Boys Basketball: Tim Loeding leads Oak Forest past Shepard

Updated: December 6, 2011 8:57PM

Taking an inbound pass in the corner of a tie game, a wide open three-pointer stared Oak Forest’s Tom Zale dead in the face.

But as the junior guard was thinking, why settle for one open shot when there will be a better one inside?

Zale drove the baseline and delivered a perfect pass to Tim Loeding under the basket for an easy layup with three-plus minutes to go in the fourth, giving the Bengals a 42-40 lead, one they would not relinquish in a 49-42 winner over visiting Shepard.

“We’ve got (Tim) who’s played great in the post the last couple games so if his shot is more open than mine, I’m going to give it to him every time,” Zale said. “Even if I’m a little open.”

Loeding led Oak Forest (4-2, 2-0 South Suburban Blue) before fouling out later in the fourth with 27 points. Mario Schaeffer (nine points) and Kyle Funkhouser (eight) contributed for the Bengals.

“Tim’s really quiet, but he’s efficient,” Oak Forest coach Matt Manzke said. “He doesn’t miss much around the basket so he can wrack up those points really quick.”

Londell Lee had nine for Shepard (2-5, 0-2 SSC Red) with Matt Weatherspoon and Davontae Armwood adding eight apiece.

Zale followed up his assist to Loeding with another nice dish, driving baseline again and finding an open Funkhouser under the basket. Loeding added his last score on a length of the court pass from Funkhouser, Oak Forest’s baseball star, on an inbounds play. Zale (1-for-2) and Blake Waller (2-for-2) hit free throws down the stretch for the Bengals.

“Our confidence keeps growing as we progress,” Zale said.

For Shepard coach Tony Chiuccariello, the game came down to defensive lapses late.

“We got beat twice without giving our press a chance to set up,” Chiuccariello said. “That’s the difference, and down the stretch we didn’t execute.”

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