Patience and an innate ability to take the time to run good offense has been one reason for Naperville North’s success this season.
With a potential DuPage Valley Conference title on the line Friday in its third meeting with Neuqua Valley this year, patience went out the window.
Refusing to wait any longer, Naperville North’s balance ruled the night yet again as it coasted to a 64-49 victory over Neuqua Valley to clinch the conference title outright after Metea Valley upset Lake Park.
If the program’s last outright title in 2012 – claimed on the final day after a West Aurora loss – was a surprise, this season’s run to the DVC’s Mount Olympus was far from it.
“When you looked at the conference, you saw the Valleys coming in and you knew how tough Wheaton (North) and Wheaton Warrenville South was going to be,” Naperville North coach Jeff Powers said. “We knew it was going to be a dogfight, but we knew we had some talent.
“And after the summer, watching these kids play, we knew we could play with just about anyone. It just depends on how fast they grew up and to their credit – they’ve been very hungry and humble.”
A 12th victory in 13 DVC outings proved what the previous 11 victories showed – a level of balance unmatched throughout the rest of the conference.
Three Huskies (19-4, 12-1) scored in double figures while sophomore Chris Johnson and junior Tyler Carlson each added eight points.
Junior Mitch Lewis’ 12 points led the way for Naperville North while fellow juniors Winston Elston and Cam Hardy added 11 and 10, respectively.
“It’s awesome that we have multiple people that can score at any time and all contribute,” Lewis said. “It’s not just one person. It’s the whole team, so it’s real nice.”
An 8-3 start for the Wildcats (9-16, 5-8) was countered by an 18-4 Huskies’ run to open up a 22-12 with less than a minute gone in the second quarter.
Upon entering the game with 2:22 left in the first, Lewis quickly scored two baskets to prompt a Wildcats’ timeout.
Two Lewis’ free throws, a basket from Johnson and Elston’s first two baskets helped put an end to the 18-4 uprising for the Huskies.
“If we all get at least eight to 10 points, I don’t think there’s anybody in the state that can beat us,” Elston said. … “We knew this year we’d be loaded. So it feels to good to actually fulfill what we were thinking.”
While the two teams exchanged baskets for much of the remainder of the first half and into the start of the second half, Naperville North’s 8-0 run to end the third changed matters.
After a pair of Jacob Cushing buckets got the Wildcats within eight points at 44-36, Cam Hardy’s triple and two Carlson baskets, including a three, pushed the Huskies’ lead up to 16 points.
“We told them we need to look at Naperville North – how easy offense gets,” Neuqua Valley coach Todd Sutton said of his team. “Moving the ball, sharing the ball, not caring who scores, making the extra pass. It’s just easy offense and they’re just playing HORSE out there against us because they’re making (the) extra pass and they’re very unselfish. I said they’re fun to watch.”
The Cal Poly-bound Cushing had a game-high 18 points while Joe Sieger added 10 for Neuqua Valley, which lost all of its three games to Naperville North by at least 12 points.
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