Mundelein wins NSC showdown over Lake Forest

First place was on the line in the North Suburban Conference and Mundelein's boys basketball team was ready for the challenge and held back visiting Lake Forest 54-42 on Friday night.

The Mustangs (9-1, 5-0) avenged a nonconference loss to the Scouts (8-2, 4-1) earlier in the season, a game the Mustangs' Scottie Ebube missed with an injury.

This one was a different story as Mundelein led from start to the finish.

Drake-recruit Conor Enright led the way with a game-high 18 points.

"We figured things out and we were more focused," Enright said. "Having everyone back was really good for us. I wanted it so bad to beat (Lake Forest), like the Stevenson game. We lost to them the first time and the conference championship was on the line. Because of that we wanted it more."

Plenty of support led the way for the Mustangs, as they led 11-2 after the opening quarter and 27-8 by the break.

But Lake Lake Forest tried to battle back and got within 8 at 41-33 midway through the fourth, before the Mustangs pulled away,

"We really played a lot of good defense there," Mundelein coach Matt Badgley said. "I thought that was a good approach of how well we played.

"A couple of the players were getting gassed late in the game, but you got to get to the finish line."

Maryville recruit Trey Baker poured in 14 points, Ebube (SIU) added 12 points and 12 rebounds and Jack Bikus chipped in with 11 points and 9 rebounds for the Mustangs.

Lake Forest was led by Walt Mattingly with a team-high 15 points, all in the second half.

"We just didn't come out. (Mundelein) came out with a ton of intensity," Lake Forest coach Phil LaScala said. "We didn't match their intensity to start. I'll take full responsibility for that. We were just not ready and things are just different. You've got to get them motivated. We just didn't pay attention to detail in the first quarter. Then we got on our heels.

"Proud of the guys on how they worked to come back."