The performance was good enough to wonder if it was Evanston's best game of the season.

From Malcolm Townsel's perspective, probably so.

"I think if you ask Nojel (Eastern)," Evanston coach Mike Ellis said, "he wouldn't say yes."

Simeon coach Robert Smith certainly was impressed. His Wolverines held the Purdue-bound Eastern to four points and still lost by 18.

Townsel scored 20 points, Chris Hamil added 15 and No. 8 Evanston made a statement heading into the postseason with a 56-38 victory over No. 5 Simeon in the City-Suburban Showdown at Robert Morris University in Arlington Heights.

Both teams played the previous night — Simeon beat No. 2 Young in the semifinals of the Public League playoffs and Evanston defeated Maine South — and Simeon has another big game Sunday against No. 4 Morgan Park for the city championship.

Simeon beat Evanston in the middle of the same back-to-back-to-back scenario before winning the city championship over Kenwood last year.

Stevenson edges No. 4 Morgan Park in OT at City-Suburban Showdown Mike Helfgot

The high-energy style, the intimidation tactics, even the play calls, were familiar to Justin Smith and Willie Herenton.

They're used to playing for, not against, the Morgan Park coaching staff on the AAU circuit, so coach Pat Ambrose and his Stevenson staff spent some time this week getting them...

The high-energy style, the intimidation tactics, even the play calls, were familiar to Justin Smith and Willie Herenton.

They're used to playing for, not against, the Morgan Park coaching staff on the AAU circuit, so coach Pat Ambrose and his Stevenson staff spent some time this week getting them...

(Mike Helfgot)

"They played well," Smith said. "You can't take that from them. I don't know if we were at our best what the outcome would have been. They shot the ball well from the perimeter and did everything they needed to do.

"Mentally, I think we are ready for (Sunday). It is not like we're playing Kenwood. We're playing Morgan Park."

Evanston (23-3) was ready for the box-and-one Simeon (23-3) employed to contain Eastern. Townsel shot 7-for-12 from the field and 6-for-6 on free throws, while Hamil did all his damage behind the 3-point line, shooting 5-for-7.

Eastern shot 1-for-7 but grabbed nine rebounds and added five assists and two steals.

"Knowing they'd probably focus on our best shooter, Chris, and our most well-rounded guy, Nojel, I thought I could have some opportunities in the middle and on the wing and on the baseline," Townsel said.

"The unselfishness, especially from Nojel, whether he has zero, four or 20 or 30 points, he just helps to find guys. Chris on the 3-point line, Elyjah (Williams) down low, me wherever I'm at, that just shows where we are as a team and how unselfish we can be."

Player of the game: Malcolm Townsel, Evanston, 20 points, 7-12 FG, 6-6 FT, 4 rebounds.

Key performers: Evanston — Chris Hamil, 15 points, 5 3-pointers, 4 rebounds. Simeon — Kezo Brown, 16 points, 4 rebounds.

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