Last time we checked in on the Ballin’ Dolphins was in early January 2018 when they were 14-4. They are now 22-6 and have been playing great. The Dolphins finished in second place in the Red-West conference with a record of 7-2 after losing to Orr High School and Lincoln Park High School since the season started.

They were also spent considerable time on the road, traveling to Lombard, IL, St. Louis, MO, and Santa Ana, CA. In Lombard, IL, they participated in the ‘When Sides Collide’ Shootout at Glenbard East High School. They faced Bloomington High School, beating them in a close game of 70-67. In St. Louis, MO, they went up against Chaminade High School at Chaminade High School and lost with a score of 74-97. Their last game out of town was in Santa Ana, CA against St. Augustine High School at Mater Dai High School for the Nike Extravaganza. They played a great game, winning with a score of 74-56. Sophomore guard, Tyler Beard, made his season debut in that game after coming off the bench from an injury. Beard says, “It is great to be back to help my team get through tough situations.”

So far, the Dolphins have played three games in the City Playoffs. The first game was Senior Night on February 6, 2018 against Michelle Clark High School. The Dolphins blew past the first round, beating them with a score of 82-54. The second round was also a home game for the Dolphins, played against Chicago Vocational High School. It was a close game until the fourth quarter when the Dolphins took off, ending with a score of 88-79.

The ‘Elite 8’ or third round was a home game played against Morgan Park High School. This was a very electric game that kept fans on the edge of their seats. Senior guard, Javon Freeman, had the most points for the Dolphins with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists. Senior point guard, Xavier Castaneda, trailed behind him 14 points and 5 assists. Sophomore guard, Tyler Beard, also had 14 points with 6 rebounds and 2 assists. Senior forward, Jake Kosakowski, had 9 points consisting of 3 three-point shots, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists. He also had the game-winning 3-point shot at the end of the fourth quarter after a timeout from head coach, Tyrone Slaughter, with 7.8 seconds left on the clock. Following an inbound pass from Javon Freeman to Xavier Castaneda and then to Jake Kosakowski in the corner, the Ballin’ Dolphins secured their spot in the Final Four, beating Morgan Park with a score of 69-66. Kosakowski says, “It felt great to sink that shot, knowing that I was a part of the play that won us the game and making everyone happy.”

The Final Four games will be held at Chicago State University on February 16, 2018. The first game will be played between Orr Academy High School and Curie High School at 5:00 PM. The second and last game will be between the Dolphins and the Simeon Wolverines at 7:00 PM. If the Dolphins are victorious, they will move on to the Championship game at Chicago State University on February 18, 2018 at 4:00 PM.