ROCKFORD — If you can’t stand the humidity, get out of the gym.
Winnebago and Lutheran did just that Saturday night when their Big Northern West boys basketball game was suspended because the humidity in the packed Lutheran gym made the floor too slick.
“We don’t have this problem on a regular basis, unless we have 800 people in here, which we have right now.” said Pam Blume, Lutheran’s assistant athletic director.
The game has been rescheduled for 7 p.m. Monday.
Winnebago was leading 32-24 with 5:12 left in the third quarter when the game was stopped because players were slipping on wet spots.
“You couldn’t really take a step,” said Winnebago junior forward Chas Cross. “You would go to make a cut and slip. You had to be careful.”
The IHSA will decide Monday if the game is resumed in the third period or started over from the beginning.
Winnebago Coach Joe Murphy hopes the contest starts from scratch.
“I didn’t think it was fair to (Lutheran) because we got the lead when they were on the bad end of the floor,” Murphy said. “They just quit scoring. Some of it was our defense, but a lot of it was they were just falling down.
“It would be better if the IHSA let us start all over.”
Lutheran Coach Devin Smith praised Murphy for the offer.
“I really appreciate his composure and his understanding of the situation,” Smith said.
Lutheran (9-3, 2-0) dominated the first quarter, forcing 12 Winnebago turnovers while building a 15-7 lead entering the second period.
Cross took over the game in the second quarter, scoring 13 of his 15 first-half points and powering Winnebago (14-0, 1-0) to a 27-17 edge at intermission.
Lutheran had cut the deficit to 32-24 with the Crusaders’ Taylor Dixon preparing to shoot two free throws when the action was halted.
After a meeting between school officials, refs and coaches, the gym was cleared for 15 minutes to cool it off. Meanwhile, crews mopped the floor with a degreaser, but it failed to solve the problem.
Monday’s situation should be better because the gym will be cooler and less humid as no sophomore game will be played, Blume said.
- Doug Goodman, rrstar.com
