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Niles North on target from behind the arc in win over Deerfield
Niles North's Malachi Nix drives on Deerfield's Patrick Burns on Friday in Skokie. | Joel Lerner~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: January 18, 2013 3:28AM
SKOKIE — Niles North hit 12 three-pointers against a Deerfield zone in a 67-55 victory in Friday’s CSL North contest.
The Vikings (12-3 overall, 5-0 conference) had four players in double figures. They were led by senior Malachi Nix’s 18 points, half of which were scored in the fourth quarter. Senior BJ Beckford and junior JJ Myles had 14 apiece and senior Lorenzo Dillard added 10.
Deerfield (7-8, 1-4) designed its defense to keep Nix and Dillard from driving to the basket. But that meant open looks for less-heralded players like Myles (9 first half points) and senior Harvey Penn (6 first-half points), who helped the Vikings build a 14-point second-quarter lead.
The Vikings were up 30-20 at the break.
“Teams are going to scheme and do what they can do to take away Nix and Dillard’s penetration and try to take away Beckford shooting the ball. We know this,” Niles North coach Glenn Olson said. “But we have some other players. Penn and Myles are outstanding shooters. When they get clean looks, we feel real good.”
But Deerfield continued to battle.
Junior post player Michael Alfieri (team-high 18 points) converted a 3-point play with 5:18 remaining in the third to bring his team within seven, 37-30.
“We’re resilient,” Deerfield first-year coach Dan McKendrick said. “We’ve kind of been that way the whole year. It’s not always pretty, but we don’t stop competing. That’s a credit to our kids.”
However, Niles North closed out the third with an 11-6 run, which included 3-pointers from Beckford and Dillard, as the home team pushed its advantage back to double-digits.
Junior Eric Porter added 17 points for Deerfield.
Pick up your local Pioneer Press newspaper Thursday to read more about the Niles North and Deerfield boys basketball teams.
Niles North 67, Deerfield 55
Deerfield (7-8, 1-4)
Eric Porter 17, Andrew Ferdman 2, Anthony Shapiro 6, Alexander Glantz 4, Michael Alfieri 18, Samuel Kuznetsky 0, Jack Gurvey 2, Patrick Burns 6.
Niles North (12-3, 5-0)
BJ Beckford 14, JJ Myles 14, Billy Voitik 6, Harvey Penn 5, Malachi Nix 18, Lorenzo Dillard 10, Danilo Ranger 0, Jason Tayloe 0, Will Donado 0, Peter Tate 0.
Deerfield 11-9-19-16 — 55
Niles North 20-10-18-19 — 67
3-point goals — Deerfield 5 (Porter 5), Niles North 12 (Myles 4, Beckford 2, Penn 2, Nix 2, Dillard 2). Fouled out — Nix.
