Senior Maxwell Haack drained the first three-pointer for Downers Grove North. It was the second basket of the game and it set off an avalanche.
“When we are shooting the ball well it’s just a massacre,” Trojans junior Jack Stanton said.
No. 23 Downers Grove North knocked off visiting Lane 63-43 on Saturday. The Trojans were 7-for-15 from three-point range in the first quarter, scoring 28 points.
Lane (8-12) was never able to recover. Stanton finished with a game-high 18 points for Downers Grove North (20-3).
“We have five guys that when open should be shooting the ball,” Trojans coach Jim Thomas said. “We’re playing pretty well, and the guys are moving the ball and being unselfish.”
The Trojans have been in and out of the rankings this season. The exquisite first quarter demonstrated their very high ceiling.
Haack, Stanton, junior Owen Thulin and senior Finn Kramper can all shoot well. That’s complemented by post players with size and strength: 6-8 juniors Jake Riemer (seven rebounds, two blocks) and George Wolkow. Jacob Bozeman, a 6-5 senior, added nine points and eight rebounds.
“[Stanton] and I went and saw a trainer that worked with Bobby Durkin from Glenbard West last year,” Riemer said. “That definitely gave us a lot of help in our overall games. It improved our quickness and strength. Last year we got bullied a lot because everybody else was bigger and more physical.”
The post defense made things difficult for Lane’s two primary scoring threats, 6-6 sophomore Dalton Scantlebury and junior guard Shaheed Solebo, who was blocked at the rim multiple times.
“We were focused on keeping [Scantlebury] from catching it on the blocks,” Riemer said. “And we wanted to limit his rebounding.”
The Trojans outrebounded Lane 35-21. Scantlebury finished with six points and three rebounds and Solebo scored seven.
Sophomore Brayden Rosenkrantz led Lane with 15 points off the bench. It’s been a rebuilding year for the Champions, with the core of the team comprised of sophomores and juniors.
Downers Grove North has split with Hinsdale Central this season and owns a major win against Bolingbrook. The Trojans’ only other loss is to Lyons.
“We’ve got balance and depth and some guys that can get it to the second level and be willing passers,” Thomas said. “It’s been good for us, besides for three games this year.”
Downers Grove North is heading into the biggest week of its season. The Trojans host No. 16 Lyons on Tuesday and they have a major showdown against Glenbrook South next Saturday at Evanston. Those two games should reveal where they stand in the area’s pecking order.
“We were 16-10 last year and nine of our losses came from teams that were in the top 25,” Thomas said. “This is the same group. We earned those war wounds last season and we are seeing the pay off right now. And hopefully next year we will get a little better.”
