Loyola Academy secured its third consecutive regional title with a 49-41 victory over Lincoln Park on Friday night at Glenbrook South, fueled by a pivotal performance from senior forward Hayden Harrington.
Harrington, coming off the bench, provided an immediate spark for the Ramblers, scoring the team’s final basket of the first quarter and the first two buckets of the second, giving Loyola an 11-9 lead. All six of his field goals came during possessions where the score was within one possession.
“Hayden’s really giving us a lot of positive play the last quarter of the year, been a huge spark off the bench,” Loyola Academy coach Tom Livatino said. “He’s given us some inside post scoring, given us some size. Him and Brody Munsey-Johnson have really had a great year.”
The win marked the Ramblers’ eighth consecutive victory as they navigate a strong finish to the season. Loyola Academy (27-6) established a significant advantage in the third quarter, forcing Lincoln Park (21-9) to play from behind for the remainder of the game.
Despite a slow start that saw them trail 16-15 at halftime after missing their final six shots of the first half, the Ramblers responded effectively in the second half. A key moment came in the fourth quarter when Trey Williams delivered a cross-court pass to Samuel Golden, who converted a three-pointer to extend Loyola’s lead to 40-33 with 4:13 remaining.
Golden finished the game with 11 points, including a pair of three-pointers, while Williams contributed 9 points. Munsey-Johnson added 8 points, scoring crucial baskets during a vital stretch in the third period, helping Loyola build a 25-22 lead. He also added a pair of free throws late in the third quarter to extend the lead to 33-27.
Harrington contributed a game-high 12 points, including 6 in the decisive third quarter. He also benefited from an and-1 bucket assisted by Williams, giving the Ramblers their largest lead of the game at 27-22.
Lincoln Park attempted to close the gap in the fourth quarter, with Ashton Flowers bringing the score within three points at 46-43 with 1:43 left, but they were unable to further reduce the deficit.
“Lincoln Park is just physically tough,” Livatino said. “They keep coming at you. They are relentless. We had to be tough and we were.”
Loyola Academy will now advance to a 4A sectional semifinal at home in Wilmette, where they will face Evanston. Evanston defeated Niles North 80-55 in their own regional final. The upcoming game will be a rematch of a close contest from January 20, where Evanston secured a 63-61 victory on a buzzer-beating three-pointer by Ben Ojala.
“There’s not a better sectional in Illinois than the sectional we’re in,” Livatino said. “It’s going to be an amazing environment. We’re just glad that we get to keep playing. Get to keep working and hanging out with each other. These are awesome kids.”
