Boys Basketball: Niles North starts fast, blows out Maine East and Hersey
BY DAN SHALIN Contributor February 12, 2012 12:02AM
2/10/2012 Park Ridge Niles North junior Lorenzo Dillard (40) drives to the net during the game at Maine East on Friday, February 10, 2012. Niles North defeated Maine East 82-36. | michael jarecki ~ for Sun-Times Media
standings
CSL South
Waukegan 8-1 14-8
New Trier 7-2 18-5
Evanston 5-4 16-9
Maine South 4-5 16-11
Niles West 2-7 5-17
Glenbrook S. 1-8 5-18
CSL North
Glenbrook N. 7-2 17-6
Niles North 6-3 17-7
Maine West 5-4 12-12
Highland Park 5-4 14-10
Deerfield 4-5 9-13
Maine East 0-9 4-17
(Through Sunday)
Article Extras
Updated: March 17, 2012 9:49AM
Niles North, which has won 12 of its last 14 games, hit Hersey so hard in the mouth in the first period that the Huskies never fully recovered, falling 80-60 in Skokie on Saturday.
The Vikings’ smothering defense forced 10 turnovers in the opening eight minutes, giving Niles North (17-7) a 33-15 lead after the first period.
The Huskies (10-13) turned the ball over on their first three possessions and had five turnovers in the opening two minutes. The Vikings showed no sympathy, taking advantage of every Hersey mistake.
Malachi Nix (21 points) stole a pass with 2:52 left in the period, took it the length of the court, scored and was fouled. His free throw made it 20-13 in favor of the Vikings. After a five-second violation on Hersey, Michael Henley (15 pts) scored off an inbound pass. The 8-0 run was capped off by a three on the next possession by Nix to make it 25-13 with 2:02 left in the quarter.
Henley put the exclamation point on the quarter by connecting on a three-pointer at the buzzer.
“We begin and end with defense,” Nix said. “We had to come out and get a good lead with the defense. We know that the offense will take care of itself.”
Tafari Beckford, who finished with a game-high 22 points, helped put the game beyond doubt in the third. His nine points, including two threes, gave the Vikings a 66-45 lead heading into the final period.
“We’re definitely back on track,” Beckford said. “We just play hard like coach (Glenn Olson) wants us to play and it gets us wins.”
Trevor Haas led the Huskies in scoring with 16 points.
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