Cheng scores 23 for IC Catholic Prep boys basketball team, York girls basketball team opens new year against Nazareth.

By Mike Miazga

Correspondent

The IC Catholic Prep boys basketball team opened 2018 with a non-conference nail-biter on the road against Chicago St. Patrick. St. Pat’s was a 43-41 winner when a St. Pat’s player hit the game-winning shot with 1.1 seconds left to play.

The loss dropped IC Catholic Prep to 11-5 overall. The Knights are 3-3 in Metro Suburban Conference Blue Division play.

St. Pat’s led 13-7 after the first quarter and 19-15 at halftime. The Knights got back into the game thanks to a 13-9 third quarter.

Kevin Cheng led the Knights with 23 points. He hit one 3-pointer and also shot 12-for-16 from the free-throw line. Alex Meurer added 11 points, while Dominic Gaudio hit one 3-pointer. St. Pat’s made seven 3-pointers in the game.

York girls basketball

In recent action the York girls basketball team lost 35-18 to fellow West Suburban Conference Silver Division entrant Glenbard West in the finals of the Riverside-Brookfield tournament. York lost 38-37 to Glenbard West in conference action earlier in the season.

York also dropped a recent 47-29 non-conference game to Nazareth Academy.

The two losses left the Dukes at 11-4 overall. York brought a 4-1 WSC Silver Division record into a conference game earlier this week at Oak Park-River Forest.

The Dukes are back in action tonight at home in a WSC Silver game against Hinsdale Central and will then head to Hillside Saturday to face Proviso West in another conference game.

Elmhurst College men’s basketball

The Elmhurst College men’s basketball team dropped a recent 87-75 contest to Illinois Wesleyan in Bloomington in a CCIW game.

Elmhurst dropped to 9-4 overall and 2-2 in conference play, while Illinois Wesleyan moved to 11-3 and 4-1 in conference play.

Wesleyan led 38-35 at halftime and then outscored Elmhurst 49-40 in the second half on the Dennie Bridges Court at the IWU Shirk Center.

Jeremy Ireland led Elmhurst with 22 points to go with eight rebounds. Justin Fox had 11 points, while Jake Rhode finished with 10 points and also had eight assists. Lavon Thomas had eight points and six rebounds.

Elmhurst College women’s basketball

The Elmhurst College women’s basketball team also headed to Bloomington where it dropped an 87-61 decision to Illinois Wesleyan.

The loss put Elmhurst at 7-7 overall and 3-2 in conference play. Wesleyan moved to 12-2 overall and 5-0 in CCIW action.

Wesleyan led 23-13 after the first quarter and 48-18 at halftime. Elmhurst outscored Wesleyan 43-39 in the second half.

Mikaela Eppard led Elmurst with 15 points and 14 rebounds. Jasmin Bailey added 14 points, while Marissa Urso had 10 points. Courtney O’Donnell added seven points.

In earlier action, Elmhurst downed Millikin University by a 69-64 count in Decatur.

The game was tied 13-13 after the first quarter. Millikin led 32-29 at halftime and 52-49 after three quarters. Elmhurst outscored the hosts 20-12 in the fourth quarter.

Eppard had 21 points and six rebounds. Hannah Henderson added 15 points and six rebounds for Elmhurst, while Kelly Weyhrich had seven points. Henderson also had three steals.