Three-peat: DePaul Prep beats Brother Rice in double-overtime to win Class 3A

CHAMPAIGN — DePaul Prep opened the season with massive expectations. The Rams won the Class 3A state title in 2024 and the 2A title in 2023. This year’s team was supposed to be even better.

That’s a unique situation for any high school basketball team to handle. But DePaul Prep delivered on all those expectations throughout the season.

The Rams won the prestigious Pontiac Holiday Tournament, won the Catholic League conference title and Saturday at State Farm Center knocked off Brother Rice 55-52 in double overtime to win the Class 3A state title.

Makai Kvamme was the starting point guard on all three teams, and the senior stepped up in the fourth quarter and the overtimes to secure the win.

Three consecutive state titles is an extremely rare feat in Illinois high school basketball. The first team to three-peat was the great East St. Louis Lincoln teams in 1987, 1988 and 1989 in the old two-class system. Peoria Manual won four in a row in the mid-1990s.

Jabari Parker and Simeon won four straight from 2010 to ’13. Orr, led by coach Lou Adams, won three consecutive Class 2A titles from 2017 to ’19. The Spartans were in Peoria preparing to play for a fourth Class 2A title in 2020 when the state finals were canceled because of COVID.

Kvamme finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Junior Rashaun Porter Jr. added 14 points and 11 rebounds.

“I didn’t score in the first three quarters, but my teammates picked me up,” Kvamme said. “I just waited for my game to turn around.”

Brother Rice had a chance to win at the end of regulation, but Jack Weigus’ shot didn’t fall. DePaul Prep (33-4) had a shot at the first-overtime buzzer, but Porter missed from the post.

Porter threw down a dunk and was fouled with 25 seconds left in the second overtime. His free throw put DePaul ahead 53-49.

“We just really wanted to stay poised,” Porter said. “We used our experience to the best of our ability.”

Citadel recruit Marcos Gonzales finished with 24 points and eight rebounds.

“Brother Rice changed my life and not just the basketball part of it,” Gonzales said. “It’s the school and the community. It’s not the outcome we wanted, but I told the guys we’ll be remembered forever. This is a legendary moment in Brother Rice history.”

Gonzales scored all 13 of Brother Rice’s points in the fourth quarter. KJ Morris added 11 points for the Crusaders (31-7) and Weigus 10.

“We had two battles this year [with DePaul Prep],” Brother Rice coach Conte Stamas said. “It was a slugfest both times. The atmosphere was electric. I want to thank the Brother Rice community for all the support and for showing up tonight.”

Brother Rice’s basketball program had almost everything even before this year’s team arrived in Champaign.

The school’s gym on Pulaski is a high school basketball temple. The cozy confines drip with character, and the Crusader Crazies student section is one of the state’s most intimidating.

Longtime coach Pat Richardson, who retired in 2014, was one of the Chicago area’s top coaches for more than two decades. Bobby Frasor, a 2005 graduate who played at North Carolina, was a McDonald’s All-American.

The one thing Brother Rice doesn’t have is a state title. The Crusaders came close Saturday.