Henderson scores 23; Trojans hold Libertyville star Drew Peterson to six
Semaj Henderson wanted the assignment.
![Henderson, Downers Grove North's 6-foot-1 junior guard, might have given away seven inches guarding 6-8 Libertyville star Drew Peterson, but he wanted to check him.
No surprise there.
"Semaj in his own mind can beat [Boston Celtics guard] Kyrie Irving right now," joked Trojans coach Jim Thomas said. "That's why we love the guy."](754cac69-59fa-441f-9f0c-0547488b9935/image-pv_web.jpg)
Henderson, Downers Grove North's 6-foot-1 junior guard, might have given away seven inches guarding 6-8 Libertyville star Drew Peterson, but he wanted to check him.
No surprise there.
"Semaj in his own mind can beat [Boston Celtics guard] Kyrie Irving right now," joked Trojans coach Jim Thomas said. "That's why we love the guy."
Henderson didn't defend Peterson. Downers Grove North did, though, bring him down to size.
Scott Jakobsze led a defensive effort that held Libertyville's senior to one of his worst high school games, six points total. Henderson starred with 23 points, and the Trojans notched their biggest win of the season, 58-49 at Downers Grove North's Winter Classic.
"We knew we had two Top 25 teams coming up this week," said Henderson, referring to Libertyville and Oak Park. "We wanted to pop at least one of them."
Trey Boston added nine points, Jakobsze had eight points and eight rebounds and Keenan Davis seven points and seven rebounds for Downers Grove North (9-6).
The Trojans came in losers of three straight. It's a stretch, though, that probably steeled a junior-heavy group in the long run.
Downers Grove North lost to Young and Bogan to end the Proviso West Holiday Tournament, then to Oak Park Wednesday.
"I think every game we were in the game into the second half," Henderson said. "A lot of games we let go, but it's a learning experience."
It helps to be whole, which Downers Grove North was close to Saturday for just the second time this year.
Davis missed the first 5-6 games with a torn MCL. When he returned, Jakobsze went out with a back injury. Without him the Trojans were hammered on the boards in losses to Glenbard West and Proviso West. Davis, it seemed, came down with all kinds of big rebounds late.
"That's the most important thing late in games, is to finish off possessions," Davis said.
"That's the Keenan we know, gobbling up rebounds," Thomas added.
Libertyville's Peterson is perhaps Illinois' top uncommitted senior. He landed his latest offer Friday, from UC-Santa Barbara. Illinois and Wisconsin have shown interest.
He was strikingly quiet Saturday, though.
Jakobsze guarded him most of the game, and Peterson was just 2-for-15 from the field. His teammates made up for it with six 3-pointers in the first half, staking Libertyville (10-6) to a 25-24 halftime lead. Peterson never did get going, though.
"We basically had to face-guard him," said Jakobsze, a 6-5 junior. "He takes a lot of pull up shots and he's patient. You just have to stay low, stay in stance, don't let him get by you."
The six-point total shocked everyone, Trojans included.
"I was like, six points?" Davis said. "This guy's a Big Ten player."
Henderson himself holds offers from Northern Illinois and Western Illinois, and showed why Saturday.
He missed both shot attempts in the first quarter, but didn't force it. He heated up in the second quarter, with 10 points, and hit two big 3-pointers in the teeth of the fourth quarter. The second gave the Trojans a 47-43 lead, sparking a decisive 10-2 run.
Henderson also was 7-for-8 from the free-throw line. Downers Grove North, as a team, was 16-for-18 in the fourth quarter.
Thomas said Henderson's unique talents make him tough to coach, but he's a sponge. Henderson loads hours of film onto Hudl to hone his craft.
"When he's making good decisions like he did tonight we're like a point per possession," Thomas said. "I've never had a kid like him. He's so crafty with the ball. Nobody can keep him in front of them. He keeps getting better."