Wheaton Academy defense stops Timothy Christian

Holding a basketball team nearly 13 minutes without a field goal is a recipe for success.

At least it was for Wheaton Academy's boys Tuesday at Timothy Christian, a 53-45 Warriors nonconference win in Elmhurst.

Timothy led 32-24 on Ben Lodewyk's baseline drive at 5:56 of the third quarter. The Trojans didn't make another basket until Lodewyk's top-of-the-key 3 at 1:06 of the fourth.

Meanwhile, Wheaton Academy (7-11) enjoyed a 24-7 run against its long-ago Private School League rival.

"(It was) a testament to our guys' effort, getting in gaps, contesting shots, knowing personnel," said Wheaton Academy coach David Osborn.

"They did a little bit more of what we asked in the second half and I think our energy and intensity were a little bit better there and that helped us get that long of a period of time with a stop."

Outrebounding the Trojans 36-24 and hitting 10 fourth-quarter free throws when Timothy Christian (6-11) tried to get back into it, the Warriors also adjusted against 2-3 and 3-2 zone defenses, with 6-3 Lodewyk and 6-4 Josh Caver up top.

"When you play against a zone you want to find those open spots in the high post and the low corner and when you're able to find those you get it in there, get it out, move it around quick and get shots up," said Warriors senior guard Anthony Polinski, whose 24 points led all players.

Following baskets by Tommy Blum and Sam Scharnowski, Polinski hit a 3 from the right wing, another from the right corner and ended the third quarter with a lane jumper for a 36-34 Warriors lead.

Polinski continued with another 3 off J.D. Gunn's neat touch pass, sank 2 free throws and, after the Trojans' fifth straight miss to start the quarter, Polinski worked a high-low assist to Blum for a 43-34 lead.

"I thought for them they did a really good job of running down to the baseline, trying to screen the bottom and making our bigs more active," said Timothy coach Jack LeGrand. "And our bigs were trying to get there, but they were just a step slow. And then our other guys, our weakside, didn't rotate over quick enough."

Joey Davidson led the Trojans with 14 points, Lodewyk scored 12 and Mitch Evenhouse scored 6 points with 6 steals, 3 of them in a first quarter his team led 17-9.

"We weren't really playing as a team in the third quarter," Evenhouse said, "and I think that really hurt us in the fourth because then our momentum was just gone."