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Glenbard East finds energy to beat Bartlett

Foul trouble limited Alijah Nelson from fully contributing to another strong start by the Glenbard East boys basketball team Tuesday.

His stored energy was unleashed after halftime.

The junior guard helped the Rams complete their 53-46 Upstate Eight Conference victory over Bartlett in Lombard with 13 of his game-high 15 points in the second half, including 4 for 4 on free throws in the final 1:33, after sitting much of the second quarter with two fouls.

"When I came back in, the coaches told me keep my head up, keep playing. They told me just keep playing hard. The shots will come, the defense will come," Nelson said.

"A lot of people stepped up today and I was really proud of the guys for taking more shots. We played a lot more aggressive and I hope that carries through the rest of the season."

Senior Jeremy Johnson had 13 points for the Rams (4-6, 2-3), senior reserve Antonio Davis had 8 points and junior Daron Hall had 6 points and 8 rebounds.

Senior Nicholas Wolf and sophomore Hayden Angell each had 11 points for the Hawks (3-7, 1-3). Senior Nick Mansk grabbed 7 rebounds.

The Rams surged to a 15-2 lead, but Bartlett closed to 27-22 by halftime and threatened at 42-41 after Angell's 3-pointer with 4:39 left.

Glenbard East scored the next 5 points on Hall's pullup jumper, Nelson's scoop shot from right of the lane and a free throw by Clay Kepuraitis after his offensive rebound. Bartlett never again got closer than 5 points.

"After that we pretty much kept it a two-possession game and our defense was better down the stretch," Glenbard East coach Scott Miller said.

"I thought our energy was good coming out, both sides of the ball. You've got to give Bartlett credit. They kept fighting back. I thought the second quarter we kind of let them back in, but again I was proud of the way we eventually took care of the ball down the stretch and made free throws."

Nelson was part of a more aggressive offensive mindset in the second half against Bartlett's zone.

With Nelson and Hall, the Rams finished the game 6 for 6 from the line and 12 for 16 overall after having no free throws in the first half. The Rams had three 3s both halves.

"We like to get in the gaps, swing the ball," Nelson said. "I think that opened up a lot of lanes. In the first half we were standing around."

The Hawks, meanwhile, had just 4 second-half free throws versus the Rams' man-to-man defense after a great 13-for-15 effort in the first half helped them nearly overcome making just 1 of their first 17 field-goal attempts.

The Hawks ended the first half with a 10-2 run to close to 5. They opened the second half with Wolf's inside basket to close to 27-24 but then had just two 3s the rest of the period and fell behind 38-30.

"We didn't start the game or the second half the way we needed to," Bartlett coach Jim Wolfsmith said. "We came out flat both quarters. They took advantage and we had to chase both halves."

In their last UEC victory Dec. 11 the Rams prevailed 54-52 at West Chicago after taking a 15-0 lead but then falling behind 46-44 and 50-49 in the fourth quarter.

"(This game) did feel similar," Nelson said. "When we come out, we're so ready to play and ready to win so we jump on teams. We get settled and we think it's going to be easy and we let teams back in it. I think that we should start playing hard the whole game."

A clutch Nelson 3 just before the buzzer ended the third quarter. His other 3 created a 41-35 lead but the Hawks had four of their seven 3s in the fourth quarter to remain close.

Wolfsmith used 13 players in the first half, even with senior Austin Gates not available. Another senior, Garrett Jurins, has been injured all season.

"If you can't put a full game together in our conference, you're going to lose every night. We've got to figure that out," Wolfsmith said.

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