Al Brooks Jr.'s double-double takes Rich Township past Kenwood in OT. All the way to state. ‘Couldn't just let it go.'

Chicago Tribune

11-03-2025

Everything around him got loud and proud, and at that pinnacle moment for Rich Township, senior forward Al Brooks Jr. felt a sudden surge that powered all the way through his body.
It also helped that the 6-foot-6 Brooks figured things out early as far as using his height.
'My pops had us playing against bigger guys when I was about 14, and I was pretty small back then,' he said. 'I had to learn how to create shots against contact and score against bigger guys.'
Brooks played like a bigger guy Monday night, totaling 27 points, 15 rebounds and four assists for the Raptors in 70-65 overtime victory over Kenwood in a Class 4A Illinois-Chicago Supersectional at Credit Union 1 Arena.
Rich Township (25-8), the only team to beat Public League power Kenwood this season, will play Warren (26-10) at 7:45 p.m. Friday in a state semifinal at the State Farm Center in Champaign.
The Raptors defeated Kenwood (31-2) in the semifinals of the Big Dipper en route to earning the tournament championship before beating reigning 4A state champ Homewood-Flossmoor.
Junior guard Jamson Coulter scored 17 points Monday for Rich and senior forward Jayden Williams added 16. Brooks made the biggest play, converting a putback as time expired.
That brought on OT, and the rest is now history.
'Being on this big stage, after coming from a Class 2A school and moving up to 4A, I've been waiting for this time,' said Brooks, who transferred with his brother from Hansberry.
'They gave me the opportunity, and I just took over. I took advantage of it. My coach always tells me even if I miss a shot, he's going to uplift me.'
Brooks shot 12 of 18 from the floor, and added two steals and a blocked shot. He also was a force of nature for the rest of the team, according to senior guard Kavon Ammons.
'Al was not going to let us lose — not the way he played,' Ammons said. 'He's the driver of everything we do with our offense and how we play out there. He brings it like that every game.'
Brooks provided the path forward after Kenwood led by as many as seven points in the first half.
His offensive rebounds created second-chance opportunities. His ability to get to the basket opened up the rest of the offense.
'Al played amazing,' Williams said. 'I looked at his stats on the board just before overtime. He had 25 and 13, and I just said we can't let him do this by himself.
'The rest of the team had to come together, box out and get rebounds. They started collapsing on Al, and it left me and others wide open. We just started taking advantage.'
Williams scored 13 of his points during the second half.
Brooks and his brother Ikee, a senior guard, came from the network of Noble Street charter schools in the Public League's secondary division.
The chance to play for Rich Township coach Lou Adams, who won three state championships at Public League power Orr, marked a step up in competition Brooks could not refuse.
'We've been saying since the beginning of the year, when my brother Ikee I got here, that we were going to get it done,' Al said.
Adams' driving, animated and dramatic coaching style has brought out the best in Al's game.
'He's a special player, a special talent,' Adams said of Brooks. 'You only get a player like him once a generation.
'For a long time, it didn't look like we'd even get to overtime. Once we did, we felt pretty good. He had some foul problems. We took him out a couple of times, and I just told him to calm down.'
Then, Brooks' final steal set up a dunk by junior forward Troy Garner Jr. to seal the deal.
'I have a passion for basketball and the game,' Brooks said. 'I couldn't just let it go.'