advertisement

Lakes wins a wild one at Antioch

It was the game that seemed doomed from the start. Like it just wasn't meant to happen.

But the Lakes boys basketball team sure is glad that somehow it did.

On Friday, the Eagles survived one heck of a surreal environment at Antioch to pull out a 52-43 victory against their crosstown rivals.

First, there was the hour-late start. The preceding girls varsity game between Lakes and Antioch went to overtime.

Then, less than two minutes into the boys varsity game, a fire alarm abruptly stopped play and sent every single person in the gym outside into the cold. Fans, players, coaches, even players were all commiserating together, some without their coats.

Multiple fire engines arrived, lights flashing, sirens roaring. Play resumed about 15 minutes later.

And let's not forget: there was also a malfunctioning clock, which chose to act up multiple times just after the fire drill. And later in the game, there were the unruly fans in the Antioch student section that drew the ire of officials. Play was stopped yet again so that the noisy horns the fans had been warned about (and continued to use) could be confiscated.

Clearly not your typical day at the office.

But the Eagles would gladly navigate through it all again if it meant they'd be able to get that huge monkey off their backs.

The victory was the first of the season for Lakes, which is now 1-6 overall and 1-1 in the North Suburban Conference Prairie Division.

Meanwhile, Antioch, which also entered the game without a win, stays that way, dropping to 0-7 on the season.

“It was just crazy,” said Lakes junior guard Jay-Jay Elvir, who was one of three players in double-figures for he Eagles. He had 10 points. “The fire drill, the clock, it was crazy. And it was also a real intense game because it was a rivalry game. But we stayed composed.

“We just wanted to get a win.”

Lakes earned it on the defensive end. The Eagles forced Antioch into 23 turnovers and a 36 percent shooting clip from the field.

“The start of the game was just like, ‘What else could happen here?' It was crazy,” first-year Lakes coach Chris Snyder said. “But at the same time, it was a great atmosphere. Rivalries are fun games so I told the guys, just enjoy it. That's what high school is all about, big games like this.

“We're finally coming out on the right end of one. It feels good. It's a big weight off of our back. Our guys have been working so hard and they earned it.”

Snyder says he had a good feeling about this game because the hard work was there all week in practice. And that kind of focus hasn't always been there in long stretches for the Eagles.

“We came out focused,” Snyder said. “We've talked in the past about slowly buying in (to a new system), and I think now they've realized what we can do when we play as a team.”

Six of eight players who entered the game for Lakes scored. Sophomore forward Justin Bergeron, who recently earned a spot in the starting lineup, scored a game-high 14 points for the Eagles.

Sophomore guard Direll Clark added 10 points for Lakes.

Meanwhile, Antioch got a team-high 12 points from Sam Green and 11 points from reserve forward Joe Gregory.

Green came up with a huge play in the fourth quarter that gave the Sequoits some life.

Down by as many as 11 points early in the fourth quarter, Antioch pulled to within five points (42-37) on an old-fashioned three-point play by Green.

But Lakes then forced Antioch into more turnovers and was able to seal the game by hitting free throws down the stretch.

“We need to be more mentally tough,” Green said. “We have the physical ability, we just need to cut down on the mistakes. The turnovers…we had a lot, but 23 turnovers isn't even the highest we've had all season. We just can't do that.

“We have a long break now and we're going to work on things and get it done in practice. We still think we can be a really good team. I think we'll turn it around.”

  Antioch’s Sam Green puts the ball up at home against Lakes’ Nick Hibbing, left, and Justin Bergeron on Friday. George LeClaire/gleclaire@dailyherald.com
  Anticoh’s William Waschow pulls in a rebound at home against Lake on Friday, December 10. George LeClaire/gleclaire@dailyherald.com
  Lakes’ Blain Tanner pulls in a defensive rebound while surrounded by Antioch defenders on Friday. George LeClaire/gleclaire@dailyherald.com
  Antioch’s William Waschow measures a jumper. George LeClaire/gleclaire@dailyherald.com