Lowell boys defeat Andrean 70-66, Wheeler 81-60 in late season surge

A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith
02-26-2011

ANDREAN (66) Nick Davidson 5-12-23, Josh James 7-7-21, Adam Bosak 4-5-13, Collin Wojcik 2-2-8, Matt Harangody 0-1-1, Mario Gianinni 0-0-0. TOTALS: 18 (27-34) 66.

LOWELL (70) Danny DeBoer 4-0-9, Kyle Richwalski 3-3-9, Austin Richie 12-4-33, Nick Kijurna 3-1-7, Austin Magley 0-3-3, Jason Parker 3-3-9, David Stang 0-0-0, Zack Van Hook 0-0-0. TOTALS: 25 (14-21) 70.

FREE THROWS: ANDREAN (27-33, 81.8%%) Davidson 12-13, Harangody 1-4, James 7-8, Bosak 5-6, Wojcik 2-2. LOWELL (14-21, 66.6%) Richwalski 3-4, Richie 4-6, Kijurna 1-1, Magley 3-5, DeBoer 0-1, Parker 3-4.

REBOUNDS: ANDREAN (23) James 9, Davidson 5, Ruberry 3, Harangody 2, Bosak 2, Wojcick 2. LOWELL (21) Richwalski 11, Richie 3, Magley 2, Parkler 2, Stang 2, Van Hook.

ASSISTS: ANDREAN (11) Harangody 3, Ruberry 2, Wojcick 2, Davidson 2, James, Bosak; LOWELL (11) DeBoer 3, Kijurna 2, Richie 2, Parker 2, Stang, Richwalski.

FOULED OUT: ANDREAN (2) Matt Ruberry (4th Q) :22 left, Colin Wojcick (4th Q) :11; LOWELL (1) Danny DeBoer (4th Q) :18 left.

3-GOALS: ANDREAN (3) Collin Wojcik 2, Nick Davidson; LOWELL (6) Austin Richie 5, Danny DeBoer.

Lowell Junior Austin Magley (44) got his first start of the season. Magley, a defensive specialist, added four assists as Lowell won 81-60.

Forward Nick Kijurna (20) posts up against Wheeler's Mitch Stevenson (35) in the Lowell-Wheeler matchup, won by the Devils 81-60.

Lowell's Austin Richie (22) get ready to pass the ball inbounds against Wheeler in the annual matchup (2-22-2011) of the two teams.

Senior Jason Parker (10) drives the ball against Wheeler's Najee Bailey (23) in Tuesday's nonconference game at Wheeler. (All photos by Mark Smith)

The Feb. 22 game was played at Wheeler High School, where the Class (2A) Bearcats finished the regular boys basketball season with a 14-7 record.

Team /Record	1	2	3	4	Final
LOWELL (10-8)	17	22	25	17	81
Wheeler (11-8)	12	18	13	17	60

Tuesday, February 22, 2011 - Non-conference game at UNION TOWNSHIP, IN

LOWELL (81) Austin Magley 1-2-4, Danny DeBoer 5-2-1, Austin Richie 7-13-29, Nick Kijurna 2-4-8, Kyle Richwalski 5-2-12, David Stang 1-0-2, Jason Parker 3-3-9, Clark Mikesell 0-1-1, Brandon Bullitt 0-2-2, Zack Van Hook 0-0-0, Bruno Andre 0-0-0. TOTALS: 24 (29-40) 81.

WHEELER (60) Matt Hurst 0-0-0, Najee Bailey 9-6-25, Nigel Mims 5-5-15, Mitch Stevenson 2-4-8, Chris Sikarski 2-1-6, Ryan Henson 0-1-1, Kevin Barnes 2-0-5, Drew Heinold 0-0-0, Kenny Collins 0-0-0. TOTALS: 20 (17-30) 60.

FREE THROWS: LOWELL (29-40, 72.5%) Magley 2-2, Kijurna 4-5, Bullitt 2-2, Parker 2-6, Richie 13-16, Richwalski 2-3, DeBoer 3-4. Mikesell 1-2.
WHEELER (17-30, 56.6%) Bailey 6-11, Mims 5-9, Stevenson 4-6, Sikoski 1-1, Henson 1-4.

REBOUNDS: LOWELL (30) Richwalski 9, Kijurna 7, Richie 5, DeBoer 3, Stang 2, Parker 2, Magley 2; WHEELER (35) Bailey 12, Mims 10, Stevenson 5, Barnes 3, Hensen 3, Sikoski, Collins.

ASSISTS: LOWELL (15) Richie 5, Parker 3, Magley 3, Kijurna 2, DeBoer 2; WHEELER (5) Mims 2, Bailey, Sikoski, Hensen.

STEALS: LOWELL (8) Parker 2, Richie 2, Magley 2, DeBoer, Kijurna; WHEELER (5) Mims, Stevenson, Herrod, Bailey, Barnes.

FOULED OUT: LOWELL (1) Austin Magley (4th Q) 7:17; WHEELER (4) Mitch Stevenson (4th Q) 6:31; Chris Sikoski (4th Q) 5:14; Nigel Mims (4thQ) 4:57; Matt Hurst (4th Q) :07.

3-GOALS: LOWELL (4) Austin Richie 2, Jason Parker, Danny DeBoer.; WHEELER (3) Najee Bailey, Chris Sikarski, Kevin Barnes.

LOWELL, IN (02-24-2011) When old Lowell coach Steve Leonard showed up to watch the Red Devils play Thursday night, it was a sign of a milestone. Lowell's foul-filled 70-66 win over Andrean gave the Devil 11 wins and eight losses. In a 20-game regular season and a single-elimination playoff coming up, that means that Lowell will finish the 2011 season with a record of .500 or better. For the first time since Leonard was Lowell's coach. Eighteen years ago.

"It's an example of how hard these guys have worked," said rookie coach Nate Richie, who saw his team defeat Morton Friday night (2-25-11) to go to 12-8. "They have given us everythng they could and they made big strides. We're 5-1 in the conference and I think that's the best Lowell has ever done in any conference."

Austin Rihcie, who scored 33 points, said, "It's good to walk away with that. It's not about me. It's good to have that team accomplishment. It might not be big, but it's big for our program."

Finally getting over. 500 for the first time in a generation isn't something you celebrate, but it's something the team was aware of.

"We didn't talk about it," said Jason Parker, a senior basketball and football player. "But it's a good thing to get. To get out of the way. It means we played well this year."

Lowell built a 26-15 lead midway through the second quarter as Richie, the 6-foot-2 senior guard, hit three three-point goals against the Niner defense. Sophomore center Josh James scored 11 in the first half, including 7-of-8 from the line, to rally Andrean to within 33-30 at halftime.

After an evenly played third period, James and Andrean's 6-foot-4 sophomore guard Nick Davidson led a 10-4 run that put the visitors ahead 54-51 with 5:43 to play. But Lowell ran off an 11-4 streak to take a 62-58 lead on an offensive rebound basket by Kyle Richwalski with 2:06 to play.

Richwalski scored nine, but added 11 rebounds. His backboard work has made Lowell more of a running team and he's been the difference in Lowell in the final third of the season.

"He's turned into one of the best big men in the area," said coach Richie. 'He's worked hard on his game and it shows. We need him in the sectional where we're playing."

DEVIL NOTES: Lowell was 17-8 and Kankakee Valley Sectional champions under coach Steve Leonard in 1993. Leonard is now an assistant coach at Hebron.

Austin Richie scored 23 while underclassmen Kyle Richwalski and Danny DeBoer both posted 19 points in Lowell's 75-67 victory over Morton on the final Friday of the regular season.
Lowell's led 39-28 at halftime and was 16 of 21 from the foul line for the game. In the final week of the season, Lowell was 59 of 82 (71. 6%) from the foul line.

Lowell takes on Lake Central (12-8) Wednesday night, March 2 in the 7,200 seat Gary West Side gym at 9th and Gerry street on Gary's far west side.

"We're excited about the chance to play Lake Central again," said coach Nate Richie. "It was 77-75 the first time. We had a chance to get the ball in bounds and we turned it over."

A victory over West Side would pit Lowell against undefeated and top-ranked Munster (21-0).

Lowell's all-time leading score is assistant coach Chris Justevitch, who scored 1,760 points. Auistin Richie, who is near 1,400, will not get to that point level, but if the Devils play three sectional games, Richie (32 ppg.), who broke a foot and did not play as a freshman, would reach the 1,500-point mark by hitting his average.

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Revised: March 10, 2011 .