Boys Basketball: Proviso East’s Paris Burns scorches Hinsdale South

Updated: December 16, 2011 10:01PM

Plenty has been written about Proviso East’s four starters entering this season, but senior guard Paris Burns, the Pirates’ fifth starter, proved Friday he can be a factor as well this season.

Burns scored a season-high 30 points as No. 3 Proviso East beat host Hinsdale South 74-58 Friday night in the West Suburban Gold.

Burns, a transfer from Curie, had 19 points at halftime and 13 points in the first quarter. He scored the game’s first seven points as the Pirates (7-0, 2-0) jumped out to a 11-2 lead. In the second quarter, Proviso East scored 12 consecutive points to take a 37-16 lead.

“Playing with Keith Carter and Sterling Brown, we are right on the money,” Burns said. “Everything is clicking. That’s one thing about the Pirates. We play as a team. We’re family.”

Several of Burns’ points were scored on steals turned into length-of-the-court drives.

“It was the quietest 30 I’ve ever seen,” first-year Proviso East coach Donnie Boyce said.

Brown added 13 points for Proviso East while Michael Nicholas added 10 points off the bench.

The Pirates had little trouble after opening a 23-9 lead to end the first quarter.

For Hinsdale South (3-5, 1-2), center Brock Benson, scored 25 points and had six rebounds before fouling out with 5:21 remaining in the game. Jerry Stoltz scored 12 points, including three three-pointers.

“This game was a learning experience,” Benson said. “We’ve got to play defense and play it all the time.”

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