Boys Basketball: Morton can’t answer Proviso East’s second run

Updated: January 6, 2012 11:28PM

Morton amazingly answered Proviso East’s 18-2 run to open Friday’s game in Cicero.

But there was no stopping the Pirates’ tidal wave to follow.

After the Mustangs rallied to tie the game at 24, No. 2 Proviso East responded with a 42-9 run over the next eight minutes en route to an 87-51 West Suburban Gold victory.

“Our coach Donnie Boyce is a good coach, and he’s taught us how to respond to when other teams make runs,” Proviso East senior guard Paris Burns said. “We made our run first, then they made their run next so we had to step up and finish them off.”

The backcourt trio of Burns (22 points, six rebounds, four steals), Keith Carter (17 points, four steals) and Paris Lee (15 points, six steals) helped Proviso East (12-0, 3-0) force 33 turnovers.

“As a team we stepped our intensity up, played well and we played together,” Burns said. “We got the job done on the defensive end.”

Forward Sterling Brown added 16 points, five rebounds and two steals.

Greg Carter led all scorers with 25 points for Morton (7-4, 2-2).

An 18-3 run over the last 3:15 of the first half put Proviso East up 42-27 at halftime. Burns had 12 points and three steals in the third quarter to help break the game open.

“My game starts around my team,” Burns said. “They get me going and I try to get them going, and we finish well.”

The Pirates’ win followed their Proviso West Holiday Tournament title that closed 2011, continuing their dominant play under first-year coach and former star player Boyce.

“Coach has had a great impact on the team,” Burns said. “He’s changed a lot of things around and we really like his style of play.

‘‘I feel good, but we can’t relax because we still have goals to accomplish, including state.”

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