys-basketball-behind-juozas-balciunas-lemont-runs-past-tinley-park.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/10425332-393/boys-basketball-behind-juozas-balciunas-lemont-runs-past-tinley-park.html
With the Class 3A Rich East Sectional seedings scheduled to be determined in two weeks, Providence’s matchup at Lemont on Tuesday night was huge. While that might have contributed to the Celtics playing tentatively in digging an early hole they never could escape, Indians junior guards Juozas Balciunnas and Joe Hehir were blazing en route to a 70-65 victory. Balciunnas, the starting … ]]> Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:24:43 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/10216858-393/boys-basketball-lemont-holds-off-providence.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/10216858-393/boys-basketball-lemont-holds-off-providence.html Juozas Balciunas, who spent his first two years at longtime basketball power St. Joseph, continued to lead Lemont’s resurgence this season with a team-high 20 points in Tuesday night’s 55-42 victory at Joliet Catholic. “I just heard that I could help out the team,’’ Balciunas said of transferring. “I came here to try and play my game and help the team win.’’ … ]]> Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:52:53 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/10075139-393/boys-basketball-lemont-stings-joliet-catholic-behind-juozas-balciunas.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/10075139-393/boys-basketball-lemont-stings-joliet-catholic-behind-juozas-balciunas.html
Juozas Balciunas scored 14 points to help host Lemont Indians defeat Richards 52-44 Friday night in a South Suburban crossover game. Balciunas hit two key three-pointers during a third-quarter Indians push, and he scored his team’s first six points of the fourth quarter to keep the Indians (12-2, 4-1) comfortably in control. Lemont led 9-6 after one quarter in a game in … ]]> Sat, 07 Jan 2012 00:26:28 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/9864709-393/boys-basketball-juozas-balciunas-sparks-lemont-to-victory.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/9864709-393/boys-basketball-juozas-balciunas-sparks-lemont-to-victory.html
The basketball drought at Lemont that peaked last season with the end of the Christmas Classic and another losing record appears to be over. Lemont starts 2012 with an 11-2 mark that includes the championship of the Knights/Warriors Winter Classic and third place last week at the 16-team Romeoville Christmas Classic. For a program with mostly losing records in recent years, that … ]]> Wed, 09 May 2012 10:09:19 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/9798625-393/boys-basketball-lemont-making-big-rebound.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/9798625-393/boys-basketball-lemont-making-big-rebound.html
Lemont coach Rick Runaas offered a simple explanation for Crane’s 58-54 victory Wednesday night in the small school championship game of the Romeoville Christmas Classic. “We just got beat by a better team at the end,’’ Runaas said. Crane’s Courtney Thomas rebounded a missed three-point attempt by Lemont with eight seconds to play that would have tied the game at 57, then … ]]> Wed, 28 Dec 2011 23:16:23 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/9698171-393/boys-basketball-crane-tops-lemont-in-title-game.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/9698171-393/boys-basketball-crane-tops-lemont-in-title-game.html
Lemont held off a U-High rally in the second half Tuesday night and earned a berth in the small-school championship game of the Romeoville Christmas Classic with a 50-47 victory. Lemont (10-1) will try to make it two titles in a row after winning the Knights/Warriors Winter Classic at Lincoln-Way Central. “Another goal of ours was to be competitive in this tournament,’’ … ]]> Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:38:00 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/9689827-393/boys-basketball-lemont-earns-spot-in-championship-game.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/9689827-393/boys-basketball-lemont-earns-spot-in-championship-game.html Lemont’s Mike Wisz hustled to reach the ball before it went out of bounds and deflected it off a Joliet Catholic player, saving the possession for the Indians. The quick-thinking play epitomized Lemont’s effort in the second quarter Monday night when the Indians overcame a slow start and outscored Joliet Catholic 14-4 on their way to a 41-27 first-round victory in the … ]]> Mon, 26 Dec 2011 22:42:58 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/9663543-393/boys-basketball-team-play-helps-lemont-defeat-joliet-catholic.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/9663543-393/boys-basketball-team-play-helps-lemont-defeat-joliet-catholic.html
Not long after Lemont coach Rick Runaas chastised Paul Otruskevicius for one-handing a loose ball that went out of bounds, he redeemed himself by rebounding his missed free throw and turning it into a four-point play with a layup. That effort gave Lemont a 31-19 halftime lead and the Indians went on to earn a 63-50 victory Wednesday night over Addison Trail … ]]> Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:12:16 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/9449753-393/boys-basketball-hard-work-powers-lemont-past-addison-trail.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/9449753-393/boys-basketball-hard-work-powers-lemont-past-addison-trail.html
Lemont’s Paulius Otruskevicius sure came to play Wednesday night. The senior got the Indians off on the right foot by scoring all nine of their first-quarter points and Lemont stayed unbeaten, rolling to a 49-38 win over Evergreen Park in round-robin play at the Knights/Warriors Winter Classic at Lincoln-Way West. “I just wanted to get off to a good start,” Otruskevicius said. … ]]> Wed, 07 Dec 2011 22:24:37 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/9313908-393/boys-basketball-senior-leads-lemont-past-evergreen-park.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/lemont/boys_basketball/9313908-393/boys-basketball-senior-leads-lemont-past-evergreen-park.html