Blue Devils Navigate Busy Opening Stretch, Highlighted by Buzzer-Beater Win Over Beecher

The Peotone Blue Devils have kicked off the 2023-24 basketball season with a flurry of action, playing five games in a ten-day span. Despite a dramatic buzzer-beating victory against Beecher and a dominant showing against Milford, the team currently stands at 2-3 overall following a hard-fought loss to Clifton Central on Sunday.

Here is a recap of the Blue Devils’ opening performances:

IC Catholic Prep 58, Peotone 43 (Nov. 24)
Peotone opened the season with a tough loss to IC Catholic Prep. The Blue Devils kept the game competitive in the first half, entering the locker room trailing by just four points. However, the third quarter proved pivotal, as IC Catholic outscored Peotone by eight points to widen the gap.

Despite the loss, junior forward Ethan McNeill started the season strong, recording a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Junior guard Alex Chenoweth contributed 11 points, while Nick Cronin added six.

Peotone 43, Beecher 41 (Nov. 25)
In their second outing, the Blue Devils secured a thrilling victory in the final seconds. Trailing 41-37 with only 8.4 seconds remaining on the clock, the situation looked dire, but Peotone executed a flawless sequence to steal the win.

First, Chenoweth drained a three-pointer to cut the deficit to one. Following a timeout, the Peotone defense forced a crucial turnover on the ensuing throw-in. Regaining possession, the ball was inbounded to Chenoweth, who drove to the basket before kicking it out to McNeill at the top of the key. McNeill released a three-pointer at the buzzer, finding the bottom of the net to seal a 43-41 victory.

Manteno 52, Peotone 43 (Nov. 28)
Looking to build on their momentum, the Blue Devils faced Manteno in a game that saw Peotone fight back to take a late lead. The Devils rallied to hold a 39-37 advantage in the fourth quarter, but the offense stalled down the stretch. Manteno closed the game on a 13-6 run to secure the win.

Junior Tyler Walker emerged as a significant offensive threat, leading Peotone with 20 points on the strength of six three-pointers. McNeill continued his consistent play, adding 13 points and eight rebounds.

Peotone 61, Milford 25 (Dec. 2)
The Blue Devils bounced back with a dominant performance against Milford, jumping out to a commanding 22-6 lead early and maintaining control throughout.

Walker led the scoring charge again with 19 points, connecting on five three-pointers. The victory was a balanced team effort, with McNeill posting nine points and seven rebounds. Chenoweth and senior Nate Wehrmann both chipped in with eight points and five rebounds apiece.

Clifton Central 60, Peotone 53 (Dec. 3)
Concluding the busy stretch, the Blue Devils fell short against Clifton Central. Peotone fell behind early and spent the game attempting to climb back. Although the Devils cut the deficit to four or five points on numerous occasions, they could not fully close the gap.

The team struggled shooting from the field and went just 3-for-9 from the free-throw line, while also facing difficulties on the boards. Chenoweth led the scoring with 15 points and four rebounds. Walker and Nick Cronin each added 13 points, with Cronin pulling down four boards. McNeill finished with eight points and five rebounds.

Game Summaries

Nov. 24 vs. IC Catholic Prep

Final Score: IC Catholic 58, Peotone 43
Individual Statistics:

• ETHAN MCNEILL: 15 points, 11 rebounds

• ALEX CHENOWETH: 11 points

• NICK CRONIN: 6 points

Nov. 25 vs. Beecher

Final Score: Peotone 43, Beecher 41
Scoring Notes:

• GAME WINNER: Ethan McNeill (3-pointer at the buzzer)

• KEY PLAY: Alex Chenoweth (3-pointer and assist on game-winner)

Nov. 28 vs. Manteno

Final Score: Manteno 52, Peotone 43
Individual Statistics:

• TYLER WALKER: 20 points (six 3-pointers)

• ETHAN MCNEILL: 13 points, 8 rebounds

Dec. 2 vs. Milford

Final Score: Peotone 61, Milford 25
Individual Statistics:

• TYLER WALKER: 19 points (five 3-pointers)

• ETHAN MCNEILL: 9 points, 7 rebounds

• ALEX CHENOWETH: 8 points, 5 rebounds

• NATE WEHRMANN: 8 points, 5 rebounds

Dec. 3 vs. Clifton Central

Final Score: Clifton Central 60, Peotone 53
Individual Statistics:

• ALEX CHENOWETH: 15 points, 4 rebounds

• TYLER WALKER: 13 points

• NICK CRONIN: 13 points, 4 rebounds

• ETHAN MCNEILL: 8 points, 5 rebounds