Boys Basketball: Braylen Meredith, Wheaton Warrenville South ride late surge to MLK Tournament title

WHEATON – Sometimes it just takes a small segment of time for a basketball team to win a game.

That was the case for Wheaton Warrenville South during a 50-41 win over Rockford East on Jan. 16 in the championship game of the WW South MLK Tournament.

It was the second straight MLK Tournament title for the hosts.

The Tigers (18-2) and E-Rabs (14-9) were tied at 32-32 after the third quarter. The final period opened with Braylen Meredith, who scored a game-high 20 points, sinking two free throws to start a 12-2 WW South run that put the Tigers up 45-34.

Meredith scored two baskets and hit two free throws during the run. Jake Vozza had a basket and Luca Carbonaro nailed a 3-pointer during the run.

“Coach [Mike Healy] at halftime said to play our game, play hard defense and eventually we will come out with the win,” Meredith said.

Healy said Rockford East was going to put up a challenge and that it might come down to a small part of the game that would push the Tigers past the finish line.

“I’m proud of our effort,” Healy said. “We went toe-to-toe with each other. We grinded it out and played hard.”

The tournament is four games in three days for the participating teams. Earlier in the day, WW South beat Normal Community 58-33 in the semifinals.

On Jan. 14, the Tigers beat Lake Forest Academy and Plainfield South.

“It’s a challenge,” Meredith said of the competition. “I was tired. The team was tired. But you have to put that aside.”

WW South and Rockford East were tied 11-11 after the first quarter. In the second quarter, the two teams mostly exchanged one-point advantages.

The Tigers earned their biggest lead in the game on Colin Moore’s basket that made it 23-18. Rockford East got the last basket of the half to make it 23-20 at the intermission.

The E-Rabs enjoyed their biggest lead at 32-29 before Meredith’s 3-pointer tied the contest at 32 going into the final eight minutes. WW South then went on the decisive 12-2 run.

“We come in and protect our home court,” said Carbonaro, who scored 13 points. “We played hard, we practice hard and we’re in better condition.”

https://basketball.dailyherald.com/sports/20230116/ww-south-nets-mlk-tournament-crown/