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Wheaton North gets going in 2nd half

Connor Haake has experienced his fair share of low-scoring basketball games in the DuKane Conference during this season.

Friday night in Geneva, the Wheaton North senior took matters into his own hands after the halftime intermission.

Haake burned the Vikings with 10 of his game-high 16 points in the third quarter as the Falcons exceeded their entire first-half output in the first six-plus minutes of the period.

When seldom-used Wheaton North guard Corey Bredenhoeft knocked down a baseline 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the schools' penultimate boys league game of the season, the Falcons had secured a surprisingly easy 54-34 victory.

"It was good to finish our few last games strong," Haake said. "Our defense is the strongest part of our game."

Neither team could find much offensive rhythm in the opening half, which ended with Wheaton North (11-4, 9-4) nursing a 16-14 lead.

But Geneva (8-7, 6-7) was soon in a hole when the Falcons scored on four consecutive possessions to open the third quarter.

Haake would take command late in the quarter as his double-digit frame was punctuated by two 3-pointers.

Wheaton North point guard Sam Cascella distributed the ball in fine fashion as Troy Hegranes' inside score gave the Falcons their first double-figure lead at 30-19 in the third.

"We hit some shots in the that (third) quarter," said Cascella, who finished with 7 points. "We knew that coming out of halftime we had to bring energy. (The Vikings) are a team if you let them hang around they are going to stick around the whole game."

The Vikings, after back-to-back 7-point opening quarters, periodically displayed sound ball movement.

On too many occasions, however, Geneva failed to convert desirable looks from the field.

"We're banged up, not to make that excuse," Geneva coach Scott Hennig said. "Outside of Valentine this year, we have really struggled to score."

Nathan Valentine was certainly on the Falcons' scouting report.

"We shut down Valentine," Haake said. "That was our key for the game. He's a great player."

The Falcons' spread was still 11 points entering the fourth quarter.

With complementary scoring from starters Robbie Bonga and Seth Kortenhoven, who finished with 11 and 8 points, respectively, Wheaton North only expanded its second-half lead.

Geneva was held to single-digit quarters three times.

"The conference is really good defensively," Hennig said.

Valentine would ultimately lead the Vikings with 12 points; Alex Smith converted two 3-point plays to flavor his 10-point evening for Geneva.

Bredenhoeft was not about to forgo his chance to grab a final moment of his senior season.

"I couldn't believe it went in," Bredenhoeft said of his lone field goal as time wound down. "I was just glad it went in."

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