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Schols, Conant pick their spot at Palatine

Ben Schols' eyes get really big when he sees an opponent play zone against his Cougars. And on Friday, Schols was especially wide-eyed.

The Conant senior drilled 4 three-pointers, 3 of which came in the first half as Conant knocked off host Palatine 53-44.

"I was feeling it tonight," said Schols, who finished with 12 points. "I love when teams play zone against us. It is my time to shoot the ball."

Palatine had packed it in to defend against Conant's twin towers, Ryan Davis and Michael Downing, who are both 6-foot-8. That left Schols wide open on the wing, where Jimmy Sotos was able to find him.

"That was the goal tonight especially against a team like Palatine who is trying to combat against our height," said Sotos, who had 9 assists to go with his 14 points. "I was looking them off and trying to get some open shots or make some passes, especially to Ben."

Conant (21-4, 7-2) led just 10-8 after the first quarter, when the Cougars broke things open.

With Schols banging down a pair of 3s and Sotos spreading the wealth around the floor, Conant went on an 18-5 run punctuated by a Downing jam to lead 28-13.

"We wanted to be real methodical in the first half," said Conant coach Tom McCormack, whose team has now won 6 in a row. "I thought our guys let the game come to them very well."

Conant appeared to have the game well in hand on another dunk by Downing with 4:37 left in the third quarter to make it 40-20. But Palatine (10-17, 4-5) had other ideas.

Led by Johnny O'Shea and Jake Moertl, the Pirates ran off 11 unanswered points to pull within 40-31 with 32 seconds left in the third quarter.

That's when Sotos and Schols broke that Palatine momentum.

Conant held the ball for the final shot of the quarter. Sotos dribbled to the top of the key and then found a wide open Schols, who calmly nailed a 3 as time expired to lift the Cougars to a 43-31 lead after three quarters.

Palatine got as close as 9 early in the fourth quarter. Sotos had 3-point play and Danny Ranallo had a 3-point bucket to put the game away.

"In the second half, I thought Palatine out-hustled us," McCormack said. "We knew they wouldn't quit and they kept coming after us."

Palatine coach Eric Millstone said he was happy they way his team fought back.

"Conant just wore us down and picked their spots," Millstone said. "Once they get a lead, they are like Fort Knox.

"I thought it was a mirror image of the last time we played them. They got a lead and we just clawed back from there."

Davis finished with 12 points and 5 rebounds for Conant while Downing had 9 points. O'Shea led Palatine with 14 points while Moertl had 9 points on three 3s.

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