The Wheaton Warrenville South Boys’ Varsity basketball team hosted and won the Martin Luther King Jr. basketball tournament on Jan. 14 and 16. The tournament commemorated Dr. King’s legacy and values.

South started the tournament on Jan. 14 with a well-deserved 57-37 win against Lake Forest Academy. The first half was somewhat even, the Caxys relying on three-point shooting. The Tigers pulled away in the second half as they established their zone defense. “We wanted to make sure that they didn’t catch and shoot it, that they dribbled it first,” WWS head coach Mike Healy said. “And then we wanted to put a bit more pressure, which we did.” WWS continued the tournament later the same day against Plainfield South. South maintained a substantial lead throughout the contest, which ended in a 52-32 victory for the home team. “We were pretty good defensively tonight,” coach Healy noted. “They were running around a little bit and scrambling.”

The Tigers moved on to the championship bracket on Jan. 16, where they first faced Normal Community. South once again defended the Orange and Black Gym, winning 58-33. That evening, WWS faced Rockford East in the final. The first three quarters were absolutely riveting, with both teams exchanging momentous plays. Entering the fourth quarter, the match was tied at 32. Then, the Tigers took control of the game. A dunk from Braylen Meredith gave South a nine-point lead and the momentum with just over two and a half minutes left. Late three-pointers from Amojon Curtis-Morris and Antonio Lewis weren’t enough for the E-Rabs as the Tigers won 50-41 and secured the tournament title. Meredith led the way for WWS with 20 points, while Luca Carbonaro provided key passes and layups. The Tigers improved their record to 18-2 overall.

“We’re hoping that we carry some of this momentum from this weekend into the next five, six weeks,” coach Healy stated.