No. 1 Andrean boys basketball team takes Morton's best shot

MERRILLVILLE | Ben Chinn is like those express car washes where your vehicle comes out looking showroom new.

In just his first season as a head coach, Chinn led Morton to the Great Lakes Athletic Conference title at 5-1 and has the Governors flirting with their first winning season since 2005-06.

Tuesday night, his Govs moved up a weight class and took on a potent Andrean team whose average margin of victory was 21 points.

It took two quarters for Times No. 1 Andrean, deeper and more talented, to dispose of its visitors, 86-62.

"I knew we'd play hard. I didn't learn anything new there," Chinn said. "But they wore us down. They're taller and bigger at all five positions, and that's why.

"They went on a run or two where we couldn't get a stop."

Andrean (17-2) led by as many as 22 points in the third quarter and 27 in the fourth while showing the balance of a tightrope walker.

Guard Nick Davidson scored most of his 23 points on penetration; 6-foot-9 Josh James bullied his way to 20 points and 12 rebounds, and Collin Wojcik added 20 points, including four 3s.

"He's been shooting the apple really well for many many weeks," coach Carson Cunningham said. "He's shooting over 40 percent from 3 but, more importantly, he's driving."

Wojcik's consistency from beyond the arc could determine how deep Andrean goes in the tournament.

"I definitely think my freshman and sophomore year I was real streaky," said the 6-4 junior. "I'm getting close to being more consistent when I don't think, just shoot."

The loss overshadowed an inspiring 35-point effort by guard/forward Rayan Elabed, a 6-3 sophomore. His five 3s also led Morton (11-9).

"He's only averaging about 10.5 points a game, but his teammates did a great job of creating for him," Chinn  said. "And in the last four or five outings, he's averaging about 17 points a game."

Despite the lopsided score, Cunningham came away impressed with Morton.

"That's a good team, an athletic team. They could upset somebody in the tournament," he said.