Press makes a difference in Glenbard South victory
Senior Tyler Scott and his Glenbard South boys basketball teammates already are used to different lineups.
For Friday's game at Fenton, Glenbard South coach Wade Hardtke decided to try something different strategically - a full-court press right from the start for the first time this season.
"We're like, 'All right. Let's do it,' " Scott said. "We've been practicing it all week, so we were confident."
The Raiders' constant pressure created a 16-point, first-quarter lead and set the tone for a 69-45 Metro Suburban West victory in Bensenville.
Junior Billy Bair scored a personal-high 22 points and helped the Raiders (2-4, 1-1) regain control after the Bison (2-4, 0-2) closed to eight points late in the second quarter. Scott finished with 11 points and sophomore Charlie Bair had 10.
"We did get tired, but we came back into the locker room at halftime and it was like, 'Hey, we've got to take it to the next level,'" Scott said. "We just did that and then it set the tone for the rest of the game."
Scott was in the thick of the early success. He collected 5 points, 2 assists and 2 steals as the Raiders led 20-6 after the first quarter.
Six of the nine Raiders who played in the first quarter scored. The team had 6 steals and 6 assists on 9 field goals, which included threes from Scott and Tyler Schutte.
"We've been working on (our press) and thought tonight we'd be able to hopefully establish that tone early. We got some good things out of it," Hardtke said.
"We scouted them (Tuesday at St. Edward) and didn't see the press," Fenton coach Josh Payton said. "We actually haven't seen a ton of pressure this year. We've practiced, worked against it, but not to the extent that would be effective against the way they were running it."
In the second quarter Fenton used a bigger lineup and solid 2-3 zone to close within 8 and trail 34-24 at halftime. Senior guard David Alden had six of his team-high 12 points in the period.
Billy Bair scored 8 points in the second quarter and came through in the third quarter after Fenton closed to 40-31. Billy Bair scored consecutive baskets on a short perimeter jumper and inbounds pass from Schutte. The Raiders led 51-35 after three quarters and opened the fourth quarter with a 12-0 run.
"My teammates just did a great job of getting me the ball in spots where I could score," Billy Bair said. "Coach got us fired up, and we came out in the second half hungry for the victory."
Billy Bair also was motivated because he's finally licked a lingering illness. Hardtke said it was his "first solid start" after he only played in the second half Tuesday.
"It's a good way to start off and hopefully get on a right foot," Billy Bair said. "I've been off and on. I don't know what I've had. I've been sick for the past two weeks, but I feel good now."
Other absences besides Bair have made this an even tougher start for the Raiders, whose only returning starter is Scott.
"There's been a lot of work going on. We've had a lot of teaching going on," Hardtke said. "Billy's going to need to be one of our big guys. We've been battling a lot of sickness and injury so far this year. Almost every game we've had a different starting lineup."
Payton said roughly six of his players have been battling illness, leaving him with eight players at practice the past two days. Senior David Echeverria, the only other returning starter besides Alden, came off the bench after missing school Thursday.
"I had guys out there that know what they're supposed to do but don't have a lot of court time," Payton said. "Seeing that second quarter and the way they were able to chip away is indicative of what they should have been able to do (in the second half). That didn't happen and if you can't execute against the press and you create turnovers 25 feet from the baseline, it's going to be a battle."