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Grant hangs on to down Streamwood

The Streamwood boys basketball team outscored Grant 16-10 in the fourth quarter of an opening-round pool play game Friday at the Hinkle Holiday Classic at Jacobs.

However the late surge was not enough to overcome the lead Grant built during the Bulldogs held on for a 50-41 win.

"Keenon (Cole) got a couple of blocks in the fourth. We got out in transition and we made a couple of buckets and the guys got some energy," said Streamwood assistant coach Ryan Smith. "That's how we have to start games. We can't dig ourselves into a hole."

Smith was filling in for head coach Paul Kowalysyn, who had been out sick this week.

Streamwood trailed Grant 40-25 at the start of the final quarter.

Neither team scored in the first 2 minutes. Grant's Tavarus Williams (9 points) broke the ice with a putback, widening the Bulldogs' margin to 17.

The Sabres responded with a 9-0 run to pull within 8 points. A Brendon Marton (8 points) bucket started the run at the halfway mark of the quarter. It was the first Streamwood (4-7) basket since a Jack Maybrun 3-pointer from the right corner at the 2:03 mark of the third quarter.

Cole followed Marton with a slam dunk. The junior forward led Streamwood in scoring with 12 points. Marton added 3 more points with a bucket and a free throw. DeAngelo Flynn (10 points) ended the spurt with layup.

A 3-point play by Chase Maifield (9 points) widened Grant's margin to 11. Cole responded with a fadeaway jumper to narrow the lead to 9, but that was as close as the Sabres would get.

The Bulldogs' defense held Streamwood to single digits in the first and third quarters and to 10 points in the second quarter. Grant (3-5) controlled the boards, outrebounding the Sabres 28-17.

"I thought our guys did a great job on the glass," Grant coach Wayne Bosworth said. "We did a real nice job of boxing out and limiting their size."

The Bulldogs led 11-6 after the first quarter and 23-16 at the half. Guard Henry Kusiak led the first half attack, scoring 9 of his game-high 14 points - all on 3-pointers - in the first 16 minutes of play.

"We got some easy shots in the first half," said Bosworth. "We got some layups and wide-open 3s."

"We didn't come out with a lot of energy and Grant did," Smith said. "They fed off of each other well."

Both teams continue pool play on Saturday. Streamwood plays Crystal Lake South, while Grant faces Dixon.

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