Griffith, Rubin Break 3A Records as Wolverines Give Robert Smith a Chance to Go Out on Top

Friday was the day for the 3A and 4A games for a chance to advance to the State Championships on Saturday. The first 3A semifinal game was between Simeon and St. Ignatius.

In the Supersectionals the Wolverines beat up a talented Hillcrest team 67-46. The Wolfpack came back from a 12-point deficit, and beat Grayslake Central 67-60 in double overtime.

Last season the two teams met in the 3rd place game in which St. Ignatius beat Simeon 61-59. In the semis, the Wolfpack lost to eventual state champion Sacred Heart-Griffin, and the Wolverines were upset by the eventual state runner up Metamora.

It was a competitive contest through the first three quarters, but the combination of the interior dominance of Miles Rubin and the slick saviness of Jalen Griffith led the Wolverines to pull away in the fourth quarter en route to a 60-42 semifinal victory. The Wolverines shot approximately 77% from the field.

Griffith, a Jacksonville commit, had 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 12 assists. Loyola commit Miles Rubin led the Wolverines with 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 blocks. I was told by my friend "Big Tim" Coleman, owner of bigtimshsbballrevue.com, that Griffith's assist number and Rubin's blocks number are 3A state finals records. The other Rubin brother, Northern Iowa commit Wes Rubin, had only 2 points, but also had 8 rebounds, and 5 assists.

Wolfpack sophomore Phoenix Gill, son of Illini legend Kendall Gill, led all scorers with 21 points. Owen Khyl had 6 points on 2 threes, and Goerge Mason commit Richard Barron had 5 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists. Miami Ohio commit Jackson Kotecki (4 points), who had been out several weeks with an injury, entered the game in the first quarter and scored a basket shortly after.