Ironmen To Meet #1 Ranked Simeon In Supersectional

NORMAL — Dave Witzig can appreciate a good dunk as much as the next guy. Yet, for one night, the Normal Community High School basketball coach would prefer to pass on the windmills and alley-oops.

Witzig has no interest in watching a slam dunk contest when his No. 5-ranked Ironmen (31-1) face No. 1 Chicago Simeon (27-3) in Tuesday’s 7 p.m. Class 4A Normal Super-Sectional.

“We have to handle the ball against their pressure and make them go against our five-man defense,” Witzig said. “If it turns into a fastbreak drill, you’re going to see a lot of great dunks at Redbird Arena.”

Simeon, a seven-time state champion, has three Big Ten Conference recruits in its starting lineup with 6-foot-7 senior guard/forward D.J. Williams (Illinois), 6-5 senior guard/forward Isaiah Moss (Iowa) and 6-7 senior forward/center Edward Morrow (Nebraska).

“We’ve watched Keita Bates-Diop here the past few years,” Witzig said of the former University High star now at Ohio State. “Imagine a team with three players like that.”

Of the three, Witzig said the biggest concern is Morrow. The 205-pounder was the focus of Chicago St. Rita’s defense in the sectional finals, yet still managed 11 points and nine rebounds in a 74-70 win.

“He’s a real aggressive rim protector and he attacks the rim on the other end,” Witzig said. “He causes a lot of problems.”

NCHS has good size as well in 6-8 senior Tyler Seibring and 6-7 Alex Peacock. Seibring averages 13.8 points and 6.7 rebounds, while Peacock also is at 13.8 with 6.8 rebounds.

Seibring used “relentless” to describe Morrow’s style.

“He’s going to be a great challenge for us,” said Seibring, who is headed to Division I Elon. “We’re going to do our best and come out ready to play.

“They’re obviously a very talented team, but we’re going about our practices and scouting the same way as every game. We’re planning on playing good basketball and hopefully that’s going to work out.”

Simeon has won six state titles under coach Robert Smith, including four straight from 2010-13. The Wolverines avenged one of this year’s three losses by beating St. Rita.

They thrive on their pressure defense and fast-paced style. NCHS has faced a number of teams in and outside of the Big 12 Conference with the same approach.

“It’s not going to be a surprise playing against a style like this,” Witzig said. “We know our work is cut out for us, but it’s 4A and you’re going to play teams like this.

“We have two things going for us: it’s March and in March you never know what can happen, and playing a home game is a huge help. They have to get on a bus and travel two and a half hours, while we’ll have a great home crowd at the game.”

NCHS, which placed fourth in 4A in 2011, has averaged 11 turnovers per game against an array of pressing defenses. Primary ballhandler David Boyd has committed just 62 turnovers in 32 games while dishing out a team-high 104 assists.

Fellow senior Zach Thompson is the No. 3 scorer at 8.6 points per game and has 56 3-pointers, two less than Seibring.

“The main thing we’re talking about is tempo and playing our game,” Seibring said. “We don’t want to be affected by the pace they try to set.”

The winner plays in an 8:15 p.m. state semifinal Friday at Peoria against either No. 6 Lake Park or No. 9 Geneva.