Grayslake North tops Dundee-Crown
The new kid splashed consecutive long-range shots, looking a lot like the old sharpshooter who was sporting a new look.
And the result at game’s end?
Same ol’, same ol’ for Grayslake North’s basketball team.
Victory.
The Knights defeated visiting Dundee-Crown 66-54 in the regular-season finale for both Fox Valley Conference teams, hiking their record-win total to 19, giving them three straight victories and six in their last eight, and making Senior Night a positive one.
The Knights had set their school record for wins with 14 last season.
“We just want to win a regional and hopefully a sectional,” Knights senior center David Sparks said. “That’s possible for us.”
Dundee-Crown fell to 12-13, despite a gutsy effort by sophomore guard Brandon Rodriguez, who scored 15 of his game-high 20 points in the third quarter.
Grayslake North (19-7) got a huge lift from its own sophomore, recent call-up Danny Mateling, whose first of back-to-back 3-pointers snapped a 13-13 tie early in the second quarter. Coach Todd Grunloh said he promoted Mateling to help spark the Knights’ offense, which had been struggling for a handful of games.
Mateling scored all 8 of his points in the second quarter, with his 3s coming during a 14-0 run.
“It was like we didn’t have enough weapons on the court at once, and he was averaging 16-17 points on the sophomore (level),” Grunloh said.
The Knights’ veteran shooter, senior guard Teddy Ludwick, who was sporting a shaved head and white headband after getting his hair cut at a fundraising event the previous night, had gotten the home team even at 13-13.
Ludwick led Grayslake North with 17 points, while Sparks (13 points) and A.J. Fish (10 points, two 3s) also scored in double figures.
Grayslake North outscored Dundee-Crown 23-5 in the second quarter, making 7 of 10 shots, including 4 of 4 from beyond the arc. The Chargers got a 3-pointer from Rodriguez but committed 11 of their 28 turnovers in the quarter.
“The second quarter was huge,” Dundee-Crown coach Lance Huber said. “(Grayslake North) did a great job of making shots, and we did a great job of turning the ball over.”
Rodriguez got Dundee-Crown back in the game after the Chargers trailed 33-16 at halftime by hitting 6 of 8 shots in the third quarter. Included were a trio of 3s.
“I just felt like I had to step up my game,” Rodriguez said. “It got my confidence built up.”
Huber has seen similar spurts from Rodriguez.
“We have to get him to be a little more consistent offensively with that,” Huber said. “And he has to continue to be more vocal and get the ball. Sometimes he defers to his teammates a little too much.”
Grayslake North led 36-16 early in the second half after Zack Krupp (8 points) drained his second 3-pointer of the game, but then Rodriguez heated up. His baseline drive eventually got the Chargers within 52-45 with 6:12 left in the fourth.
The visitors got no closer, however.
“It looked he could bring them (all the way) back by himself,” Grunloh said.
Sparks helped keep D-C at bay with back-to-back buckets, the first off the last of Mark Hall’s 5 assists.
“It’s been a while since I’ve had a big game,” said Sparks, who scored 6 points in the fourth. “It was Senior Night and I came out wanting to win and wanting to show myself to all the fans here supporting us.”
Jamel Kimbrough added 11 points and 12 rebounds for Dundee-Crown. Ryan Smith chipped in 10 points.