Clark senior Mikell Jones was a serious problem for Lincoln Park on Wednesday. The strong 6-4 senior was in ultra-aggressive mode from the start.
The Lions coaching staff screamed “help, help” every time Jones touched the ball, but no amount of help could stop Jones from getting what he wanted and what the Eagles needed. He finished with 25 points and 18 rebounds as Clark knocked off Lincoln Park 84-71.
“I had to make it happen,” Jones said. “This was very important. We need to be in the top 25 again. That’s what we are coming for.”
The Eagles have played five games in six days and won them all. They knocked off Schurz, Marshall, North Lawndale and Lane.
“It’s been hard,” Jones said. “It’s real tiring but we had to make it happen.”
Clark junior Cordy Johnson scored 17 of his 23 points in the first quarter.
“I was just ready,” Johnson said. “I was focused and prepared for this game.”
The Eagles led by one at halftime and took control with an 8-0 run late in the third quarter.
“No one wants to give us respect,” Clark coach Terry Head said. “We have to go fight and take it wherever we go. My kids know that and they are willing to do that. I don’t know why people don’t think we know what we are doing over here. But we are showing them now.”
Senior Mikqwon Jones added 15 points and seven rebounds and junior Katrell Weekley scored 12 for the Eagles (16-3, 7-1 Red-North/West).
“The Jones boys are like family to us,” Clark said. “The only reason they didn’t start here was because we weren’t in the Red. That wasn’t a transfer, it was coming home to family.”
Jones wasn’t the only breakout star in the game. Lincoln Park senior Chikere Nwosu was fantastic. The 6-2 guard scored 32 points and was 7 of 8 from three-point range. Nwosu says he has a pair of Division 2 scholarship offers and interest from Grambling State.
“He’s a mid-major Division 1 player,” Lincoln Park coach Antwon Jennings said. “I think it is kind of sad that UIC and Loyola don’t recruit a guy like this. He can play both sides of the ball well and he’s really improved his three-point shot in the last year.”
Lincoln Park (12-11, 2-7) finishes in a three-way tie with Marshall and Farragut for second to last in the conference.
Based on Chicago Public Schools rules it appears Farragut will be relegated to the White Division for next season. On the CPS basketball website it says: “in the case of a tie between 3 or more teams, the teams that have the greatest point differential in games played between tied teams will be awarded the higher place.”
Watch the final minute of Lincoln Park at Clark:
— Michael O'Brien (@michaelsobrien) January 27, 2022
