Bison size up impressive win
There was more to Buffalo Grove's 57-34 Mid-Suburban East boys basketball victory over Prospect than meets the eye.
Sure, there was a 17-0 third-quarter run that sealed the deal, but there was a lot of defense being played at the other end of Jean Walker Field House, too.
The job the smaller Bison (7-1, 3-0) did against the Knights' two big men, Alex Toth and Kevin Reed, a pair of 6-foot-6 veterans, was as important as Mike Ricciardi's game-high 19 points, Paul Timko's 11 or Brian DeSimone's 9 assists and 8 points.
Ricciardi and DeSimone, both 6-2, helped hold Toth to a team-high 9 points and Reed to 5 points.
"The entire week, coach told us we had to keep their big guys from getting the ball, and if we did, we'd win," Ricciardi said.
"We knew if they got it inside, we'd have a hard time," BG coach Ryan O'Connor said.
"The two of them (Toth and Reed) have been excellent in games," said Prospect coach John Camardella. "DeSimone is a tough-nosed player. They put him on the post (defensively), and that limited the entries."
The second of 2 baskets by Toth at the 5:14 mark cut BG's lead to 29-25. Unfortunately for the Knights (4-4, 1-2) they wouldn't score again until there was 7:42 left and BG was safely ahead 46-25.
The Bison spread the ball around during their 17-0 run. Ricciardi and James Hurley each scored 4 points, Timko and Federico Iudica each nailed a 3-pointer, DeSimone scored 2, and Kevin Mulligan made a free throw.
"The kids came out fired up in the third quarter," O'Connor said. "They really believe in their conditioning.
"At the end of the first half, we were starting to gain momentum. The kids really looked forward to the second half."
Ricciardi scored 12 of his 19 in the first half, including the last 6 points of the half, when the Bison carved out a 27-19 lead at intermission.
"He has been playing like this," O'Connor said. "This was the best four quarters he's put together. It was his best game offensively. On defense, he went up against two big kids and did an exceptional job."
"Our defense did a pretty good job on DeSimone," Prospect coach John Camardella said. "Ricciardi was the X factor for them."
O'Connor also liked the defensive work of Mulligan.
"He played great defense on (Jeff) Heiden (5 points)," O'Connor said. "He didn't get many good looks. It was a great defensive effort."