Pruitt can do it: Carmel edges Grayslake North

The last couple of minutes at Carmel Catholic on Wednesday were not for the basketball faint of heart.

Corsairs senior Daija Pruitt came up with a steal and length-of-the court drive and layup to score scoring the decisive bucket in the game's final 14 seconds.

Carmel's girls basketball team won its second straight game, claiming a 39-35 victory over Grayslake North in Thanksgiving tournament play at Mundelein High School.

Pruitt made the steal just below the free throw line on the Knights' side of the court. Her layup put the Corsairs (2-1) in front 37-35.

"I just know that my team needed it at that point, and we needed that victory for all of us," Pruitt said. "I just thought I had to take the lead, and do the best for the team.

"I just saw the opening going to the basket."

The three-year varsity player has taken a leadership role already this season. She paced her young team with 11 points.

Grayslake North (1-2) had a chance to pull even - just as it had six previous times in the game - but missed a pair of free throws with 8.7 seconds remaining.

Then another Carmel senior, Danielle Amato, scored another basket on a well-designed play before the horn sounded for the 4-point difference.

"Grayslake North battled back in the fourth," Carmel coach Kelly Perz said. "I just told my team, 'Let's get back to what was successful at the beginning of the game.' We rebuilt the lead and got defensive stops when we needed them. It was nice to see it all come together."

The Knights took advantage of successive Carmel turnovers before Pruitt's steal and score.

"We would like to see more of that out of her," Perz said. "It's still early in the season."

Grayslake North battled throughout the game and had the lead twice, late in the third quarter and for a bit in the fourth quarter. Sidney Lovitsch led the Knights with a game-high 17 points and 5 rebounds; she produced a couple of key baskets in the final quarter.

"Credit to Carmel - they're a good team that puts a lot of energy and effort," Grayslake North coach Rob Nicoletti said. "Our girls did a good job staying in this game, especially when things weren't going our way. We got those turnovers and that gave us a chance to win. But that's all you can ask for. Down the stretch, we didn't convert when we needed too."