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Lake Park regains shooting touch against Naperville North

After scoring a season-low 26 points in their previous game, senior Carson Vance and her Lake Park girls basketball teammates put in extra offensive time for Thursday.

"We practiced a lot of shooting this week," Vance said. "Every day our coach (Brian Rupp) gave us 30 extra minutes of shooting, which was really helpful."

Thirteen 3-pointers and a 21-point second quarter were among the rewards for the Lancers in a hard-fought 64-58 DuPage Valley Conference victory over Naperville North in Roselle.

The Lancers (6-2, 2-1) used their strong quarter to build a 28-19 halftime lead. Their 24-point fourth quarter included 10 for 16 from the free-throw line to hold off the Huskies (4-3, 2-2) after they closed to 40-39 and 49-46 with 4:35 remaining.

On Saturday Lake Park lost 62-26 at Wheaton Warrenville South.

"(Saturday) was a rough day. I think it totally reset our mentality towards the game," Vance said. "We kind of sat down as a team. Our coach talked to us and we just kind of turned our whole way of thinking around. We had a lot better, more focused practices."

Lake Park sophomore Darrione Rogers had 22 points, one shy of her personal high, and 9 rebounds. Senior Kinsey Tweedy had 15 points, Vance had 12 points and senior Daina Riser 9.

The five starters accounted for all of the scoring. Each had at least two 3s with three by Vance, Riser and Tweedy. The Lancers, 13 for 34 from 3-point range, also had 14 assists with 4 from Riser.

"We shoot a lot of 3s. You don't want them to stop them from doing that, but we talked about what that shot looks like," Rupp said. "If we're forcing a 3, that's not the shot that I want. We found the 3 that we can hit, especially in that second quarter."

Vance had two 3s and 8 points in the second quarter after both teams struggled in the first with the Huskies leading 9-7. Lake Park was 6 for 9 on second-quarter 3s by Vance, Riser and Kate Kirkham, part of a 12-0 run to take the lead for good at 28-17.

"We definitely had a strive going into our second quarter," Vance said. "We were just ready as a team. We realized we had to turn it on as a team and so we did."

Senior Sadie Jurkovic and freshman Greta Kampschroeder led the Huskies' comeback attempt, finishing with 14 and 13 points, respectively, and 9 rebounds apiece. Sophomore Nikki Kwilosz had 9 points and 3 of their five 3-pointers.

"You've got to give them credit. Any time we made a basket or made a little short run, they'd come back and nail a 3," Naperville North coach Jason Dycus said. "They're a very good outside-shooting team. The problem that Lake Park poses for us is they play five girls that can all shoot 3s so they really spread you out well."

The Huskies lamented more than a handful of missed inside shots or drives, especially in 6 for 34 first-half shooting. The 6-foot-4 Jurkovic had 10 points in the third quarter and Kampschroeder 9 in the fourth despite being hawked all game by Riser.

"Daina didn't come off the floor. She busted her butt against (Kampschroeder)," Rupp said. "That's a good player. And Daina can do that for us. Daina can play a lot of different roles."

Rogers had 7 points in the fourth quarter, 5 on free throws. Key back-to-back 3s by Riser and Tweedy opened some breathing room at 55-48 with 3:49 left.

"We definitely came out with way more energy. We had a great week of practice," Rogers said. "We know if we can play defense, we can compete with any team at a high level."

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