Publications & Sites 
Montini holds off late Nazareth surge
Glen Ellyn, 02/2813--Nazareth Academy's Kevin Connelly is surrounded by Montini defenders as he drives to the basket. Nazareth Academy played Montini Catholic in a Class 3A boys regional basketball game Thursday evening. | Jon Langham~for Sun-Times Media
Article Extras
Updated: March 18, 2013 2:19AM
GLEN ELLYN — Montini guard Logan Goss scored 17 second-half points to help give the Broncos a 16-point lead with over four minutes and was instrumental in halting a late Nazareth rally in a 71-64 victory in the 3A Glenbard South regional semifinal.
Montini (19-8) had been idle for a week and it showed early as it fell into an early 11-2 hole. Broncos junior forward Simmie Cobbs brought the Broncos back with 10 first-quarter points, attacking the taller Roadrunners forwards and forcing them into foul trouble.
“He (Cobbs) kept going hard and kept going to the basket and he’s a real long, athletic kid,” Broncos coach Brian Opoka said.
The rest of the Broncos struggled from the field in the first half, but still led 26-24 at the half. Senior Logan Goss stepped up for the Broncos with 13 of his team-high 20 points in the third quarter.
“He (Goss) has been the heart and soul of our team all season long,” Opoka said. “He brings real senior leadership to the squad.”
The Broncos led 61-45 with 4:09 remaining when the Roadrunners (13-14) staged a comeback behind a full-court pressure defense that forced several turnovers. Senior guards Dan Kienzle and John Bonk combined for 15 points in the fourth and whittled the Broncos lead down to 67-64 with 26 seconds left.
Goss responded with a layup on the ensuing possession to put the game out of reach for good.
“Throughout the season we sometimes get a little too amped up and let everything get to us,” Goss said about the fourth quarter struggles.
Cobbs also had 20 points and eight rebounds for the Broncos.
Bonk led the Roadrunners with 25 points. Kienzle had 16 points and four steals and junior forward Kevin Connelly had 14 points.
“It was a tough matchup for us tonight,” Roadrunners coach John Bonk Sr. said. “We can’t expect to win with the bad first half we had and we didn’t knock down the shots we needed to.”
Montini (19-8)
Goss 8 1-1 20, Nash 3 0-0 7, Brady 1 2-4 4, Cobbs 8 4-8 20, Brachmann 4 1-2 9, Mooney 2 5-8 9, Roedel 0 2-4 2. Totals 26 15-27 71.
Nazareth (13-15)
Kienzle 4 8-13 16, Bonk 9 2-2 25, Connelly 4 6-9 14, McLaughlin 2 4-5 8, Curran 0 1-2 1, Swade 0 0-2 0. Totals 19 21-33 64.
Montini: 17-9-23-22 — 71
Nazareth: 17-7-12-26 — 64
3-point field goals: Montini 4 (Goss 3, Nash 1); Nazareth 5 (Bonk).
