Win against Metea Valley gives Naperville North eight straight
The Naperville North boys basketball team showed Friday night at Metea Valley why it's on an eight-game winning streak and enjoying plenty of success this season.
A big third quarter helped the Huskies (14-4, 7-2 DuPage Valley Conference) turn on the afterburners to down the Mustangs 64-43.
"In the third quarter we talked about Metea's penetration. We did a better job then of stopping their penetration," said Naperville North coach Jeff Powers. "We started getting some inside touches in the second quarter. And in the third quarter we kicked it outside for a couple of 3-pointers and pulled away."
Metea (8-14, 4-6) and the Huskies made their shooting percentages glow in the first quarter with both teams hitting for 50 percent. Naperville North led 18-15 at the end of the first eight minutes.
The Huskies stayed sizzling with 6-of-9 shooting in the second quarter and the Mustangs cooled to 3 of 10. A 3-pointer from Youcef Merabet put Naperville North up 28-19 with 3:40 remaining until halftime. Later, Ashton Creal pulled Metea to within 5.
The Huskies responded with an 8-1 run to lead by 12 with two free throws from Merabet capping it. Creal though scored with just seconds left to keep his team to within 10 at halftime.
Merabet finished with 14 points, just two behind game-high scorer Chris Johnson's 16. Life on the basketball court has been especially good to Merabet of late.
"I know I have the confidence and skill to play at the varsity level, but I had some ups and downs at the start of the season," the senior said.
"Youcef is absolutely incredible. We are absolutely blessed to have him," Johnson said.
Johnson, himself, played a key role in the third quarter as the Huskies outscored the Mustangs 16-7. Johnson scored 7 points, Tyler Carlson sank two 3-pointers and Camaron Hardy hit for one for Naperville North's points.
It was a fairly physical game, and Powers said Johnson, a 6-foot-7 junior, is prepared for contests such as Friday's.
"He's awfully strong. We foul the heck out of him in practice. He never complains," Powers said.
The smallest advantage the Huskies had in the third quarter was when Metea's Myles Leavy made it 42-30. Johnson then proceeded to make good on two consecutive three-point plays. He followed with a putback and then Carlson sank his second 3-pointer to end the quarter with Naperville North ahead 52-33.
"We'll try to keep rolling. We'll keep working hard in practice and try to keep winning," Johnson said.
Creal and Jeremy Hunter led the Mustangs with 11 points each.
"I was happy with the way we played in the first half," said Metea coach Matt Walpole. "But (the Huskies) are too good a team for us not to convert when they turn the ball over."