Missing two starters and chasing six points midway through the fourth quarter, Warren didn’t flinch.
Led by repeat tourney MVP Jaxson Davis and much improved big man Zach Ausburn, the Blue Devils rallied past Lincoln Park 59-58 Saturday to win the Proviso West Holiday Tournament.
Davis, who became the first freshman MVP in the history of the 63-year-old tourney last season, played all 32 minutes and scored 21 points. Ausburn finished with 18 points, including his first three-pointer of the season, and 15 rebounds. Jack Wolf scored eight points, Owen Squires hit a pair of three-pointers and Avonn King grabbed seven rebounds for the Blue Devils.
Warren (10-2) defended its title despite the absence of starting guards Braylon Walker and Javarion Banks. Walker is out with pneumonia but is expected back soon. Banks had surgery and is out for about a month, according to Warren coach Zack Ryan.
Beating an elite team like Lincoln Park (13-3) shorthanded can only help the Blue Devils down the road.
“This was huge for us closing out the first half of our season,” Ausburn said. “Winning this tournament for the second year in a row with two of our guys out, it’s challenging for us. But we were able to persevere and get through it.”
Ausburn, who hadn’t even attempted a three-pointer all season, hit one from the top of the key to cap a 7-0 run that gave Warren a 53-52 lead with 2:59 remaining.
“He hasn’t taken any because that’s not what he does for us,” Ryan said. “A lot of credit goes to him for working on his individual post game with our assistant coaches. … He’s really grown and gotten better down by the basket, his footwork and stuff like that.”
Davis has seen the growth in Ausburn, too.
“Last year … he didn’t play much, but he knew what his role was [this season] and he helped big time,” Davis said. “He’s tough as nails.”
Jaylen Dickerson hit a three from the right corner to put Lincoln Park back on top at 55-53. But Wolf and Davis made back-to-back three-pointers to give Warren a 59-55 lead and the Blue Devils held on.
“It just shows how deep our team can go,” Davis said. “We have two guys out right now and we’re still winning big-time games against big-time teams. Just winning those type of games, knowing what we can do late in February, in March — make it downstate when we’re fully healed and ready to go. It just feels special.”
Dickerson scored a game-high 22 points for Lincoln Park, Chayse Turner had 11 points and eight rebounds, Larry Harris III added seven points and Kaydin Williams finished with six points and five assists.
Turner was tasked with guarding Davis, who shot 5-for-18 from the floor but made nine of 10 free throws.
“I think Chayse is the best senior defender in the state of Illinois,” Lions coach Josh Anderson said. “He guards one through four and I think he’s going to carry that on to the next level.”
Lincoln Park is still a work in progress, according to Anderson.
“My team is still maturing,” he said. “I’m OK with the effort that we gave. We were locked in from first quarter to fourth quarter. A couple bounces didn’t go our way. It’s something that we can learn from and mature from.”