Leo High School Alumni Association

Leo Vs. Kaneland - Basketball Commentary by Dan McGrath.

Size, size, size, size and size.

Throw in some big-time talent and it’s a can’t-miss formula for basketball success.

And It’s what the Leo Lions faced when they drew East St. Louis as a semifinal opponent in the IHSA Class 3-A state tournament semifnal at the University of Illinois’ State Farm Center on Friday.

Exploiting a height advantage at every position, the high-flying Flyers (33-4) rode the skills of Alex Johnson, Philip Jones and Jamison White to a 59-40 victory and a spot opposite Deerfield (24-11) in Saturday’s 3-A title game.

Deerfield, looking to become Illinois’ first double-digit-loss state champion, took down previously unbeaten Kaneland 49-48 in overtime in Friday’s other semifinal.

So Leo (28-7) faced Kaneland (35-1) for third place Friday evening, and the Knights prevailed, 35-32.

It would be grossly unfair to say the Lions’ hearts weren’t in it – they competed with customary vigor. But their legs were another story – they hit just 11 of 52 shots (21 percent), and at least a dozen clanged off the front of the rim – a telltale sign of weary legs.

In the last year of the East Suburban Catholic Conference – the league joins the Chicago Catholic League in all sports next year – the 4-A title game will be an all-ESCC affair. Marist ran past York 55-38 in the first semifinal, and Benet outlasted DePaul Prep 39-38 on a Colin Stack free throw with one second remaining in the other.

Leo made a game of it for three quarters against East St. Louis – the undersized Lions scrapped as only they can and were within four (24-20) at halftime and six (37-31) after three. But they clearly wore down in the final period and took a 22-9 pounding as ESL won going away.

“Fatigue set in,” junior guard Brian Kizer conceded, and Coach Jamille Ridley agreed.

“You expend a tremendous amount of energy battling a team that big and strong, and it takes a toll,” he said. “Depth is not our strong suit. And there’s no magic formula, no exotic scheme to offset it. We had to be who we are, do a great job being Leo, and we came up short.”

The Flyers parlayed their size advantage into a 37-15 rebounding advantage, taking down 17 offensive boards to Leo’s two. A missed shot was their best offense – following a misfire they would hit the glass like an invading army and create a game’s worth of second-chance opportunities.

Size also influenced the halfcourt trap ESL used to dismantle Leo’s offense. The Lions had to start their sets farther out than they like, and a long, rangy defender or two seemed to materialize any time they even thought about attacking the basket.

“The trap was a good adjustment,” Flyers coach Mark Chambers said. “It took away some of the things they like to do. Defense is where we turned the game around.”

Indeed, the Lions hit just 15 of their 37 shots (40.5 percent), including 6-for-19 three-pointers. Kizer was their only double-figures scorer with 11 points. Freshman Elon Henderson, subbing for foul-plagued starter Nate Stephens, scored eight points with four rebounds in 13 minutes.

ESL’s Alex Johnson, a 6-foot-3 senior guard, was the best player on the floor with 19 points, 10 rebounds and a smooth-as-butter floor game. Senior forward Jamison White, who will take his NBA body to Penn State next season, went for 12 points and 15 rebounds, nearly matching Lions’ team total.

Twelve of junior guard Philip Jones’ 17 points came in in the second half. “My teammates kind of got on me about not playing hard enough, so I had to step it up and not let them down,” he said.

Leo was making its first state tournament appearance since 2016, and there were some long faces in the handshake line. But the Lions knew they had experienced something special, beginning with the sirens-wailing police es**rt that accompanied them from their hotel to the arena.

“We went through a lot of ups and downs this year, but we fought through it all and got here, and this gives us something to build on for next year,” junior guard Asa Harris said.

Ridley’s end-of-season, seven-man rotation consisted of five juniors, a sophomore and a freshman. By next year It could very well include another freshman, Andre Tucker, who scored a team-high 10 points against Kaneland and converted a steal into a game-tying layup with just over a minute left.

But multi-talented Marshawn Cocroft concluded his Kaneland career by scoring 17 of the Knights’ 35 points, including four free throws in the final minute.

“I don’t think any of us knew where this was headed after we got crushed by Hyde Park back in January, but I’m tremendously proud of how this group stayed tough, stayed together and battled to get here,” Ridley said.

“And our best basketball is ahead of us.”

Leo Vs. Hyde Park - Basketball Commentary by David Gross.

Champaign is said to be very nice this time of year.

The Leo Lions will find out for themselves after earning a trip to the IHSA state basketball tournament Monday with a 54-33 dismantling of Hyde Park in a Class 3-A Supersectional at UIC’s Credit Union 1 Arena.

After avenging the 15-point thumping they’d taken from the Thunderbirds back in January, the Lions will face East St. Louis (31-4) in an 11:45 a.m. semifinal Friday at the University of Illinois’ State Farm Center. Unbeaten Maple Park Kaneland (35-0) and Deerfield (24-11) are the other 3-A qualifiers and will meet in the first semifinal at 10 a.m. The championship game matching the winners is Saturday at 4 p.m.

Junior guard Karon Shavers scored 22 points (on 9-for-11 shooting) and Leo practically undressed the Thunderbirds with a relentlessly active 2-3 zone defense in reaching the state tournament for the first time since 2016, when the Lions lost to Leroy in the Class 1-A title game. Their lone state championship came in 2004, when the tournament was a two-class event and Leo defeated Winnebago for the Class A title.

“Early in the season we had injuries, we had the suspension … we had a lot of things going against us,” Coach Jimalle Ridley said. “Coach (Anthony) Patton said to me, ‘With all we’ve been through, there has to be something out there for us.’

“This is it, and it’s pretty sweet. I’m really proud of our guys.”

That 50-35 loss to Hyde Park in the Malcolm X Shootout was a wakeup call for the Lions – they’re 18-2 in 20 games since, 28-6 for the season.

And as bad as they were that day, they were that good in the rematch. They didn’t score in the first five minutes and spotted Hyde Park a 6-0 lead, but closed the period on an 11-0 run with Shavers providing nine of the points.

By halftime it was 28-11 as the Thunderbirds failed to get anything going on offense. Leo’s zone denied HP's guards the driving lanes they like to exploit and kept big men Jacobi Walls and Zyere McNeal from having their way inside.

“We went to the zone right away because it looked like we’d have trouble keeping them off the boards,” Ridley said. “The guys really got after it.”

Hyde Park shot a woeful 23.5 percent (12-for-51) for the game, 13.6 percent (3-for-22) on three-pointers. Walls (five points, nine rebounds) and McNeal (zero and four) were non-factors.

Effective as Leo’s defense was, the night belonged to Shavers. In addition to his 22 points, he contributed six rebounds, three assists, four steals and zero turnovers in just under 30 minutes.

“Everybody keeps telling me I can make those shots, and I have to shoot them with confidence,” Shavers said. “I felt pretty confident tonight.”

The eighth of his nine buckets was the biggest.

Trailing 40-25 after three quarters, Hyde Park came out for the fourth in a desperate press and turned two turnovers into five points for a 40-30 game, with ample time remaining for a comeback.

Shavers then lined up a three-pointer from the left wing and let fly without hesitation, knocking it down for 43-30. Hyde Park would get no closer as the Lions closed the game on an 11-3 run to win going away.

Shavers smiled when a reporter asked him if it was the biggest shot of his high school career. His biggest since last Friday, perhaps?

Hillcrest had cut a 15-point Leo lead to four in the fourth quarter of the title game of the Hillcrest Sectional, and the partisan crowd was howling. Shavers calmly buried a three to quiet the crowd and restore Leo’s momentum, and the Lions went on to win by eight.

“It’s not just me – my teammates had as much to do with this as I did,” Shavers insisted. “We pick each other up.”

Jeremiah Echols added 14 points for the Lions, who shot 45.7 percent (21-for-46) from the field and 33 percent (5-for-15) on three-pointers. Sophomore Brandal Orr gave them four points, four rebounds and an assist in 11 minutes off the bench.

One of the game’s more telling stats was Leo’s 16 steals – the Thunderbirds kept forcing passes inside, and the Lions countered with quick hands and shrewd anticipation.

“They beat us pretty easy the last time, so maybe they didn’t take us that seriously,” Echols said. “We showed ‘em.”

Leo Vs. Hillcrest, Basketball Commentary by David Gross.

The smallest school by enrollment in Class 3-A? No problem.
A tough opponent on its home floor before a boisterous, full-house crowd?

Bring it on.

Along with foul trouble, those were among the obstacles the Leo Lions dealt with Friday night in their IHSA Class 3-A Sectional title game against the Hillcrest Hawks in Country Club Hills. And they were impressively unfazed, grinding out a 72-64 victory that sends them on to the UIC Supersectional Monday for a 6 p.m. rematch against Hyde Park. The winner advances to next weekend’s state tournament in Champaign.

The Thunderbirds (25-9) dispatched De La Salle 43-40 in the title game of the De La Salle Sectional. They also strangled Leo 50-35 in a nonconference game back on January 4, a performance that might have been the Lions’ poorest of the season.

But they’ve gone 17-2 since to get to 27-6 for the season. And it’s fair to say they’re a different team.

“The suspension, the fact that we coach them so hard … I’ve put these guys through a lot this year,” an emotional Coach Jimalle Ridley said in Leo’s jubilant locker room. “They’ve given me everything they have.

“But the job’s not finished,” he added. “Our goal is to get downstate, and we’re not there yet. Let’s keep this going.”

A team that lives by the three-pointer also can die by the three, and that fate was a momentary concern for the Lions. They led by nine at the half, by 19 midway through the third period, and by15 with just under six minutes left as they buried nine three-pointers over the course of the evening.

But they suddenly developed the yips inbounding the ball, and Hillcrest’s Anthony Bradley knocked down three three-pointers in just over a minute. That 15-point lead was down to four after the Hawks converted Leo’s fourth turnover of the period into a bucket, and the partisan crowd was howling.

But Karon Shavers drained a cold-blooded three from the corner, Brian Kizer connected from the wing, and the lead was back to 10. The Lions then sealed it by making the Hawks pay for their slap-happy brand of defense, converting 12 of 13 fourth-quarter free throws and 18 of 22 in the second half.

Kizer led a balanced scoring effort with 19 points. Shavers added 18 and delivered another solid floor game, even as foul trouble forced him to play cautiously. Eight of Asa Harris’ 17 points came in the final five minutes, and Jeremiah Echols scored 11.

Nate Stephens did foul out, but only after helping Leo control things inside with 11 rebounds and three blocks. Sophomore Brandal Orr was solid at both ends and is becoming a confident contributor.

The sectional title is Leo’s ninth in school history. The supersectional appearance is its third in seven years – the Lions lost to Orr in a Class 2-A Super in 2019 and to DePaul Prep, also in 2-A, in 2022. Both teams went on to win state championships.

Leo’s last appearance in the state tournament came in 2016, when the Lions lost to Leroy in the Class 1-A title game.

“This is nice, but it’s not what we’re after,” Asa Harris said as he clutched the Sectional plaque in the locker room. “Let’s go get another one.”

Leo Vs. Morgan Park - Basketball Commentary by Dan McGrath.

Lions are steaming hot in the IHSA state tournament, extending their streak of blowouts to three with a 68-38 demolition of Morgan Park in a semifinal of the Class 3-A Hillcrest Sectional Tuesday night in Country Club Hills.

They'll face host Hillcrest for the sectional title and a berth in the UIC Supersectional Friday at 6 p.m. Behind Jamir Ratliff's 33 points, the Hawks (22-8) took care of Thornton 62-49 in Tuesday's other semifinal.

Leo is the sectional’s top seed and Hillcrest is No. 2, but the Hawks will enjoy homecourt advantage. Tuesday's games drew a raucous, near-capacity crowd to the Hillcrest gym.

Once again a rocket-like liftoff made the difference for the Lions. Combining suffocating defense with opportunistic offense, they jumped out to a 15-0 lead and took the Mustangs out of their game -- Morgan Park managed just two points in the first quarter in falling behind 17-2.

Daniel Wallace's two buckets got the Mustangs within 10 early in the second period, but back-to-back three-pointers by Jeremiah Echols and a Brian Kizer layup fueled an 8-0 burst as the Lions regained control. The lead grew to 20 before the half, but there was concern on the Leo bench after freshman big man Elon Henderson suffered a hyperextended knee and did not return to the floor.

Junior Nate Stephens more than made up for Henderson's absence, dominating the play inside with a game-high 16 rebounds, along with two blocks and two steals as Leo stretched its lead to 30 points. There are no running clocks in state-tournament competition, but the entire fourth quarter would have been played with one had this been a regular season game.

Morgan Park (19-8) is not that far removed from Public League elite status -- alum Ayo Dosunmu is an NBA guard and well-traveled former teammate Adam Miller is a rotation player at nationally ranked Gonzaga. But the Mustangs were never in it against a Leo team that's clearly playing its best basketball of the season.

Echols, recovered from the ankle injury he sustained in the Lions' regional title-game win over Southland, finished with a game-high 23 points.

"I just wanted to be a great overall player and prove that it was my time, and the scoring just happened to come along with it," Echols said.

Kizer added 18 points, while fellow junior guard Karon Shavers was the catalyst in a defensive effort that held the Mustangs to a season-low point total. Guards Wallace and Jacque Lewis put up 26 of Morgan Park's 38 points.

A supersectional appearance at UIC on Monday would be Leo's first since 2022, when the Lions lost to eventual 2-A state champion DePaul Prep in Joliet. But Hillcrest will be a handful -- the Hawks shared the tough South Suburban Conference title with Oak Forest and have won nine of their last 10 games.

But for these Leo Lions, anything seems possible.

Leo Vs. Hansberry – Basketball Commentary by David Gross.

Leo’s victory over Hansberry in an IHSA Class 3-A Regional opener at Leo on Wednesday was a sight to see if you were a Lions fan.

Seeking a third straight regional title, the Lions opened the game with a 15-0 run and went on to bury their Auburn Gresham neighbors 71-28. Improving to 24-6, Leo will face Southland College Prep (16-14) for the regional title on Friday in the Lions Den at 7 p.m. The winner advances to the Hillcrest Sectional.

With scoring leader Brian Kizer sidelined by a sore ankle, freshman big man Elon Henderson stepped up and made his presence known early for the Lions with seven points, four rebounds and a block in the first quarter. Junior Asa Harris had seven points and three steals in the period, which ended with Leo on top 24-4.

By halftime the lead had grown to 44-10 as Leo took advantage of its superior talent, creating offense off defense with constant ball pressure and converting the turnovers that resulted into points. Offense off defense was the formula that carried the undersized Lions to the Supersectional round of the state tournament in 2022, and it could fuel a similarly deep run for this year’s team.

With the game in hand, Leo Coach Jimalle Ridley emptied his bench. Every player who was in uniform got to play, for the second game in a row, and the regulars will be well rested for Friday’s title game.

Henderson finished with 13 points, nine rebounds and four blocks in one of the strongest games of his freshman season. Junior Jeremiah Echols led the Lions with 14 points. Harris had 10 points, four assists and four steals, and Karon Shavers filled the stat line with three points, three rebounds, five assists and six steals.

A 24th win enabled the Lions to surpass their victory total from last season, when they finished 23-12 and lost to eventual state champion Dyett in a Class 2-A Sectional title game.

Southland College Prep held off TF North 55-50 in the second game of Wednesday’s double-header and earned a spot vs. Leo in the regional title game. Tristan Garner led the Matteson-based independent charter school with 27 points, Xavier Lane had eight points,10 rebounds and five steals.

Leo Vs. Southland College Prep – Basketball Commentary by David Gross.

Two blowout wins to start the state tournament and an opportunity to rest your starters could be the recipe for a deep playoff run, and that's where the Leo Lions find themselves after dismantling Southland College Prep 55-27 to win the IHSA Class 3-A Regional on their home floor Friday night.

The Lions (25-6) will face Morgan Park in the Hillcrest Sectional semifinals Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Country Club Hills. The Mustangs (19-7) advanced with a 64-49 victory over Marian Catholic in the St. Rita Regional title game. Leo is the sectional's top seed.

As they'd done in their first-round victory over Hansberry two nights earlier, the Lions took control from the start, grabbing a 10-2 lead as junior guard Karon Shavers either scored or assisted on all 10 points. It was a 12-5 game after a quarter, and Southland's offensive struggles would persist all evening -- nearly three quarters had been played before the visitors managed 20 points against Leo's relentlessly aggressive defense.

The second quarter featured more of the same as the Lions stretched their lead to 21 points, though it came at a cost -- junior guard Jeremiah Echols injured his ankle shortly before halftime and would not return. Leo may have missed Echols' scoring, but compensated with a defensive effort that forced a slew of turnovers and left the Eagles to settle for forced, off-balance three-pointers.

The pattern continued into the second half as the Lions stretched their lead to 30 points, resulting in a running clock and more playing time for Leo's bench. The Lions' third straight regional title went into the books via a 28-point final margin.

Junior Brian Kizer, returning from an ankle injury, led the Lions with 14 points. Shavers was all over the floor, finishing with nine points, six rebounds, five assists and nine steals. Junior Asa Harris had nine points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals.

"Send a message," Shavers said, was the Lions' mindset.

"Send a message, make a statement, show that this team has what it takes," he said.

Junior guard Ayden Ware scored 16 of Southland's 27 points.

Morgan Park is no doubt made of sterner stuff after going 7-2 and finishing second to Simeon in the Public League Red South, one of the city's toughest conferences.

Host Hillcrest (19-8), the sectiona's No. 2 seed, will face Thornton (13-14) in Tuesday's other semifinal at 7:30. The winners meet for the sectional title on Friday and a berth in the UIC Supersectional on Monday, March 9.

The 70th Annual Leo Alumni Banquet April 24th, 2026 – This Year is The 100th Anniversary of Leo High School!

We Would Really Like to See You Attend and help us Celebrate Leo High School reaching this Wonderful Mile Post – 100 Years only comes every so often……. So Please, Buy Your Tickets – We Plan on Selling Ticket Sales all the way up to Wednesday, April 22, 2026 at 5:00 PM, – but it has to be “while supplies last”. Don’t miss out on this prestigious and most noteworthy event,. Our School has, against all obstacles, made it through the century!
The 70th Annual Banquet will be held on Friday, April 24th, 2026 at the beautiful Chateau Del Mar, the Hickory Hills Country Club, in Hickory Hills, IL
DATE: Friday, April 24th, 2026
Cocktails begin at 6:30 pm Dinner at 7:30 pm
Address: 8301 W. 95th Street, Hickory Hills, IL
Address by Name: Hickory Hills Country Club, Chateau Del Mar
Ticket Prices are $100.00

ONCE AGAIN THIS YEAR THERE WILL BE NO BANQUET TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR, ALL TICKETS WILL BE PRE-SALE ONLINE.

See old friends, meet new friends, share stories, memories and otherwise catch up. We will all be very happy to see you again.

The cocktail hour will begin at 6:30 pm, and the dinner service is scheduled to start at 7:30 pm.

We Would Really Like to See You Attend So Ticket Sales Will Be Accepted Until Wednesday, April 22, at 5:00 pm. Please buy your tickets now!

Leo Alumni Banquet 2025 The 2025 Leo Alumni Banquet, April 25th 2025 at Contessa Del Mar, the Hickory Hills Golf Club, in Hickory Hills, Illinois.

It Has Returned – The Leo Alumni Association Annual $100.00 Raffle Is Back For 2026, this year with Additional Prizes!

THE MAIN EVENT RAFFLE - This is the our Annual Big One, and ticket sales are still limited to only 300 Tickets. We still have the surprisingly large first prize of $10,000, an amount which most people find sufficiently compelling to want to make sure they are in the game. Tickets are only $100 and since there are only 300 tickets sold, each ticket actually puts you in a reasonable spot in the game. This year, in light of the temporary hold on the "Bonus Raffle", the Main Event Raffle is THE EVENT. However, in the spirit of creating a truly great opportunity for our Alumni, and to keep matters enjoyable, we have added two additional substantial and noticeable other prizes (listed immediately below), in the form of two spectacular door prizes which, are not of that same old thing (money). And, of course, the net proceeds from the raffle all go to the Alumni Association for use in continuing its mission of supporting Leo High School.

What could possibly be better, a Hawaiian vacation without having to travel in a sticky airline seat on a ten hour flight, hunt down cabs and catch busses, wait three days for your luggage ..... you get the idea. Its perfect... and cool. You will be the envy of a lot of people when they hear about just how cool you are.

So BUY A TICKET OR MORE AND GET ITO THE GAME.

Details and current purchase options are listed below. You can purchase tickets online, (below) or simply telephone 708-910-1467 and if no one answers, leave a message and a very nice person will call you back and be very happy to sell you a ticket. Good Luck to All!

PRIZES FOR THE RAFFLE (ONLY 300 TICKETS WILL BE SOLD):

1st Prize......................................$10,000

2nd Prize......................................$2,500

3rd through 6th Prize.................$500

1st Prize Ticket Seller .................$25

DOOR PRIZES

All Ticket Purchasers will be Entered to win the Highly Desirable Door Prizes - one of two BETTER THAN A HAWAIIAN VACATION packages which include a Hula Lamps, Mahi Mahi ingredients, Two Tiki Mugs and Plastic Straws, and a Hawaiian Travel Book. So Much Better Than all that fuss.....

Winner Need Not Be Present. Prizes Awarded in order of tickets drawn. Depending on the program length, winners may be drawn during the dinner and posted thereafter. All unsold tickets will be entered into the Drawing in the Name of the Leo Alumni Association and drawn on behalf of the Association. If the Alumni Association is Drawn for First Prize, the Prize will be re-drawn for another entry. The Alumni Association can win any Prizes other than First Prize. The Alumni Association reserves the right to scale back prizes in proportion to tickets actually sold, (which we have never had to do).

For Ease of Purchase for a limited time (through Monday, April 20th) you can purchase a raffle ticket IN PERSON AT 9231 S. ROBERTS ROAD, IN HICKORY HILLS. IN PERSON, BY PHONE (708-910-1467) OR ONLINE we are d**g our best to make things very very accessible. The staff at this location will be happy to sell you a ticket or to process your check for a ticket purchase according to your instructions.

ALL MAJOR CREDIT AND DEBIT CARDS ARE ACCEPTED, so when ordering if, like most people, you don't have a Pay Pal Account, please proceed to the "pay using a credit or debit card button" on the bottom of the Second Page and order from there. Regarding Raffle Tickets: Your receipt from Paypal is your basic ticket purchase confirmation.

We will be working to confirm all purchases by e-mail or other appropriate method by April 21st. Thank you for your continuing patience.

The Leo Alumni Association Annual $100.00 Raffle Is Back For 2026 The Leo Alumni Association Annual $100.00 Raffle Is Back For 2026

Leo Vs. Mount Carmel - Basketball Commentary by David Gross.

Tuesday night at the Lions Den, Leo polished off its Catholic League regular season and rival Mount Carmel.

This competitive contest between teams with aspirations of making deep playoff runs will bring its defense into the post season.

The champions of the Catholic League White division bounced back from its loss to Marmion Academy Friday to beat the Caravan 36-33 and improve to 22-6 (7-1 CCL) on the season; Mount Carmel fell to 17-11 (5-3 CCL) after a low-scoring, nose-to-nose defensive contest at a packed Lions den.

The game started off with both teams combining to miss the game’s first eight field goal attempts. Leo junior Jeremiah Echols started off the scoring with a three pointer assisted by Karon Shavers, who then followed with a steal and assist on a three by Brian Kizer. On the next trip up the floor, Kizerassisted on another Echols’ bucket as the Lions raced to 8-0 lead, forcing a Caravan timeout.

After the timeout the Caravan went to a full-court trap to turn the tide its way

Carmel’s Sam Ogeto made two free throws and freshman Da'Kylen Heard added four more points for the Caravan and that closed the gap to within one to end the first quarter.

The second quarter was similar to the first with both teams struggling to make a basket and turning the ball throughout, which led to a 17-14 Lions lead at half.

The second half began the same way the rest of the game had gone with frequent turnovers and missed shots until a 5-0 run off 5 straight points from Ogeto led to the Caravan’s first lead of the game at 19-17 with five minutes left in the quarter.

The quarter featured the teams trading baskets. The Lions regained the lead off of a robust Asa Harris reverse layup. Caravan freshman Ronald Johnson got the lead back before the Lions ended the quarter with a 27-26 lead after Shavers made three free throws after being fouled while shooting a three pointer as time was expiring.

The last quarter remained tightly contested with Leo holding a 34-32 lead with 23 seconds remaining. The Caravan missed four straight free throws and just couldn’t convert multiple opportunities on the offensive glass.

Marshaun Thornton made a free throw for the Caravan to bring the game within one but missed the second to tie the game. Nate Stephens came down with the rebound off the missed free throw and made two free throws to seal the Lions win. Luke Segroves missed a game tying three as time expired.

The Lions were led by the heady floor game of Shavers, who had five points, five rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Stephens had four points, 10 rebounds, two steals, and three blocks. Kizerscored eight points, had 4 assists, and 6 rebounds. Echols tallied seven points, four assists and three rebounds. Harris contributed eight points and four rebounds.

The Caravan’s Da'Kylen Heard led the way with 12 points, nine rebounds and three steals.

Leo’s regular season concludes Friday night against Public League opponent Wells (18-5) at the Lions Den at 6:30 p.m. for Senior night to honor outgoing Leo seniors Michael Lewis and Xavier Smith.

Leo has been assigned to the Country Club Hills (Hillcrest) Sectional for 3A.

Top-seeded Leo will serve as the regional host and play the winner of Monday’s Noble/Hansberry-CICS Longwood game, which is scheduled for Wednesday, February 25.

The regional semifinal will tip off: 6 p.m.

Leo Vs. Rich Township – Basketball Commentary By David Gross.

By the end of Leo’s two-point loss to host Rich Township Monday, the basketball contest resembled two heavyweights trading blows and missed haymakers in the final rounds.

Late in the third quarter, the two teams began exchanging buckets and turnovers after Jeremiah Echols hit a three for Leo to take its first lead at 39-36 with 1:30 remaining in the third quarter.

After forcing yet another turnover and converting on Asa Harris’s three, the Lions were able to take a six-point lead, their largest after trailing throughout.

The Lions’ 20-point scoring burst in the third quarter appeared to turn the tide with a five-point lead entering the 4th after trailing at half.

The Lions fought hard to stake claim to a 10-game win streak but fell 55-53 in overtime.

Unforced errors throughout the game – and especially during the pivotal fourth quarter – kept the Lions from grabbing a winnable away game.

Immediately after a go-ahead Rich basket, the Lions retook the lead off of a Nate Stephens’s score on an assist from Harris with little more than four minutes left to play.

The drama continued until — with 50 seconds left to play — a clutch three from Jeremiah Echols tied the game at 48. The Lions’ stout defensive stand sent the game to overtime.

The extra period resembled the tight contest before Rich’s Mason Moore got loose for a dunk and a two-point lead. Leo could only muster two of four free throws down the stretch of overtime.

The Lions had one final chance with eight seconds remaining but couldn’t come up with a basket to tie or take the lead, Harris was overplayed off the inbound pass and no one else cut loose so Harris failed to get a get a clean look and his attempt was rejected by Rich’s Jeremiah Weatherford as time expired.

The Lions win streak was snapped at nine games as they fell to 20-5 overall but still sport a perfect 7-0 Catholic League conference record.

“At this point in the season, we have to step up,” said junior guard Karon Shavers (six points, four assists, four rebounds and three steals). “The games ahead are more challenging and important to us.”

Rich Township (14-12, 6-4 Southland Conference) was led by Jamson Coulter who finished with 12 points, and Kavon Ammons who finished with 16 points.

led the way for the Lions with 25 points, six rebounds and two steals.

Leo travels Wednesday for a 7 p.m., non-conference tip off at St. Francis,

2130 Roosevelt Rd. Wheaton, Ill.

Leo travels Friday for a 7 p.m. tip-off in Chicago Catholic League White play against Marmion Academy (5-2 in conference play). Marmion is located at 1000 Butterfield Rd. Aurora, Illinois