Route 17 Classic: Middle-quarter run carries Momence past Flanagan-Cornell for title

RURAL STREATOR — It was an inspired start and a pretty good finish Saturday evening for the Flanagan-Cornell Falcons in the championship game of the Route 17 Thanksgiving Classic.

Everything in between, however, belonged to Momence.

After trailing both on the court and on the scoreboard in the early-going, Momence put together a run to close the first half tied with the Falcons, then outscored coach Brian Yoder’s team by 14 points in the third quarter to take control of what eventually — after an inevitable, inspired Falcons late-game run — ended a 53-46, championship-game victory.

All-tournament selections Tyler Pfaff (16 points, seven rebounds), Sam Jones (six points, seven assists, six steals) and JD Ruddy (six points, four steals before fouling out with :40.9 to play) were among the leaders for the Falcons, as was Kesler Collins (11 points) and William Weber (six points, nine rebounds).

As the game wore on, though, Momence’s athleticism as well as its adjustments to the Falcons’ high-energy, man-to-man defense and high-post offense took effect.

“It was a different style of play from what we had seen so far this year as far as physicalness and the fact they went man-to-man against us,” Momence coach Kevin Ecker said. “We had seen zone the first three games. And you have to give Flanagan a lot of credit, because, man, they hit some big shots at the beginning to give them that lead. ...

“We kept the ball in our two playmakers’ hands as much as possible — Jaden Walls and James Stevenson. They’re able to create a lot for us, and when we’re able to space out and take our time offensively, we get good shots. We didn’t get that in the first four, five minutes of the game, but once we started getting those looks, we started getting going.”

Led by those aforementioned all-tournament picks, Stevenson Jr. (16 points, seven rebounds, six assists, four blocked shots) and Walls (12 points, four assists, four steals), with Haven Roberts adding a near double-double with eight points and 12 rebounds, Momence (4-0) closed the first half on a 12-4 run and opened the third with a 10-2 flurry.

The Falcons (3-1) drew back as close as five points in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter when a Jones reverse layup cut the deficit to 51-46 with 1:07 remaining, but were held scoreless from there.

“We struggled in that second and third quarter,” FCHS coach Brian Yoder said, “and couldn’t keep No. 23 (Stevenson) out of the lane. He’s tall and lanky. We won’t see [many players] like that.

“Hats off to them, but I’m proud of our guys. We were down by 16 in the fourth quarter and cut it five and had a shot to come back and cut it to one possession.”

For the night, Flanagan-Cornell was outshot 46.2% (24 of 52) to 34.5% (19 of 55) from the floor and outrebounded 31 to 29. The turnover battle finished knotted at 19-19, though Momence — which did not make a 3-pointer in the contest, attempting only four — committed just four giveaways combined in the pivotal second and third quarters.

The Falcons will return to action next Friday, hosting Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley on a night the 2007-08 Class 1A state championship Flanagan/Woodland/Cornell girls basketball team will be inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

“I think we need a rest,” Yoder said after his Falcons’ four-game opening week. “We’ll take a little break and then look forward to next Friday.”