The Providence boys basketball team won a thriller in Ottawa on Saturday night, topping host Marquette 68-65 in overtime, sparked by Curtis Stubbs’ putback at the end of regulation – Stubbs’ only basket of the night.

“I just had to have confidence and put the ball in the basket,” Stubbs said. “We’ve had to keep our heads up and keep going [lately], and that’s what we’ve got to do.”

The Celtics improved to 6-12 with the victory at Bader Gym.

“I told him in the huddle earlier we were going to need him to make a basket here down the stretch,” Providence coach Tim Trendel said. “He’s a great example of someone being a star in his role. He came off the football field ... and said, ‘My role is to rebound and defend.’ He’s great at that, but he was great putting it back there just now. He’s just a great kid.”

• Read Hart Pisani’s full story from this game at www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news.

Bolingbrook keeps battling the best

A rough third quarter ultimately did in the Raiders on Saturday, a 71-67 loss to Curie in DePaul Prep’s Steve Pappas Shootout. It was another in a series of intentionally tough tests on the Bolingbrook schedule.

“Ultimately, this is going to help us,” Raiders coach Rob Brost said. “I’m proud of our guys and the effort. I just think that we have to execute a little bit better.”

Bolingbrook (10-5) led by double digits in the early second quarter. Brady Pettigrew led the Raiders with 23 points.

• Read Steve Soucie’s full story from this game at www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news.

Perimeter play is key for JCA

Guard play carried Joliet Catholic’s boys basketball team past Carmel on Friday night. Jayden Armstrong (18 points, 10 of 10 from the free-throw line), Donavyn Simmons (13 points) and Danny Cervants (13 points) were key down the stretch in the Hilltoppers’ 56-48 East Suburban Catholic Conference victory.

“We are very blessed to have the guards that we have,” Joliet Catholic coach Adam DeGroot said. “When the game is on the line, they can go get a basket or get fouled and make free throws. The maturity that Donavyn Simmons has shown this year, as far as figuring out the game and playing with discipline, has been amazing.”

The Hilltoppers’ defense also loomed large.

“We were very aggressive on defense tonight,” Simmons said. “We were able to use the turnovers to create offense.”

JCA suffered a 72-65 loss Saturday to Waubonsie Valley in the After the Game Shootout.

• Read Hart Pisani’s full story from this game at www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news.

Other notable weekend action

Bolingbrook boys basketball remained undefeated in the Southwest Prairie Conference with a 70-53 win over Minooka. Lincoln-Way Central boys bowling won the Southwest Suburban Conference Meet championship, led by individual high roller Dalen Yahnke’s 1,431 six-game series. Gardner-South Wilmington stayed undefeated in the River Valley Conference with a 56-47 win over Momence. Wilmington boys basketball picked up a pair of wins at Streator (56-43) on Friday and at home Saturday against Grant Park (55-21). Morris boys basketball suffered a 62-46 Interstate 8 loss at home to Rochelle. Joliet Catholic’s girls basketball team clashed with top-ranked Benet but lost 66-47. Lincoln-Way Central’s boys wrestling team won the Chris Chappell Invitational’s team championship with individual titles coming from Aiden Hennings (285 pounds), Brooks McKay (120), Jalen Byrd (175) and Justin Langford (190).