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Orr’s experience shows down the stretch against Fenwick
3/6/13 Fenwick's Charlie Wert drives on Orr's Brandon Clemons in the IHSA 3A Sectional semifinal at Riverside-Brookfield H.S. on Wednesday. | Joel Lerner~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: March 19, 2013 1:02PM
RIVERSIDE — Orr made clutch free throws to pull out a Class 3A regional final win over Montini last week.
The Spartans did it again Wednesday night in their sectional semifinal win over Fenwick.
Top-seeded Orr converted 6-of-8 free throws in the final minute to hold off the Friars 55-46 in the Nazareth Sectional semifinal at Riverside-Brookfield. Orr (26-3) dominated the game at the line, sinking 24-of-34 free throws while Fenwick (18-9) shot 8-of-12.
“That’s not bad,” Orr coach Louis Adams said. “We’re a pretty good free-throw shooting team.”
The Friars, a No. 5 seed, rallied in both the third and fourth quarters, but could never overtake the Spartans, who led 23-13 at the half. Fenwick scored the first eight points in the third quarter to come within two. The Friars’ last rally came late in the fourth when they pulled to within four points three separate times in the final minute, but couldn’t get any closer.
Orr scored the game’s final five points as Demetrius Dortch (eight points) ended the game with a buzzer-beating dunk.
“There were a couple of plays we’ve got to make (at the end), but there was a whistle or a rebound,” Fenwick coach John Quinn said. “The problem was that their two senior guards (Jamal McDowell and Brandon Clemons) are experienced. Clemons is a Simeon transfer. He was a state champ (in 2011). Those kids know what to do. They didn’t panic.”
McDowell scored 12 points while Louis Adams Jr. registered 11 of his team-high 13 points in the first half.
Fenwick senior Luke Lattner (10 points) made a 17-foot jumper to cut Orr’s lead to 47-43 with 56 seconds remaining in the game, but the three-year starter had only two points in the first half. Dan Dwyer led the Friars with 14 points and nine rebounds.
“They are a talented team,” Lattner said of Orr. “They have tough players. They are a more athletic team than we are.”
Orr advanced to the sectional final at 7:30 p.m. Friday against second-seeded St. Joseph (17-12) or third-seeded St. Ignatius (18-11). Orr, the Red West champions, were upset in last year’s regional final by St. Francis.
The Spartans played their third consecutive playoff game without senior Marquise Pryor, who was ruled academically ineligible earlier this week for the rest of the playoffs.
“We were confident, but we came out lackadaisical (after the half),” McDowell said. “We thought the game would be over. We came out and shot all threes. That’s why they got back into it.”
Fenwick (18-9)
Luke Lattner 4-10 2-2 10, Thomas Planek 1-3 1-3 3, Dan Dwyer 6-11 2-2 14, Scott Lindsey 3-9 2-2 9, Michael Smith 3-11 1-2 8, Joshua Carlisle 0-4 0-0 0, Keshaun Smith 1-4 0-1 2, Charlie Wert 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-52 8-12 46
Orr (26-3)
Tyquone Greer 0-7 8-9 8, Brandon Clemons 3-8 3-4 9, Marlon Jones 1-3 2-2 4, Louis Adams Jr. 4-6 4-7 13, Jamal McDowell 3-10 6-10 12, Armani Ousley 0-0 1-2 1, Keith Bynum 0-1 0-0 0, Demetrius Dortch 4-5 0-0 8. Totals 15-40 24-34 55.
Fenwick 10- 3- 11- 22 — 46
Orr 11-12-8-24 — 55
3-point goals: Orr (1): Adams Jr.; Fenwick (2): Lindsey, M. Smith.
