Boys Basketball: Mundelein benefits from loss to defending champ Hales Franciscan

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Sophomore guard Nate Williams, seen here in earlier action this season, is coming on strong for the Mustangs. | Brian O'Mahoney~For Sun-Times Media

Updated: February 27, 2012 8:36AM

Very rarely do teams try to run with the Mundelein High School boys basketball team.

Of course, Hales Franciscan, the defending IHSA Class 2A state champion, is not like most teams. Mundelein put a major scare into Hales Franciscan in the Whitney Young Shootout on Saturday, before ultimately falling 97-85.

Although the Mustangs lost, the matchup was exactly what Mundelein coach Dick Knar wanted. Games like that one can benefit Mundelein even more than lopsided victories, as the Mustangs gear up for the season’s stretch run. In February, Mundelein will match up with Milwaukee Hamilton, one of Wisconsin’s top teams.

“We want to play teams like that,” said Knar, whose team had not lost since Dec. 20. “The Hales Franciscan game was great competition and a very beneficial experience for us. Playing very talented teams lets us know where we are in the state.”

For the first 30 minutes, Mundelein stayed right with Hales Franciscan. In fact, the Mustangs did more than that, jumping out to a 17-7 lead and enjoying a double-digit advantage two different times.

Ultimately, turnovers (25) and an inability to defend did in the Mustangs.

“When you make mistakes against real talented teams, they’ll make you pay for it,” Knar said. “We talked after the game about how we have to make better decisions; we can’t throw as many crosscourt passes. We also have be more physical and defend. Giving up 95 points is not acceptable.”

Big stage: Junior Robert Knar lives for games like the one in which Mundelein played Saturday.

“The bigger the game, the better he plays,” said coach Knar, who’s also Robert’s father.

Knar added to his list of big-game performances by knocking down four shots from behind the arc en route to a game-high 34 points.

“They guarded him with different (players) and he continued to score,” coach Knar said.

Robert Knar enjoyed the game’s frenetic pace.

“The teams didn’t know a lot about each other, and we took advantage of that at the start,” he said. “We played a really good first quarter defensively, but we only did that in spurts. We have to be more consistent.”

After he hit his second three-pointer, Hales Franciscan began face-guarding Knar.

“I knew I had to just keep moving without the ball,” he said.

Breaking out: If you follow the Mundelein program, you know that sophomore Nate Williams is a player to watch. On Saturday, he came through with his best game against a real quality opponent, getting off to a hot start with two three-pointers and a layup. He finished with 15 points.

Robert Knar had a hunch Williams was ready to produce.

“Nate’s been really aggressive in practice and he was ready to play,” Knar said.

Coach Knar said it’s just a matter of time before Williams plays like that consistently.

“He’s a very athletic kid who can shoot the ball and get to the rim,” Knar said. “He does a really good job defensively, but this was a coming out party for him on offense.”

Producers: Cliff Dunigan scored in double figures (12 points), and Sean O’Brien had nine points and 11 rebounds.

“I’m always talking to Cliff about accepting the responsibility of being one of our scorers,” coach Knar said. “He was aggressive and looked to score.”

On the schedule: The Mustangs visit Lake Forest tonight to make up a game that was snowed out on Jan. 20.

Mundelein then visits Warren for an eagerly anticipated matchup on Saturday. Warren won the first meeting 61-45 on Dec. 10.

“I think this is a make or break week,” coach Knar said. “(It) will determine sectional seeding, conference (positioning) and things like that.”

In order for Mundelein to defeat Warren this time around, the Mustangs will have to do a better job of matching up inside.

“Warren is playing its best basketball of the year,” he said. “The key for us is how we rebound and defend the interior.”