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Plenty of starting power for Prospect

Prospect boys basketball coach John Camardella wanted his team come out of the blocks quickly.

The Knights did not let their coach down - in either half.

Prospect bolted to a quick lead, then put Glenbrook North away with with a quick second-half flurry Tuesday to coast to a 60-39 victory in a New Trier regional semifinal in Winnetka.

Prospect (22-5), seeded seventh in the Maine East sectional, will take on second-seeded New Trier in Friday's 7 p.m. regional final in Winnetka.

Johnny Czeslawski scored a career-high 19 points on 5 three-pointers while Jon Kreidler chipped in 12 points and David Swedura had 11 for the Mid-Suburban League champions, who beat Glenbrook North 49-33 two weeks ago.

"I told our guys 'Don't Flinch,' that everyone's career ends sometime," Camardella said. "You have to be attack mode, and our guys were right from the get-go. I joked with them and asked 'Can we get a first half?' Then I told them at halftime that they did."

Prospect ran off 10 unanswered points in the first quarter on their way to a 16-3 run and a 19-6 lead after the first quarter.

The Knights kept up the pressure and eased to 30-15 lead at the break. Prospect played solid offensively, not turning the ball over in that half.

The second half, which has been Prospect's better half all season long, was just that.

Czeslawski hit his first 4 shots of the half, 3 of which came behind the arc as they Knights rolled to a 44-17 lead.

"I just felt real loose tonight," said Czeslawski, who converted 5 three-pointers. "We are just not ready to go home yet."

Kreidler, who didn't play in the first meeting between the teams, knocked down a pair of 3s. Swedura, who sat down early after a minor cut, also had a 3.

"It is always tough playing a team twice," Swedura said. "We knew they would come out and fight, so we had to make sure we came out and played our game. We just wanted to relax and execute."

Camardella knows that Friday's game against New Trier will be a tough test for his squad.

"Let's go," Camardella said. "Welcome to the state tournament. It is awesome to be here Friday night in this historic gym. Our guys are ready."

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