By Nick McClintock
The Ironmen of Normal Community finally hit a wall this season,in the form of Jalen Brunson. The Villanova-bound Senior from Lincolnshire Stevenson High School hit 30 points, as the Patriots defeated the Ironmen in the Class 4A State Title game 57-40.
The Ironmen found themselves down early by 5, before Tyler Seibring knocked in a three pointer to put the deficit at 5-3. Brunson would heat up again for Stevenson down the stretch, as the Patriots would out score the Ironmen for the final four minutes, 9-2, and the first quarter would belong to Stevenson 16-9.
The second quarter saw both offenses stagnate a bit, which worked in favor of the Ironmen of Normal Community. NCHS would basically go basket for basket in the quarter, then make a slight run dropping the Patriot lead to four at 23-19. However a steal and lay-in for Stevenson at the buzzer put the Patriots on top by six, 25-19 at the half.
The defenses came to play in the third quarter, as the third quarter went four minutes with only a Stevenson runner going in. The Patriots would continue to put up points down the stretch of the quarter, and would continued to frustrate the Ironmen offense. NCHS could only muster six points through the third, and Stevenson would lead 34-25 going into the final period.
Normal Community would only get as close as eight in the final quarter, as Stevenson would use the Ironmen’s urgency to create turnovers and up the lead. Brunson would set a Class 4A record with his 26th point at the midway point of the quarter.
NCHS was lead in scoring by senior Tyler Seibring with12. Senior Alex Peacock would finish with 8 in his final game in an Ironmen uniform. NCHS finishes the season at 33-2.
