Lesson learned, Glenbard North speeds past WW South
Consider this lesson learned.
A week after blowing a double-digit lead in a loss, Glenbard North’s boys basketball team hit the throttle and never let up in a 61-48 DuPage Valley Conference win at Wheaton Warrenville South.
The Panthers, who led by 12 in the fourth quarter of a 74-67 loss to Larkin on Dec. 27, continually extended their lead on Saturday. The advantage grew to 59-32 midway through the fourth quarter before the benches emptied.
“We wanted to pressure them and we got a lot of turnovers off our traps,” said Panthers junior forward Chip Flanigan, who scored a game-high 22 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field and 8-of-8 free-throw shooting. “We learned our lesson in the Larkin game. We were up so much and we never forgot that. (Panthers coach Joe Larson) never wants us to let down because teams can come back.”
Glenbard North (6-6, 2-3) made sure there’d be no rally from WW South (3-10, 1-4) by forcing 23 turnovers with its pressure and varying traps. If the Panthers weren’t scoring in transition, they were working for easy buckets under the basket.
Only 6 points came from beyond the arc for the Panthers, who attempted seven 3-point shots.
“They did a great job of doing what they do well,” said Tigers coach Bob Szorc, whose team played without starter Michael Kramer due to illness. “They dictated tempo, they dictated pressure, they dictated turnovers. That led to easy buckets for them. They hit one three in the first half. Their shot chart was right around the bucket.”
After WW South scored the game’s first 4 points, Glenbard North finished the first quarter on a 14-0 run. A 14-2 second-quarter run pushed the margin to 28-8.
Glenbard North started the fourth quarter on a 12-3 run while building its 27-point advantage.
Brett Gasiorowski scored 14 points off the bench for Glenbard North while Justin Jackson and Ryan Storto pitched in 8 points apiece. Sophomore Keishawn Watson led WW South with 13 points and fellow sophomore Joe Metzger added 10 points.
“We played good defense with high energy,” said Panthers coach Joe Larson. “It was good to see. The guys really played hard.”
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