HINSDALE CENTRAL HOLIDAY CLASSIC

HC SQUARED:  Building a New Tradition of Basketball at Its Best
 

2018 GAME 23 RECAP: Marian Catholic 44, DePaul Prep 42

Box Score

HINSDALE, Ill. - Yemi Eitulo tipped home the game-winning bucket just before the horn to lead Marian Catholic past DePaul Prep 44-42 and into the championship game of the 2018 Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic.

DePaul (11-2) led 13-12 after one quarter and 23-21 at halftime, but Marian Catholic (12-1) surged back in the second half. DePaul opened up a 31-23 lead in the third quarter thanks to an 8-0 run, but Marian managed to pull to within three points (35-32) after three quarters. DePaul pushed its lead back to five to start the fourth quarter, but Marian Catholic ripped off a 10-0 run fueled by five points from Elijah Jones. The 10-0 run gave Marian Catholic a 42-37 lead with just over two minutes to play.

A three-pointer from Lance Mosley brought DePaul to within two points with just over a minute left. After a turnover from the Spartans, DePaul tied the game on a jumper from Perry Cowan with 40 seconds left. Marian Catholic elected to hold for one shot. Ahron Ulis jumper rattled off the iron, but Eitulo tipped the ball back through the hoop just before the horn sounded to lift the Spartans to the win.

Marian Catholic shot 43.6 percent (17-of-39) from the floor in the win. The Spartans outscored DePaul 28-18 in the paint and won the rebounding battle 30-20. Christopher White led the way for the Spartans with a game-high 20 points. White shot 6-of-12 from the floor and 7-of-8 from the free throw line while adding four more blocks in the victory. Ulis added nine points and six assists while Jones totaled nine points and six boards for the Spartans.

DePaul shot 40.0 percent (16-of-40) from the field, including 46.2 percent (6-of-13) from three-point distance. Mosley led the Rams with 17 points while Cowan added 13.

Marian Catholic will face the winner of the Homewood-Flossmoor/Oswego East game in tomorrow’s championship game at 8:30 p.m. DePaul will face the loser of the Homewood-Flossmoor/Oswego East game in tomorrow’s third-place game at 7:00 p.m.