Top-ranked Kenwood’s home opener Wednesday nearly was spoiled by a rookie head coach and a team loaded with sophomores.
New Lincoln Park coach Josh Anderson’s young, unknown team played its heart out. The Lions took a one-point lead on a basket by sophomore Ahmad Lee with 3:20 left, then Lee tied the score with 2:08 to play.
But after each of those buckets, Broncos senior Chris Riddle stepped up. The Arizona State recruit finished with a game-high 25 points and kept Lincoln Park’s upset bid at bay.
Lions senior Tyshawn Robinson made a three-pointer at the buzzer, but it wasn’t enough, and Kenwood (3-0) held on to win 61-60.
Riddle scored eight points in the fourth quarter. He made a three-pointer after Lincoln Park (2-1) had taken the lead and responded with a three-point play after the Lions had tied the score.
Riddle and senior guard Edwon Duling said they weren’t allowed to speak with the media after the game. Broncos coach Mike Irvin wasn’t present. He was serving the third game of a two-game suspension the Illinois High School Association handed down at the start of the season.
Irvin sat out Kenwood’s season opener against Hansberry, then the Broncos added a game against Farragut on Tuesday that wasn’t originally on the schedule. Irvin also sat out that game. But that didn’t count for the IHSA because the game was newly added to the schedule, so Irvin was required to sit out a third game.
Kenwood principal Karen Calloway confirmed that Irvin will be allowed to coach in the Broncos’ next game, a showdown against No. 2 Thornton on Saturday at the Chicago Elite Classic.
Lincoln Park might have lost the game, but the strong showing was a statement for Anderson, the son of former NBA player Nick Anderson, and his new team.
‘‘My guys gave a great effort,’’ Anderson said. ‘‘We are young and inexperienced, but they showed me something. This is a great growing game for us. We’re gonna learn and continue to get better.’’
Sophomore Larry Harris led the Lions with 13 points off the bench. Lee added 11 points and sophomore Jaylen Dickerson eight points and eight rebounds.
Keyshawn Barfield, a 6-9 junior, held his own against Kenwood’s 6-11 Jaden Smith (three points, six rebounds, five blocks) and 6-5 Calvin Robins (eight points, nine rebounds).
‘‘You’re seeing glimpses of how good [Barfield] could be right now,’’ Anderson said. ‘‘But you’re going to be really surprised by midseason. By January, he’s going to be something. And by senior year, he’s going to be really good.’’
Kenwood leads Lincoln Park 15-12 after 1Q. Aleks Alston closes it with a slam. pic.twitter.com/N3IvgDKrlk
— Michael O'Brien (@michaelsobrien) November 29, 2023
Lincoln Park has been the Public League’s sleeping basketball giant for a while. The school has experienced success in the last two decades under previous coaches Cyrus McGinnis, Tom Livatino and Pat Gordon.
‘‘The sky is the limit for us,’’ Anderson said. ‘‘I see nothing short of eventually winning the conference, the city championship and, at some point, the state championship.’’
Anderson was joined on the bench by fellow Simeon alum Lazeric Jones, who played at UCLA and spent last season with the Windy City Bulls.
‘‘We’ve been best friends since eighth grade,’’ Anderson said. ‘‘Basketball-wise, we have always been locked in.’’
