York routs Glenbard West
Nate Shockey feels for teams trying to navigate York's defense.
To Shockey, a senior guard and four-year program guy, the Dukes' trapping 1-2-2 matchup zone that alternates with a tough half-court man-to-man is second nature.
He knows better.
"From an outsider's perspective it's probably pretty nuts," Shockey said. "It's pretty wild, I assume. It messes a lot of people up."
It had Glenbard West all out of sorts Tuesday.
Shockey scored 20 points and led a stifling defensive effort in York's surprisingly one-sided 53-25 win in a key West Suburban Silver showdown in Elmhurst.
The teams' first meeting, a 50-38 York win in December in Glen Ellyn, went down to the wire. But this was decided early. Shockey scored 11 of the Dukes' points during a 13-0 run for a 15-6 lead early in the second quarter. It was 24-11 by halftime, and York put it away with a 16-0 run out of the break.
"Coming here, Tuesday night, not a whole lot of talk surrounding this game, I think we brought our own energy," Shockey said. "We stepped on the gas and didn't look back."
Glenbard West (12-3, 1-3), one of the area's better stories this season while starting three sophomores, was stuck in neutral throughout.
The Hilltoppers had a 6:04 scoring drought in the first half, missed their first nine 3-point shots and shot 25%. Indicative of Glenbard West's tentativeness against York's defense, the Hilltoppers had two 10-second calls.
Braden Huff led Glenbard West with 7 points.
"We didn't attack," Hilltoppers coach Jason Opoka said. "When we don't attack, shoot a lot of long shots, long rebounds, they do a good job boxing out and then they get out in transition and we didn't do a good job getting back. And Shockey got going, too."
Indeed, Shockey was coming off a 34-point night last Friday against Downers Grove North, and it carried right over.
He hit his first four shots, three of them 3-pointers, in the first quarter. Two of them were deep ones with an opponent right in his eye.
"It's nice to get going early, get a good rhythm," said Shockey, a North Dakota recruit, who also had 4 rebounds and 3 steals and shot 7 of 11. "That helps propel you for the rest of the game. It was a good start."
And Shockey's offense wasn't what York coach Vince Doran was most pleased with.
Shockey and fellow guard Jeff Grace key the Dukes' defense at the point of attack. Grace had 7 points and 8 rebounds.
"I think Nate's had his best two defensive games his last two games," Doran said. "He's been very disruptive at the point, super long, I think he's playing hard and that makes a huge difference. With him up there and Jeffrey, those two guys are really strong high school defenders. Jeff is kind of get on you like glue, Nate is super long, he just tips balls. They complement each other. We created a ton of offense from our defense."
Sophomore Nick Hesch added 10 points, 8 in the third quarter, and had 2 blocks for York to start a big week with a big win.
The Dukes host Silver co-leader Oak Park-River Forest Thursday, then play four games at the Wheaton Warrenville South tournament this weekend.
"Huge week," Doran said. "Seven games in seven games. Kind of a gauntlet."
Glenbard West can relate. The Hilltoppers on Tuesday played their third of four straight road games, following a double overtime win over Lincoln-Way Central and two-point loss last Friday to Oak Park.
"It's a tough stretch, but got to fight through adversity and stick together as a team," Opoka said.