Vogrich, Lake Forest shoot down Lake Zurich

Both Lake Forest and Lake Zurich learned valuable basketball lessons Friday night in a North Suburban Lake Division contest at Lake Zurich.

The lesson the Scouts and Bears learned was that if the outside isn't open, go to the basket.

Lake Zurich did just that to rally from a 15-point third quarter deficit, and Lake Forest did the same when the Scouts desperately needed a bucket.

With 2:04 remaining in regulation, Matt Vogrich, who was held without a 3-pointer for the first time all season, drove the lane, went to the basket and finished. The final 2 of his game-high 17 points helped Lake Forest hold off Lake Zurich 46-43.

"I just took and ran the ball through a screen and took it to the rim," said the Michigan-bound Vogrich. "We shot the ball poorly so I felt like I needed to make something happen by going to the basket."

Lake Forest (11-3, 5-1) led 32-17 early in the third quarter and 44-31 early in the fourth before the Bears responded with their first real run of points all night.

"We knew that if our shots weren't falling that we needed to get the ball inside," Lake Zurich coach John Zarr said. "We ran three or four different offenses in the first half to get us going and nothing really worked."

The run that Lake Zurich (6-7, 1-3) used brought the Bears nearly all the way back. Lake Zurich held the Scouts scoreless for more than four minutes, outscoring Lake Forest 12-0 during that stretch.

"We were up 8 or 10 in the fourth and I thought we could sustain that," said Lake Forest coach Phil LaScala. "But then we just couldn't buy a bucket. I think the fact we had the game Wednesday started to show in our legs in the fourth quarter."

Lake Zurich senior Danny Coleman helped bring the Bears back. Coleman scored all but two of his team-best 14 points in the second half. His two free throws with 3:17 to play in the fourth pulled the Bears within 44-42.

"Danny Coleman was an outstanding player for us tonight," Zarr said. "In the second half he was terrific on offense but he was outstanding on defense against Vogrich all night."

Coleman added 13 boards to go with his 14 points. Brandon Kunz hauled in 17 off the glass to go with 9 points for Lake Zurich. Mitch Hopfinger added 12 points for Lake Forest