Kenwood’s two new additions spent last season in very different environments.
Amari Edwards, who started high school with St. Rita’s star-studded group a few years ago, was the point guard on Phillips’ Class 2A state championship team last season. He’s played on the city’s biggest basketball stage for four years.
TJ Seals, who moved to Chicago from Minnesota his sophomore year, played in the Noble conference at Johnson last year. Some of his games were in field houses without any crowd.
“Coming from the [Noble conference] Seals is getting out of the mud, as they say,” Kenwood sophomore Devin Cleveland said. “He’s had monster stat lines this season. I know he was nervous coming in to this stage though. I was nervous last year and I didn’t even play.”
Seals and Edwards both had monster stat lines in No. 3 Kenwood’s 61-58 win against No. 2 Warren in the Chicago Elite Classic on Saturday at Credit Union 1 Arena.
Edwards scored a game-high 26 points and was 6 of 6 from three-point range. Seals, a 6-5 senior, had eight points and 18 rebounds for the Broncos (4-0).
“I was nervous at the beginning but I locked in with my boys and just played ball,” Seals said.
Kenwood opened the season at No. 1 last year. But the Broncos’ never clicked and underachieved. The talented players never settled into roles. Edwards and Seals are comfortable with their identities on the court.
“That has definitely helped,” Kenwood coach Joseph Mason said. “They know their roles and it is easier for the other guys to fit in around them. And they’ve brought a level of toughness and grit. Seals brings the energy and crashes the glass.”
Warren led by 11 in the second quarter but was never able to take control of the game.
“We couldn’t sustain the lead,” Blue Devils coach Zack Ryan said. “There were a lot of open looks we missed and some that went in and out. Then they turned up their defensive intensity and Edwards didn’t miss a three. That hurt us.”
Cleveland’s three-pointer with 4:48 to play tied the game at 49. Then Edwards hit a three and sophomore Damari Stephens (six points, five rebounds) scored the next two baskets to put the Broncos ahead 56-50.
Warren sophomore Jaxson Davis asserted himself at that point. He made a three-point play, made another free throw and had a steal and a layup to pull the Blue Devils (4-2) with 58-56.
But Kenwood shot 3 of 4 from the free-throw line in the last 16 seconds to seal the win.
The game was set up so Davis and Cleveland, two of the best sophomores in the country, could match up. Cleveland scored 17 and Davis finished with 17 points and seven assists.
Cleveland and Davis have been friends since they were five years old and play club basketball together.
“We always have the best competition,” Cleveland said. “I’ll win one and then he will come back and win one. Jaxson is a real good player and that whole Warren team is phenomenal.”
Warren was without one of its top players, Javerion Banks. The senior may miss a significant portion of the season due to a recent injury.
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