Fine finish for Grayslake North

Officially, it was a 10-0 run by the Knights of Grayslake North.

Vernon Hills didn't have a field goal for the bulk of the second quarter of Tuesday night's nonconference boys basketball game at Vernon Hills. It seemed like it might have been over at halftime as the Knights (4-1) took a double-digit lead into the break.

But just as quickly, the Cougars (1-4) stormed back in the third quarter. It was a 9-2 run for the Cougars, and midway through the fourth quarter, it was tied at 41-41.

In the end, the Knights' free throw shooting proved to be the difference in their 53-45 victory. They hit 7 of 8 foul shots while the Cougars missed their final 6 shots from the floor.

"We had the lead but got complacent,'' said Grayslake North coach Todd Grunloh. "We actually got a little tight out there. But this is still a nice road win."

North's talented point guard Jamal Thomas (game-high 22 points) was held to 3 free throws in the first quarter. He closed the game with 3 more free throws. It was his ability to take the ball to the basket that kept his Knights ahead in this game.

"He's really good,'' said Vernon Hills coach, Matt McCarty. "He can score with both hands."

North freshman Ryan Connolly knows the Knights can rely on their senior point guard.

"He's a great point guard,'' Connolly said. "He can really run the floor."

Thomas seems to be enjoying his final North season.

"We have a lot of players who have a lot of speed,'' Thomas said. "We are just a little undersized."

Connolly scored his team's first 5 points of the game. He also had the game's first 3-pointer.

"He's really good for a freshman,'' Thomas noted. "And he knows how to finish around the basket."

Two of the Vernon Hills guards, Chris Mariella and Jack O'Connell, had quick starts for the Cougars. They had 9 of the team's 11 points after one quarter.

McCarty's team had to wait patiently for the oh-so-successful football season to get over so six of his players could suit up for basketball season.

"I don't think they have missed a beat,'' McCarty said.

The Cougars only scored 6 points in the second quarter, and 4 of them came in the last 30 seconds. In fact, Thomas scored 7 points to personally outscore the Cougars in the second quarter.

"We had a long talk at halftime,'' McCarty said. "I loved the way we came out in the third quarter. We outscored them 17-9."

The Cougars got a boost from the scoring of Derrick Jones (6 points, 6 rebounds) and Jack Forester as the fourth quarter produced a tie midway through the period. On a flip shot from O'Connell (15 points), the Knights' lead was down to a single point (46-45).

And then the Knights took care of this game on the foul line.

Ryan Connolly (11 points) and James Connolly (10 points) backed up Thomas in this win. Mariella knocked in 11 points for the Cougars.

"We still have things to work on,'' McCarty said. "It's a process."