Grayslake Central savors one-sided triumph

Grayslake Central star Danny Reed recalled a similar blowout very early in the season but couldn’t recall the name of the team that the Rams buried.

Another such pummeling took place on Monday night in Vernon Hills. No, it hasn’t been a major success story for the Rams this season, but for at least one night, Grayslake Central (5-22) ruled the roost. Every Rams player dented the score board in an impressive 86-44 romp over Chicago Sullivan.

“We were ready to go tonight,’’ Reed said. “We weren’t ready to lose yet.”

Not to rain of the Rams’ parade but the task gets harder in less than 24 hours. The 15th-seeded Rams will battle second-seeded Lakes at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

“We need to bring up the same intensity and even more tomorrow,’’ Reed said.

Central never trailed in this Class 3A regional opener. Reed (9 points) scored the game’s first bucket and Central was on pace to break the century mark in scoring. When Kevin Orozco fired in a 3-pointer to close out the first half, the Rams were up 49-16.

“We shared the ball well,’’ said Central coach Brian Moe. “We ran the floor well and everybody got in both halves.”

With the game well in hand after one quarter, it was time for senior Matt Spalding to spring into action. He opened the second quarter with consecutive 3-pointers. He finished with 12 points.

“We did what we needed to win,’’ Spalding said. “We played like we were supposed to.”

In the second quarter, Central just couldn’t miss. After the two Spalding 3-pointers, Central missed just one shot in the first five minutes of the period. Orozco scored 6 points in the quarter. Spalding dropped an 8-footer and Jacob Vargo also got to the hoop for a tally.

Despite the losing record this year, the Rams seemed to get some momentum from a late-season win over Crystal Lake Central.

“We’ve been playing good basketball the last two weeks,’’ Moe said.

Visiting Sullivan won three games this winter and seemed to play better in the second half. Demarcus Chatman fired in his team’s lone 3-pointer of the night in the third quarter. He had 5 of his 9 points in the quarter as the Tigers nearly doubled their scoring from the entire first half.

In the meantime, Moe continued to freely substitute players. Matt Loeffl had a 3-pointer in the quarter. He led a balanced Rams attack with 13 points.

Now the question comes up. Will Central be able to contain the Lakes Eagles on Tuesday?

“They are a good team,’’ Moe said. “They are big and athletically strong.’’

Reed will be ready come Tuesday.

“We did it against Crystal Lake Central,’’ Reed said. “And we can do it

again.”

Rudolph Albin paced the Tigers in scoring with 13 points.

Also helping the Rams on this night were Malcolm Reed (9 points) and Jack Spicer (7 points).