Naperville Central coach Pete Kramer has repeatedly stated his 6-7 big man Harry Hallstrom needs to score for his team to be good.
While the 6-foot-7, 195-pound junior started Naperville Central’s resurgence following last Friday’s 27-point output at Lake Park by tallying seven first-half points against Plainfield East on Tuesday, it was one of his fellow juniors who tamed the Bengals.
Given the stage to match wits with someone who’ll be playing in Big Ten arenas across the country next year, Naperville Central’s Matthew Meier stepped up when his young team needed him most.
Scoring 12 of his game-high 22 points in the fourth quarter, Meier sank eight of his 10 free throw attempts in the final quarter as Naperville Central held off Aaron Jordan and Plainfield East, 47-43.
“(Jordan’s) a great player, obviously. We’ve played against him in the summer and summer league we were battling all the time and, you know, it was just great to come out on top,” Meier said. “I just kept attacking and when I could and I had confidence and my teammates were there for me and they were supporting me. I just kept attacking and I’m glad we came out with a victory.”
The Illinois-bound Jordan was seeing his first time back on the floor after suffering a deep thigh bruise and didn’t enter the game until 1:02 was left in the first quarter.
Jordan led Plainfield East (11-6) with 13 points, nine of which came after halftime as the Bengals overcame a 10-point third-quarter deficit to take a brief lead early in the fourth following a Wynston Wright three-pointer with 5:06 left.
Going to the line on two separate occasions in the fourth that either could have put the Bengals back in front or tie the game, Jordan hit two of four free throws while misfiring on a potential game-tying three-point attempt with about three seconds left in regulation.
“I figured (Jordan) wouldn’t start, but I thought he’d be in the first minute, so I was kind of happy they let him sit for as long as they wanted him to. But he’s such a good player,” Kramer said. “We played them last year and he scored like 24 and we still beat them big, but we played awfully well last year over there. I was watching that film a little bit and I’m just like, ‘Oh, jeez.’
“So we didn’t know if he was going to play or not. But, anyway, he’s a nice player.”
With 13 points and nine rebounds, Hallstrom just missed out on a double-double for Naperville Central (12-8).
Hallstrom had three putbacks for scores during the third that allowed the Redhawks to push out their lead to double figures.
Getting consistency from him will be pivotal for the Redhawks moving forward and his coach will continue to preach it.
“It was good to see Harry have a game like that. He’s been struggling the last couple games and we need him,” Kramer said. “When he’s part of the mix, then we’re tough to beat. … He was real active and that’s what he’s capable of. I don’t know, the last couple games, sometimes you just get in that kind of funk and you just try to get yourself out.”
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