ACC doesn't stay down long
After suffering its first loss of the season Monday, the main thing the Aurora Central Catholic boys basketball team needed to do was post a win Tuesday.
The Chargers did just that Tuesday, but it wasn't easy. Glenbard North put up a fight, but it was ACC which prevailed in the end and beat the Panthers 68-61 in the second day of Waubonsie Valley's Matt Laurich Christmas Basketball Classic.
"It was huge," ACC coach Nate Drye said of bouncing back after the loss to Oswego East. "We talked about effort. If we bring it, I can live with whatever else happens. As long as we play hard, good things have a chance at happening. It was a good win for us."
ACC (11-1) led the entire game, but the Panthers (5-7) were always close behind, especially in the fourth quarter. The Chargers led by as much as 51-40 with 1:17 left in the third after a basket by Mike Adams (13 points, 8 rebounds).
Right after that, four different players helped Glenbard North go on a 9-0 run that slashed ACC's lead to 51-49 with a little over 6 minutes remaining. A bucket from Mike Carev with 3:03 left in the game brought the Panthers within 57-56, but that was as close as they came to taking the lead.
"We used a lot of energy to come back," Glenbard North coach Joe Larson said. "We did a great job of coming back. I thought our pressure really bothered them."
"There was tension, but we knew what we had to do," ACC's Anthony Kelley added.
ACC followed with the next 7 points from Kelley, Mark Brauweiler and Steve Hollon that pushed the lead up 64-56 with a little over a minute remaining.
ACC went 11-for-13 at the free-throw line in the fourth quarter. Kelley was responsible for 8-of-10 at the line, as the senior finished with a game-high 25 points, including a pair of dunks and 6 rebounds.
The 6-foot-5 Kelley was also a big part of ACC's block party. As a team, the Chargers finished with 14 swats. Kelley, Adams (6-3) and Nick Czaja (6-6) each had 4 blocks with the other two coming from Matt Wagner (6-5).
"Mike and Nick are phenomenal shot-blockers," Kelley said. "Anytime you see Mike get a block, you know it's going to be special. It's always fun to watch."
"They are tall, and obviously, they had a size advantage," Larson said.
Fleming led Glenbard North with 15 points. Evan Watkins added 13 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.