Well-rounded Naperville North dispatches Metea Valley

Sadie Jurkovic had a simple explanation for Naperville North's victory at Metea Valley on Saturday afternoon.

"Fastbreak," the 6-foot-4 senior said. "That's something (coach Jason Dycus) had written on our board. He's very proud of us just because we executed everything he wanted us to execute this game. Push the ball, finish layups, make free throws. Everything he asked us to do, we did for him."

The Huskies (4-1, 1-0) almost had all five starters score in double figures. Jurkovic led the way with 15 points, freshman Greta Kampschroeder and senior Lauren Platou added 12 apiece and sophomore guards Kara Rivard and Nikki Kwilosz just missed with 9 points each.

"It's extremely impressive," Jurkovic said. "We would not be able to get the amount of points we score each game if not everyone contributed like we did tonight. It's really good just because we're kind of a younger team. ... No one's selfish with the ball. Everyone passes it."

It showed. The Huskies had 14 assists on 23 baskets, with Kampschroeder leading the way with 7 assists. The freshman, already receiving attention from Big Ten coaches, also had 10 rebounds, 3 blocked shots and 2 steals.

"Just always making that extra pass. Everyone was very unselfish, just knowing the extra pass is always the better shot," Kampschroeder said. "I think we really have that mentality. Coach was talking to us about that at halftime. That's what really got us that team win."

Kampschroeder already is becoming known for filling up the stat sheet.

"That's her second game where she's been very close to a triple-double," Dycus said. "She is exactly what we thought she'd be in the sense that she's versatile. She wants her teammates to do well just as much as she wants to do well. She is a willing passer."

An early 11-0 run put the Huskies in front 15-5 with two minutes left in the first quarter when Jurkovic scored off a Kampschroeder assist. Metea Valley (3-4, 0-2) never got closer than nine points again.

"We didn't come out and play to the best of our ability," Mustangs coach Cedric Williams said. "You can't take anything away from Naperville North. They executed a little bit more than we did."

A Rivard scoop-and-score drive put the Huskies ahead 38-18 with 1:45 to play in the second quarter.

"Our sophomore guards are good, and everyone wants to talk about the other kids. Our two guards make us go," Dycus said.

Tess Thompson led the Mustangs with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

"She works," Williams said. "She works, she works hard every day. If we can just continue to build off that and get the rest of those girls to come on with her, I think we've got a long ways to go, but we've got some promise there. We've just got to continue to push this young team."