Conant quiets Hersey with lockdown defense
It is not even close to baseball season, but Conant was pitching goose eggs.
The Cougars held Hersey scoreless for the second and third quarter to blast past Hersey 36-27 Tuesday in a MSL nonconference game Tuesday in Hoffman Estates.
"Obviously we had a great defensive effort tonight," Conant coach Matt Walsh said. "That is something we stress more than anything. We hang our hat on that."
Conant (4-2) trailed 12-9 after the first quarter. That's when the Cougars put the clamps on the Huskies.
Conant held Hersey scoreless for 18:20. During that span, Hersey missed 13 shots and turned the ball over 11 times, including three charging calls. The Huskies also missed a free throw.
"We always preach defense here," said Conant's Camden Lathos who had 10 rebounds to go with his eight points.
"I think our team is getting better defensively. I thought our guys played hard with a lot of toughness."
Conant's defense had its biggest toll on Hersey's Jackson Hupp, who had scored seven points in the first quarter.
Conant's Shreyas Talluri kept the 6-foot-7 Hupp away from the basket. And when Hersey was able to get the ball to Hupp down low, Conant would swarm him like a group of nasty bees.
"It had a lot to do getting to practice and watching film," Talluri said. "We saw if we front the post, he is not going to get in. We just executed what we learned. It was also a lot about ball-side help. We executed greatly."
Conant was patient on offense during that Hersey scoreless streak. The Cougars took their time on the offensive end, running clock while scoring.
Led by Bradley Biedke, Conant ran off 17 unanswered points to build a 26-12 heading into the final quarter.
Hersey (5-3) finally found its range.
Michael Jasper knocked down a three-pointer with 6:47 left in the final quarter to end the drought. It ignited an 8-2 run for the Huskies to cut the lead to 28-22 on a basket by Jared Ryg with 3:19 to play.
Biedke then converted a three-point play and would later follow up with a basket as the Cougars were able to hold of the surging Huskies.
Biedke led the Cougars with a career-high 15 points, all in the second half. Talluri added eight points for Conant.
"These guys are a joy to coach," Walsh said. "There is a lot of trust on this team. Right now we are just playing really hard. Our intensity is really high."
Hupp led Hersey with 11 points while Jasper and Max Menninga each had six points.
"Give credit to Conant," Hersey coach Austin Scott said. "That was an awesome defensive effort by them. When we put ourselves behind the eight-ball. It is difficult. It is our second game in the 20s. You can't win games in the 20s in this league."