Cully the Closer and other hoops bits

After a typically busy and fun holiday hoops season and a little down time, it's time to get back at it...

Schaumburg's Cully Payne has become the basketball equivalent of Mariano Rivera, Bobby Jenks or Dennis Eckersley - at the end of the game he's the guy you want with the ball. And more important, he's the guy who wants the ball.
He might have a first half that is nothing awe-inspring, but the later and closer the game gets the better Payne seems to get. He was at it again in Tuesday night's Mid-Suburban League crossover against Prospect - making big shots or big passes down the stretch as the Saxons rebounded from their only loss to Warren in the title game at Pontiac.
He's also one of those rare players who can miss a bunch of shots in a row but not have it affect his confidence one bit. Last year I wasn't sure about him succeeding at DePaul - before he switched gears and decided to go to Alabama - but the more I watch him the more I see him finding some way to have a successful role in that program.
Few people thought the late Matt Heldman, who starred at Libertyville in the 1990s, would be much of a factor when he got to Illinois. But he showed heart and desire could go a long way and he became a significant contributor on some really good Fighting Illini teams. It's the same heart and desire Payne is showing.

The next few weeks are going to be pretty interesting for Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates and Conant. On Friday, Hoffman is at Conant in a big MSL West showdown. Schaumburg has had some tough times in recent years with Fremd, which has improved after an 0-7 start against a brutal schedule. On Saturday, Conant heads up for a nonconference toughie with Warren.

Then it's Schaumburg-Hoffman on Jan. 15 in a rematch of their fantastic regional opener last year and duel between Payne and Luke Mead. Schaumburg then faces Jacobs in the second game of the Sears Centre tripleheader on Jan. 17 that starts with Conant facing Barrington and ends with North Lawndale meeting St. Joseph. That's also a big weekend for Hoffman as it heads to Rockton Hononegah for four games in three days. Last year Hoffman lost to Schaumburg and then went 0-4 up there.

Finally, Conant hosts Schaumburg in a rematch of a 62-43 loss on Jan. 24. By then the MSL West race may have a clearer picture.