The second-round matchup between No. 6 Illinois (12-17) and No. 3 Alabama (17-8) in the 47th Annual National Intercollegiate Wheelchair Basketball Tournament on Thursday began as a competitive, defensive game.
Neither team had a clear advantage in the first quarter, after which Alabama led 15-11. The Crimson Tide eventually started to pull ahead and kept the Illini scoreless in the second quarter until the 4:52 mark.
Milan brings the energy
Even with Alabama maintaining a comfortable lead, Illinois was able to keep the game relatively within reach due to stellar offensive play from freshman Sebastian Milan. The first year scored a team-high 19 points while also draining three three-pointers. He was a key catalyst in keeping the game competitive.
“I try to distribute being a pass-first guard,” Milan said. “But when I see that my team is a little off, I like to take matters into my own hands and try to bring everything up and I take that as a challenge.”
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Milan provided some much-needed energy, and it proved effective down the stretch. Illinois entered the fourth quarter with tons of vigor. It was drawing more fouls, forcing turnovers and was able to briefly cut its deficit to just 6 points. Despite the late comeback, it was too little, too late, and Illinois was eliminated from the tournament.
“We dug our hole pretty deep to start,” said head coach Jacob Tyree. “We had to really climb and fight back, but we’re Fighting Illini for a reason. We fought back, we gave it a grind – it made it a little scary at times for them.”
Spirits high despite loss
Senior Martrell Stevens talked about being able to win these types of games, even while having less experience than other teams. Illinois’ starting five consisted of three freshmen, a sophomore and Stevens. Despite playing against mostly older competitors, he believes his team can win it all in the coming seasons.
“I’m just excited about the future for this team,” Stevens said. “If we can last in the game like that, we can definitely win a national championship.”
Even after the tough loss, spirits remain optimistic for the Illini. The team started their season with a record of 0-8 but ended the year with a 9-2 stretch. They also made the second round of the NIWBT as the No. 6 seed.
The young team with a first-year head coach is very bullish on their future after making so much noise this season. Players and coaches alike are excited to be a part of the developing program.
“We finished on a high note, showing the growth and development of all the players, even the coaching,” Milan said. “It’s a bright thing to look forward to in the future.”
Tyree agreed that a bright future lies ahead for the program.
“What we can accomplish next season is just going to be absolutely incredible to watch,” Tyree said. “I’m super excited to be at the head of it.”
