Ljunggren, Away team win wild one

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HEBRON – Most of the participants have been away from basketball for almost six weeks, although they didn’t shoot like it.

“Everyone’s a good player, and I won’t say everyone was playing their best defense,” said Prairie Ridge guard Chad Ljunggren, who scored a game-high 20 points to lead the Away team. “We all got in a little rhythm there.”

The Away jumped ahead early and led most of the game for a 117-113 victory Sunday in the McHenry County Area All-Star Basketball Extravaganza at Alden-Hebron’s Tigard Gymnasium.

There were points during the game when players from both sides were blistering the nets. The Away team finished shooting 44.4 percent from the field, while the Home team was at 44.5.

“I was surprised at that,” said Johnsburg’s Tyler Chambers, who nailed five three-pointers and led his team with 19 points. “I didn’t come out expecting to shoot like that. In warmups I airballed my first eight threes.”

The event was held for the eighth year in Hebron and again had acts such as the Indiana Pacers dunk team and A-H freshman Ian Johnson, a national yo-yo champion.
EnRico Heirman of Unique Perspectives promoted the event, which A-H uses as an athletic fundraiser.

The Away team led, 64-59, at halftime and jumped out to 12 points ahead early in the second half, but the Home team eventually tied the score at 95-95. Dundee-Crown’s Sean Bernhard and Ljunggren hit threes to help push the margin to 103-95, and the Away team held on.

“I just wanted them to come out and enjoy themselves,” said Marian Central coach Curtis Price, who coached the Away team. “They were smiling and having a good time. They came out and shot well for not playing for six weeks.”

Jacob Tonkin added 18 points and Chad McCarron had 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Away team.

Chad O’Kane dropped in 17 for the Home, with Mike Dixon and C.J. Fiedorowicz adding 16 each.

“We told the guys to shoot and try to make it, that was our strategy,” said Richmond-Burton coach Brandon Creason, who coached the Home team. “It’s an honor to coach in something like this. They did shoot well, especially when you figure a lot of them probably haven’t touched a ball since the regionals or are out for spring sports.”

Ljunggren, who is 6-foot, offered a moment of levity late in the game when he tried to draw a charge from Fiedorowicz, who is 6-6, 250 pounds. As Fiedorowicz turned to drive the lane, Ljunggren stepped into him, jumped backwards and yelled, “Ahh!” The two have been friends since they were about 9 years old.

“I knew he’d try to come in on me and I told him I wasn’t going to let him,” Ljunggren said.