Morton junior power forward Chas Ontiveros is part of a deep but talented rotation.

The Mustangs, under veteran coach Tony Martinucci, have taken a unique approach toward this season.

Despite a lack of seniors, the Mustangs (10-5, 1-2 West Suburban Gold) have relied on a 12-player rotation to nearly top their win total from the last two seasons – 12 victories – barely two months into the season. Right now, the Mustangs are on track for their first winning record since finishing 11-8 in 2021-22.

“We have a lot of experience and we hustle,” Ontiveros said. “We play hard and as a team. We all worked hard in the summer and we stuck together. We’re successful this year because of our team depth. We have multiple guys who can play every position.

Martinucci said he admitted finding minutes is difficult for his deep rotation, but having three seniors – the most since the COVID winning season – is playing a factor in the winning season.

“I would say right where I thought we would be,” Martinucci said. “I think we’re little ahead of schedule as far as peaking at the right time, normally my teams peak at the end, but we’re starting to play pretty good basketball.

“This is the first time I’ve probably ever played more than eight guys. I’m still learning after 25 years, but getting 12 guys in the game is rough. It’s not cost us any games, and we’ve maybe won one or two because we’ve worn other teams down. We’ve only had two bad losses. We’re looking forward to playing conference games. We’ve had a couple of new guys catch on quicker than I thought they would.”

The 6-foot-2 Ontiveros, a two-year starter, is among the upperclassmen tasked with leading the Mustangs. After Morton won just seven games last season, partly due to having just one senior on its roster, Ontiveros has embraced his role.

Ontiveros displayed his ability to score and rebound with 19 points and 15 rebounds against Grayslake North at the Maine East Tournament on Dec. 29, raising his season averages to nearly 12 points and eight rebounds. Ontiveros was named to the all-tourney team.

“We had a team of sophomores and juniors last year, so we had to stick with it and keep grinding and pushing,” Ontiveros said. “Last year helped me. It showed me I can do it. I knew I could, but I needed proof. I went into the offseason focused on getting stronger and smarter and getting more to the rim. I gained eight pounds by lifting every day and eating. It made everything a lot easier.

“I feel a difference and am not getting bumped around as much as I would last year. I’m very excited because of all the hard work has proven I’m able to help lead the team to a winning record after the hardships of the past few years.”

IC Catholic’s crazy ending

IC Catholic Prep coach TJ Tyrrell called it one of the strangest games in his long coaching career. The host Knights defeated Taft 75-68 in the ICCP/Westmont Christmas Classic.

But the Knights needed five overtimes and an additional day to pull off the wild victory. The school holds Mass weekly at its chapel, which is directly below the gym. The overtime sessions pushed the game closer to the scheduled mass time, forcing the IC administration to suspend the game after four overtimes and push the game back to the next day for the fifth overtime.

“Once we reached the third overtime, the administration let us know we were getting close on time,” Tyrrell said. “When we got into the fourth overtime, they brought the coaches together to discuss the next steps. From our standpoint, we were completely locked into coaching the game and focused on the moment. Ultimately, the administration allowed us to play the fourth overtime, with the understanding that there was still a chance we might need to stop due to the Mass being held in the chapel below the gym.

“When the decision was made to suspend the game, it was something none of us had ever experienced before. The kids and coaches were extremely disappointed because everyone was so emotionally and mentally immersed in the game, but we understood the situation.”

The Knights, who placed second in the tourney, recovered to knock off Taft in the fifth overtime, putting an end to the long game.

“The game was both mentally and physically exhausting,” Tyrrell said. “What stood out was that we did not have a player foul out until the fourth overtime, which speaks to how composed our guys stayed. Taft had two players foul out at that point. You do not fully realize how draining those moments are until everything stops and the fatigue really sets in. The mental load of constant decision making was significant for everyone involved.”

In the victory, junior Noah Valadez logged 51 minutes and Will Schmidt played 50 minutes. The Knights recorded 19 steals but did not block a single shot, while making just two 3-pointers.

“We had several players log heavy minutes, and their toughness really stood out, from Toby Piotrowski, Will Schmidt and Donnell Salas,” Tyrrell said. “They all stepped up and knocked down huge free throws late to keep the game going. Those moments showed real composure and heart. Stopping the game and coming back the next day for a four-minute overtime was a unique situation. It allowed us to prepare for end-of-the-game scenarios in a way I had never experienced. Our players came back extremely focused, executed from the opening tip and held Taft scoreless in the fifth overtime, which said a lot about their growth.”

The Knights (9-6, 1-2) host Northridge on Wednesday and are slowly rounding into form after graduating eight key seniors from last year’s team.

“I really like their growth, how connected they are and how they keep things fun and light while still competing,” Tyrrell said. “There is still a lot of room for improvement, and I am excited about what this group can become.”

Benet rolling

Benet (17-1) is on a roll. The Redwings, the defending Class 4A state champion, have won 14 straight games, highlighted by three wins in a trip to Philadelphia and capturing the championship in the prestigious Pontiac Holiday Tournament with a victory over 3A state winner DePaul Prep. That came a week after Benet won the Hinkle Holiday Classic.