Streamwood downs Bartlett

Bartlett’s boys basketball team was looking to stay perfect in two years of play at the Wheaton Academy Thanksgiving Tournament and take a step Friday toward defending its crown.

While the Hawks (2-1) can still win the 6th annual tourney with a victory Saturday night against host Wheaton Academy, Streamwood (2-2) snapped Bartlett’s bid for more perfection by knocking off the Hawks 57-47 Friday in West Chicago.

The Sabres led 27-22 at the half and, after the Hawks closed to within 31-29 midway through the third quarter, went on a 6-1 run to close out the quarter with a 7-point lead and enough momentum to hang on for a 10-point triumph.

“We just couldn’t find a way to get over the hump to tie it or take a lead after we got to within two,” Bartlett coach Jim Wolfsmith said. “They hit a couple big shots and we were chasing seven at the end of the quarter. We just didn’t do a very good job defensively and we gave up too many second-chance points.”

Senior guard Lance Whitaker paced the Hawks with 23 points and fellow guard Marcus Aluquin added 11 points on Friday. Trevious Norman led Streamwood (2-1) with 15 points while Jacob Siewert and Zack Harris added 11 each.

But Wolfsmith, whose squad went 4-0 while winning this tourney in 2011, felt Streamwood played as if it wanted this game more.

“I thought they out-hustled us to loose balls and in general they outplayed us,” the Hawks coach said of the Sabres. “They out-coached us and outplayed us and we’ve got to find a way to rebound and play better (tonight).”

Friday’s late game pitted the host Warriors against Downers Grove North, which Bartlett defeated 46-36 on Wednesday. Even with Wheaton Academy’s 65-56 win in that game, the Hawks could still win the tourney title by beating the hosts on Saturday to finish 3-1 and win the head-to-head tiebreaker.

“We still control our destiny,” Wolfsmith said. “We can still win the championship if we take care of business.”

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