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Glenbard East slips past West Chicago

Glenbard East boys basketball coach Scott Miller was rightly concerned by a big, early lead at West Chicago.

The Rams scored the first 15 points of Tuesday's Upstate Eight Conference contest only to need a rally to win 54-52.

"When two teams are kind of even, being up 15 in the beginning, I'll always take it, but it's tough because you know they're going to come back," Miller said.

Starting with a DaRon Hall fadeaway Glenbard East (3-5, 1-2) raced to first-quarter leads of 15-0 and 21-5. Earning his first start, Deon Cook was a whirlwind of 2 steals, 2 rebounds and 6 first-quarter points. Jeremy Johnson, Alijah Nelson and Jake Huisman chipped in.

"We've got to come out stronger, we've got to come out ready to play," said West Chicago's Isaac Nelson, who finished with 12 points, backcourt mate Jordan Wilkins scoring 14.

Over six minutes spanning the first and second quarters West Chicago (4-4, 1-2) went on a 17-2 run. Six-foot-four Sam Ricci scored 10 of his 17 points in the second quarter and fronted a half-court trap that slowed the Rams' offense.

Glenbard East regrouped to lead 30-24 at the half, capped by Antonio Davis' putback.

Now a dogfight, West Chicago trailed 42-39 after three quarters and took its first lead, 46-44 with 6:09 left to play, on Isaac Nelson's 15-foot jumper with a hand in his face.

Three minutes later he split two defenders on a drive for a 50-49 Wildcats lead, their last. Cook's steal and two free throws gave Glenbard East a 51-50 lead with 47.3 seconds to play.

Johnson rebounded a Wildcats missed free throw, leading to two Hall free throws and 53-50 Rams lead with 18.4 left. Six seconds later Isaac Nelson had West Chicago within 53-51 on a runner in the lane.

Forcing a turnover on a five-second inbounds call, West Chicago missed a 3-point shot and a follow-up. The Rams' Anthony Shockey grabbed the rebound, was fouled and with 0.5 seconds left made a free throw for the 54-52 decision.

"It took hard work and sacrifice," said Hall, whose 17 points led the Rams ahead of Cook with 11 and Alijah Nelson with 9. "Coach tells us all the time we've got to play hard, sacrifice our body and play hard."

Wildcats coach Bill Recchia had no problem whatsoever with that part. It's crunchtime play he'll drill them on.

"This one stings," he said. "It bothers them about this one, because this is one that they feel they should have had."

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