Energetic Grant gets it going

The pregame focus boiled down to two words.

Grant boys basketball coach Wayne Bosworth had written them on the board in the locker room in bold, capital letters.

"It was high energy," Grant senior forward James Mobley said. "We have to consistently bring energy and we'll be fine."

The message got through to the Bulldogs, who got off to a strong start against visiting Lakes en route to a 70-49 North Suburban Conference Prairie Division victory on Saturday night.

It was a complete reversal of what happened with the Bulldogs in their previous game, a loss to Vernon Hills on Tuesday that was their first loss in Prairie Division play. Grant is now 13-10 overall and 8-1 in the Prairie.

"It was frustrating against Vernon Hills," said Mobley, one of four Bulldogs in double-figures with 15 points. "Coach kept telling us (before the Vernon Hills game) that since we were undefeated, teams were really going to be giving us their all and I guess we didn't believe that because we got punched in the mouth. We were really flat. We had to respond tonight.

"The first couple minutes of a game are the most important because they really set the tone and tempo. If you come out flat, that lets a team know they can get into the game. If we come out stepping on their throat, they know we're not to be messed with. That's what we did."

Grant built up a 15-9 lead by the end of the first quarter on the strength of three 3-pointers, two by point guard Logan Lewis (13 points).

The Bulldogs, who got a game-high 18 points out of Ben Kusiak, also forced Lakes into 6 turnovers in the quarter.

"It (a good start) was huge for our kids' confidence after the Vernon Hills game to bounce back in this game," Grant coach Wayne Bosworth said. "We were slow against Vernon Hills. We lacked that high energy.

"James (Mobley) has been a huge verbal leader for us in really speaking up a lot and getting the guys going and motivating them and they all responded well. I'm proud of them."

The Grant lead expanded to 10 points early in the second quarter but Lakes (11-11, 4-6 Prairie) cut that down and even took a momentary lead (28-27) just before halftime.

But Grant (up 31-28 at half) out-scored Lakes 23-11 in the third quarter to take firm control.

"We felt good at halftime but Grant went on a good run in the third quarter and put it away," Lakes coach Chris Snyder said. "Our guys were fighting. It's just that right now, we're having a hard time putting the ball in the hoop."

In fairness, Lakes is missing its point guard and second-best scorer in junior Kyle Rohr. Rohr was averaging about 13 points per game when he went down with a season-ending knee injury last week in a game against Vernon Hills.

Rohr tore the anterior cruciate ligament, the MCL and the meniscus in his left knee and has missed the last two games, both losses for Lakes, which had won five of six games heading into the Vernon Hills game.

"It's upsetting to see the team lose and know that I can't help at all," Rohr said. "We were doing pretty good (prior to the injury). This has been hard to watch."

Rohr was coming off a screen, jumped off his left foot for a floater and felt a pop in mid-air.

"It was weird and I started screaming right away," said Rohr, who will be having surgery next week and could be out six months. "I never scream or say anything when I get hurt so everyone knew it was bad.

"The most disappointing part is that at the beginning of the season, I was hitting my shots and playing well and then I went into this slump and then against Vernon Hills, I hit a 3-pointer and I was really feeling it and everyone was excited I was starting to hit my shots again. And then next possession down, my knee popped."

Colton Jewell and Tim Ohlwein were doing their best to fill the void left by Rohr. They scored 14 and 11 points respectively against Grant. Jewell drained two 3-pointers.

Also in double-figures for Grant was forward Nick Kouvelis (10 points). Kouvelis, normally a reserve, got the start for junior forward Andy Kaye, who is out with a concussion. Kouvelis went 6-for-6 at the free throw line.