Quite simply, Grant’s getting better

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Grant's boys basketball team is about to reach full strength health-wise for the first time in over a month with the return of Rayvon Jones.

Jones has been out for the last three weeks, missing eight games with a concussion. But he'll be in uniform on Saturday night as Grant hosts Lake Forest.

Turns out the Bulldogs got back on track without him Friday.

Grant broke a three game losing streak with a 63-41 victory over visiting Round Lake in a North Suburban Prairie Division game in Fox Lake.

Keion Miller led the Bulldogs (8-10, 2-4) with 19 points, and Tom Blanchette, Ryan Noda and Steve Dunning each chipped in with 9 points apiece.

"The whole team came out with a lot of energy," Miller said. "We were running the court and playing defense. Running through our offense and doing everything that our coach (Wayne Bosworth) wanted us to do."

Miller jump-started the Bulldogs, breaking a 15-15 tie early in the second quarter and dropping in 6 points. Mike Burns (7 points) hit a couple treys as part of a 16-3 spurt that put Grant up 31-18 at the break.

"Usually, all the players know how to pick each other up, like 'Let's go,' " said Miller of scoring in transition. "We just fill the spaces and get down the court."

Grant kept pushing the ball and the intensity, then outscored the Panthers 20-11 in the third quarter to lead 51-29.

"Our team is getting there," Bosworth said. "We took a lot of steps forward in this game.

"I thought this was the best our guys have played for each other throughout the entire year. I thought they played well as a team and trusted each other."

Round Lake (3-14, 1-5) started out well, taking a 4-0 lead before trailing 15-12 after the opening quarter. The Panthers' James Mobley (11 points) made a couple of free throws to tie the game with 6:57 remaining in the second quarter — and that's when the Bulldogs went on their run.

"In the first half we were fine," Round Lake coach Jim Roberts said. "It was that we couldn't close the half. We were fine, playing well, defending and had them in foul trouble. Grant went to a (1-2-2) zone and then we had some unforced careless turnovers that compounded some mistakes, letting them expand the lead a bit.

"We still had a lot of positive things. We just have to compete every play on offense and on defense."

Karnell Wright led Round Lake with 16 points and Mateusz Lopez added 8.