Chicago Public League Championship

Whitney Young started the season off making a national name and ended their regular season by affirming their local name becoming Chicago Public League champs by knocking off rival Morgan Park in overtime, 60-55. Despite falling to Simeon and Orr in the regular season, Whitney Young regained their swagger during the public league tournament and rode the top junior in the country, Jahlil Okafor to Tyrone Slaughter’s first title. 

L.J. Peak against Morgan Park

Morgan Park entered the championship fresh off an upset win over rival Simeon while snapping their 2 year win streak over Illinois teams in the process. Senior guard Billy Garrett, Jr. hit the game winning lay-up over Simeon and continued his solid play against Whitney Young. Morgan Park jumped out to an early 6-0 lead as Whitney Young uncharacteristically turned the ball over 4 times in its first 5 possessions. Okafor and junior Miles Reynolds began to pick up the slack and cut into Morgan Park’s lead and finished the first quarter trailing 15-9. 

Okafor and Young quickly tied the game up early in the 2^nd quarter and then battled Morgan Park shot for shot over the next two quarters as juniors L.J. Peak and Paul White joined in on the action. As the game heated up, no lead was safe. White hit a floater to increase Whitney Young’s lead to 44-37 to start the 4^th quarter, but Morgan Park quickly rallied back to tie and then take a 51-48 lead as the 4^th quarter clock ticked down. With Whitney Young needing three points to tie, it was their silent assassin, Miles Reynolds who knocked down the all important game tying three from the wing that touched nothing but net. Morgan Park held for the last shot and put the ball in Garrett’s hands. After having his jersey retired earlier in the week, Garrett was looking to add to his legacy however as he drove left for the game winning shot, he was quickly greeted  by Okafor’s out-stretched hand and both teams left regulation tied at 51 points apiece.

Unlike a few days earlier in overtime for Morgan Park, this overtime session was dominated from the opening tap by the opposition. On the first possession L.J. Peak swooped in for an offensive rebound and scored on a 5 foot put back. Okafor quickly scored on the next possession giving Whitney Young a lead they wouldn’t relinquish as they held on to their early lead for a 60-55 lead.

Okafor continued his dominant junior season with 19 points, 14 rebounds, and 7 blocks. Despite facing constant double teams, Okfor utilized quick post moves to get his baskets and his first city title. While a city title is nice, Okafor and Whitney Young know that a chance for a state title still is the end goal. Unfortunately for them, they will have to make it through the tough Illinois Argo sectional which also features junior big man Cliff Alexander of Curie and of course the three time defending state champs in Simeon. Not only is Simeon going for the fourth straight Illinois title, they have also held Okafor to single digits the past two times the teams have faced off. Okafor’s only single digit game all-season came against Simeon earlier in the year. Whitney Young will look to end their season by making its name in the state of Illinois.