Stevenson loses to Simeon in championship game
By Mike O’Brien mobrien@suntimesmedia.com March 16, 2013 11:10PM
PEORIA Saturday Mar 16 2013 Simeon's Kendall Pollard (24) responds to a call during the state basketball finals game. | Michelle LaVigne~Sun-Times Media
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PEORIA — The awards, accolades and high-profile media appearances are far too numerous to mention. Simeon senior Jabari Parker is simply the biggest star in the history of Illinois high school sports. Bigger than Candace Parker, Derrick Rose, Kevin Garnett, Jeff Jordan, Jon Scheyer, Isiah Thomas. Pick any name in state history and the resume will come up short.
Parker has been featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated, has appeared on “Good Morning America,” played on ESPN. He’s been named Gatorade Player of the Year and USA Basketball’s player of the year. He regularly makes media appearances with Mayor Rahm Emanuel and first lady Michelle Obama.
Through it all though, Parker has maintained that the only thing he cares about is winning basketball games, that all the attention is meaningless to him. Saturday at Carver Arena Parker proved it again, leading Simeon to a 58-40 win over Stevenson in the Class 4A state championship game.
That’s the way Parker has ended each of his four seasons of high school basketball — as a state champion.
“I just thank God,” Parker said. “My No. 1 focus was getting back on the court after my injury. I’ve had the best coach in high school basketball.
“It was a great season, a great run. I wouldn’t have made it here without the team I had. That was impossible what I pulled off, getting back healthy. I lost 35 pounds. It wasn’t all on me. My teammates pushed me in every single practice. That’s the best exercise, basketball. I couldn’t have done it by myself.”
Stevenson sophomore Jalen Brunson was brilliant in the first half, scoring 13 points to help keep the Patriots in the game. Simeon led 31-24 at the break.
Brunson didn’t score a basket in the second half. Simeon guard Jaylon Tate did a fabulous job, limiting him to just a free throw. Brunson finished with 14 points, shooting 3-for-11 from the field.
“I just wanted to give him a lot of pressure,” Tate said. “He’s a great player. Wanted to pressure him and not make it easy for him.”
Parker finished with 20 points and eight rebounds. Russell Woods added 14 points and 10 rebounds, Kendall Pollard scored 10 and grabbed nine boards. Simeon outrebounded Stevenson 34-19.
This is Simeon’s seventh state title. “We wrote history,” Parker said. “That’s how they are going to remember us from now on.”
Smith is the first coach in state history to win four consecutive state championships. He has six overall with a record of 260-40 in his nine-year career.
Simeon is the second team to win four straight state titles. Peoria Manual pulled off the feat from 1994 to 1997.
