Glenbard East 60, Naperville North 57 (OT)
Even if it took all night, Glenbard East was going to end that losing streak.
It didn't take that long, but the Rams did need overtime to edge host Naperville North 60-57 in Friday's DuPage Valley Conference boys basketball game.
Breaking a five-game losing streak, Glenbard East (10-8, 5-3) also pulled within two games of DVC leader West Aurora, which lost to Naperville Central on Friday.
"This was a real important game for us to get over the hump," said Rams junior Paul Sanders, who had 12 points and 7 rebounds. "We fought hard. It feels good. Now we can keep going on and keep winning."
Sanders hit a pair of free throws with 13.6 seconds left in regulation to put the Rams ahead 54-52 but, after a timeout, the Huskies' Austin Weiss nailed a jumper in the lane to send the game to overtime tied 54-54.
The teams traded baskets at the start of overtime before Glenbard East slowly gained control. Sanders scored on a putback and Derak Stanback twice split a pair of free throws to scoot the Rams' lead to 60-56.
Weiss split two free throws with 3.1 seconds left to account for the final score as Naperville North (7-13, 2-6) was denied in its quest for its first three-game winning streak of the season.
"Our guys have been through so much adversity and they're still playing hard," said Huskies coach Mark Lindo. "Confidence is self-imposed, and it's hard to create confidence in yourself when you come so close so often and you don't see the final reward. We've just got to keep battling."
Glenbard East scored the game's first 7 points while holding the Huskies without a first-quarter field goal.
Naperville North slowly rallied, closing the third quarter on an 8-1 run to take a 38-34 lead. The margin grew to 42-35 early in the fourth quarter after Danny Grimley's 3-pointer and Emerson Beck's free throw.
Stanback, who missed much of the second half after picking up his fourth foul, stepped up in the final frame. He tallied 8 of his team-high 18 points, including a putback with 2:57 left to give the Rams a 48-46 lead.
Weiss scored 18 points to pace the Huskies. Tom Walsh added 16. Jack Merrithey knocked down four 3-pointers while scoring 12 points for the Rams.
"The biggest thing for us was getting off that losing streak," said Rams coach Scott Miller. "It had been gnawing at us."