Jack Weigus endured an incredibly difficult season last year, living through the drama at Hinsdale South.
His move to Brother Rice was the most understandable transfer of the summer and it has paid off quickly. The 6-3 senior was the best player in one of the biggest games of the young season, scoring 28 points to lead the undefeated No. 11 Crusaders to a 72-71 win against No. 2 Bolingbrook on Saturday in Orland Park.
“It feels surreal,” Weigus said. “It’s been better than you can imagine [at Brother Rice] with the coaches and the players. Finally to have some consistency and feel good and feel supported is awesome.”
Weigus was 10-for-15 from the field and 5 of 7 from three-point range and had five rebounds.
The Crusaders (10-0) went about four minutes without a basket during a stretch late in the third quarter and into the fourth. Weigus nailed a three with 7:16 left in the fourth quarter to end the drought and keep Bolingbrook (9-2) from building a lead.
“That was probably big for us to get some rhythm back,” Weigus said. “I was just trying not to force anything and let the game come to me.”
The game was tight throughout, with both teams shooting well until the Raiders hit hard times at the free-throw line in the fourth quarter. Bolingbrook missed five consecutive free throws in the middle of the quarter.
The Raiders had a chance to win at the end, but star sophomore Davion Thompson couldn’t get a shot off. Thompson finished with 23 points. Senior JT Pettigrew had 19 points, eight rebounds, four blocks and two steals. Kendall Cutler added 13 points and six rebounds for Bolingbrook.
“We need to make a few plays down the stretch and we didn’t make them,” Raiders coach Rob Brost said. “And [Brother Rice] is good. You have to give them credit.”
Citadel recruit Marcos Gonzales had 11 points and six rebounds for the Crusaders. KJ Morris added 10 points and five rebounds and Caden Workman finished with seven points and five rebounds.
Gonzales and Workman both fouled out. Brother Rice rebounded well as a team and was physical with Bolingbrook, not allowing any easy baskets.
“I wouldn’t say being physical with them was really part of the game plan,” Weigus said. “That’s just who we are as a team.”
Brother Rice’s undefeated start to the season was unexpected and a win against preseason No. 1 Bolingbrook takes things to another level.
“We had a good summer,” Crusaders coach Conte Stamas said. “This is a really connected group. And another year with me in the program helps. I didn’t know what our record would be but I felt we had a chance to be a good, solid team.”
Weigus’ impact on the team is even deeper than it appears from the outside.
“[Weigus] is not just a great player for us,” Stamas said. “He’s a great kid and a great student. He has fit in seamlessly. It’s a joy to coach a kid like that. And he’s become a leader in less than a year. To do that at a new school says a lot about a kid. We are thrilled to have him.”
