Boys Basketball: Connor May’s 32 points power Palatine past Wheaton North in Jack Tosh first round

ELMHURST – Last year, Palatine’s Connor May only played in the first game of the York tournament due to COVID.

The 6-foot-7 junior made up for the missed games in a hurry.

May scored a season-high 32 points in the Pirates’ 55-43 win over Wheaton North Monday at the 48th annual Jack Tosh Holiday Classic in Elmhurst.

“I could not have done what I did without my teammates,” May said. “They fed me the ball in the post and I was able to convert. All of the players on this team can score. We all have our good days and our good nights. That’s what makes us so good.”

The Pirates (9-2) had 12 assists of which Tyler Swierczek garnered seven. May converted 14-of-23 shots and pulled down 10 rebounds. Swierczek had six rebounds.

“Connor keeps getting better and better,” Palatine coach Eric Millstone said. “He’s a more consistent player this year at both ends of the court. He’s got a good motor and makes the hustle plays. When you have a skilled player like that, you are going to have a really good team.”

The Pirate defense was not to be denied. They stole the ball 17 times with Tommy Elter snaring seven of them. May had four steals.

Some of those steals came in the early stages of the second quarter with the game tied at 13.

Palatine ran off a 12-0 run turning three steals into points to lead 25-13. May scored six of those points.

After William Bonga scored for the Falcons (5-6), May scored two baskets on assists from Quinn Golletz and Swierczek.

“That 12-0 run they had to start the second quarter really hurt us,” Wheaton North coach Dave Brackmann said. “We just had too many turnovers in the first half. We started out pretty well to start the third quarter but they came back with a run of their own.”

Hudson Parker, who led the Falcons with 11 points, got Wheaton North going by scoring six points in a 12-5 run to cut Palatine’s lead to 34-27. But that would be as close as it would get.

Another 12-0 run by Palatine would find them build the lead back to 46-27 with 1:51 left in the quarter. May scored six points in that run.

“We just didn’t have anyone that could match up with May,” Brackmann said. “We just have to come out and play hard for 32 minutes against Nazareth.”

Palatine plays Tuesday against a talented Yorkville Foxes group. Yorkville defeated Nazareth 54-28.

https://basketball.dailyherald.com/sports/20221226/mays-32-points-power-palatine-past-wheaton-north/