The Cardinals finished the season 15-10 overall and 5-9 in the CCIW while North Park concluded its year at 4-21/0-14. It is the most wins for the North Central men’s basketball program since 1990. It is also the most wins ever for a first-year head coach in the program’s history.
Senior Patrick Flanigan (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South), the only four-year member of the team being honored Saturday night, got the Cards off to a great start with eight first-half points and three assists. A long jumper and a three-pointer from Flanigan gave the team a 10-point lead at 17-7 with 14:44 on the clock. Flanigan filled up the box score, totaling 12 points, eight rebounds and six assists on the night.
North Central’s biggest lead of the first half came with three seconds left when Ray Vicario (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) drove the lane, sank the basket and was fouled. After his made free throw, the Cardinals held a 47-24 advantage at the break. Vicario was an impressive 3 of 3 from behind the arc in the first half for a team-high 14 points. The junior point guard finished the night with 17. Anthony Simmons (Bolingbrook, Ill./Romeoville) nearly had a double-double after one half of play with 10 points and nine rebounds. He completed the task with a game-high 13 boards to go along with 16 points.
North Central led by as many as 33 points in the second half at 81-48 with 4:40 to play after Flanigan completed an alleyoop from Adam Teising (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central). The Cardinals enjoyed their biggest lead moments later when Justin Johnson (Elgin, Ill./Burlington Central) banked in a three-pointer for a 36-point advantage. Teising had a season-high nine assists in the game with no turnovers and seven points. Also finishing in double figures for North Central was Daniel Walton (Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North) with 14 points. The only other Cardinal senior, Daniel Doyle (Wheaton, Ill./Glenbard West) finished with nine points.
North Park was led by Brett Mathisen with 17 points and seven rebounds. Mike Peterson had 14 points and Lamar Townsend 13.