LZ steps up; Uplift tops Warren
Lake Zurich’s boys basketball team is off to a good start.
Mike Travlos scored 26 points Tuesday night, as the Bears defeated West Chicago 73-62 to improve to 2-0. Will McClaughry added 12 points, while Brad Kruse and Corey Helgeson added 9 apiece. Lake Zurich led 23-11 after one quarter, was up 31-30 at the half and 52-46 after three quarters.
Travlos took a “crucial charge,” coach Billy Pitcher said, in the fourth quarter.
Uplift 61, Warren 45: At Mundelein, the Blue Devils led 32-29 at halftime before suffering a third-quarter collapse.
Warren (1-1) shot just 1 of 9 from the floor, including 1 of 7 from beyond the arc, while committing 4 turnovers in getting outscored 18-3 in the third.
Fresh off his 37-point effort against Barrington on Monday, Warren guard Eric Gillespie led all scorers with 24 points. Gillespie, who made his first four shots (three 3-pointers), finished 7 of 11 from the floor. He sank four 3s for the game.
Uplift featured three players in double figures. Quintin Olagbegi led the way with 19 points, while Augustin Tronou added 15. Jeremy Roscoe had 11 points and 8 rebounds, and Daniel Suetan contributed 8 points and 7 steals.
Grayslake Central 82, Christian Liberty 27: The Rams earned their first win of the year by denying Christian Liberty in the Chargers’ first game of the season in tournament play at Buffalo Grove.
Guard Sam Ruhlmann scored a game-high 16 points to help lead the way for Grayslake Central (1-1).
Aaron Cunningham led Christian Liberty with 9 points.
Lake Forest Academy 58, Barrington 55 (OT): At Mundelein, Brandon Amoroso sank 5-of-6 free throws in the final 45 seconds of overtime, as the Caxys prevailed. Dejon Brissett led LFA with a game-high 19 points. Daniel Joseph added 16 and Isaiah Faust had 12.
Barrington received 15 points from Chris Lester, 12 from Rapolas Ivanauskas, 10 from Austin Madrzyk and 9 from Zach Bart.
Grant 84, Zion-Benton JV 76: At Johnsburg, Matt Malmberg scored 23 points, including five 3-pointers, and Mike Burns added 20 points for the Bulldogs (2-0).
Ryan Noda chipped in 15 for Grant.
Lake Zurich 82, King 77: On Monday night, Brad Kruse’s heroics helped the Bears win their season opener.
The game was tied 50-50 with three seconds left, when Kruse made a layup and then stole the inbounds pass in midair, shot and scored at the buzzer.
Kruse finished with 28 points, including three 3-pointers. Mike Travlos had 29 points, and Ryan Richman grabbed 14 rebounds. Lake Zurich shot 37 of 45 from the foul line.
“We really struggled early and were not aggressive,” Bears coach Billy Pitcher said. “Travlos gave us a real shot in the arm and was the only one attacking and getting to the line.”
Travlos scored 16 points in the first half.