By Mike Helfgot
Wayne Blackshear and Markee Williams might not have been feeling great, but Morgan Park has never felt better.
The Louisville-bound Blackshear scored 11 of his game-high 17 points from the free-throw line. The freshman, Williams, had 13 in two-and-a-half quarters as No. 20 Morgan Park stunned No. 1 Young 72-53 in the second round of the Public League playoffs Wednesday at Young.
"We've been preparing for this game since we saw the bracket, and I've been talking about playing against these guys since the summer," said Blackshear, playing for the second time since missing nearly three weeks with a sprained ankle. "I didn't worry about my ankle. I couldn't play above the rim, so I relied on fundamental stuff like pump-faking to get to the line."
Young (17-4) led 25-15 lead after one quarter, but Williams led the Mustangs back. The 5-foot-10 lefty had six points in the second quarter and seven in the third.
Williams said he got dizzy and had trouble breathing midway through the third quarter, but senior Leron Smith ensured that Morgan Park (17-5) would not miss a beat.
Smith scored seven of his eight points after Williams left the game, and played strong defense on Young's Ahmad Starks, who scored just four of his team-high 15 points after the first quarter.
"Leron Smith is a senior and our leader. He always steps up," Williams said. "He's the reason I came to Morgan Park. I wish he was a junior and we could play together again next year. I just have to enjoy it now while he's with me."
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