The 3-pointers fall for York against Addison Trail

If it felt like York responded to every Addison Trail run with a timely 3-point field goal, it's because that is exactly what happened.

Behind 15 3-point field goals, the Dukes (7-1, 2-0) generated a 71-45 win at home against the Blazers (6-3, 1-2) Tuesday night in Elmhurst.

The most precise Dukes sharpshooter was senior Erik Cohn. The 6-foot-3 guard connected on all five 3-point field goals he attempted and finished with 17 points. He shared the night's scoring title with junior teammate Nate Shockey, who made four 3-pointers of his own.

"When you see one go down you have the confidence to make another one," Cohn said. "It just felt right leaving my hands, I had my legs under me, and most of all it was my teammates. They were giving me such good looks. We're always shooting man (in practice) and to step up and make them in the game is awesome."

The Dukes hit the first three 3-point field goals they attempted to spring out to a 12-2 lead to open the first four minutes of the game. Whenever they needed a 3 to stunt a Blazers run, one of the Dukes' guards delivered. But there was an unsung hero behind York's success from deep who contributed to the 3-point barrage even though he missed his only attempt.

"I think what opened it up was Sam (Walsh) posting up so hard inside so they had to double," Dukes coach Vince Doran said about the senior forward, who finished with 12 points. "Sam was very unselfish and found the open guy."

Midway through the second quarter, Shockey deposited two 3-point attempts to put his team back up 14 points after the Blazers had cut the Dukes advantage to 8. Early in the third quarter, the Blazers clawed to within 5 points after senior forward J.T. Daniels dropped two of his team-high 13 points on a tough finish in the paint.

But on the next possession, York senior Nick Kosich found the bottom of the net for his only 3 of the evening to nudge his team's lead back up to 8 points.

Senior guard Mike Pedote drained another 3 at the end of the third quarter to put the Dukes up 15, and York outscored the Blazers 23-13 in the fourth quarter to roll to a 71-45 victory.

Behind a pressing 1-2-2 defense that has given opponents problems all season and a starting group teaming with experience with four seniors and one junior, York continues to roll through a difficult section of its schedule. The Dukes' last three opponents (Benet, Glenbard West, and Addison Trail) have a combined record of 18-6.

"You look at the combined record of the teams we're playing and it's pretty good so we know every night we have to bring it," Doran said. "Addison's tough, they are out there taking charges. They don't pass up many charge opportunities so it's a good learning opportunity. We need to step up and take charges like they do to become a better team. You play teams like that you can't help but get better. Just learn from it and move forward."

York is back in action on Saturday against Willowbrook. Addison Trail travels to Franklin Park to battle Leyden on Friday.