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James Connolly's long 3 lifts Grayslake North

James Connolly had zero points in the opening half on rivalry night in Grayslake.

That in itself is noteworthy - but no worries for the Grayslake North star, because his younger brother Ryan was having a field day against Grayslake Central on Friday night.

This game had it all: lead changes, big shots, and naturally it went down to the wire.

So how far was James Connolly's game-winning shot anyway?

"I say it was 24, 25 feet," Ryan Connolly said.

"It was almost the volleyball line," added North coach Todd Grunloh.

James Connolly had all of his 7 points in the second half.

"The last play was drawn up for me," James said. "But they covered me. I still called for the ball. Time was running out. I took a fadeaway. If I had taken 10 shots, that's the only one that was going in."

Connolly's big 3 was the deciding blow in this 44-43 thriller in favor of host Grayslake North. The Knights improved to 2-3 in Northern Lake County Conference play, while the Rams slipped to 5-2.

Central's lead was at 6 after the first quarter. That 13-7 advantage disappeared quickly, and North held a 29-19 halftime lead.

That didn't last long, either. On a 3-point play from Jack Spalding, the Rams were back within a basket heading to the fourth quarter.

"We always have a back-and-forth game with Central," James Connolly said.

North's biggest lead of the final quarter was 3 points at 41-38, on a drive by Ryan Connolly (22 points, 6 rebounds).

"Our seniors couldn't find it early," Ryan Connolly said.

Central also had its big plays. Spalding 9 of his team-high 13 points in the second half. Alec Novak had a pair of 3-pointers in the second half, and Jack Fortmann hit a huge 3 in the final minute.

Connolly, who will play next season at St Mary's of Minnesota, had the last laugh of the night.

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