Young Libertyville keeps its cool against Stevenson

Libertyville's boys basketball team features three sophomores and only one returning starter, so maybe the Wildcats are too young to realize what they pulled off.

They dropped 61 points on Stevenson - on the Patriots' home court, no less.

Junior guard Ryan Barth scored 16 points, and Libertyville boasted three other scorers in double figures, as the Wildcats won 61-52 in a North Suburban Lake Division opener Friday night.

"We don't give up 60 points," said coach Pat Ambrose, whose Patriots did so only once last season, in a loss to Zion-Benton. "But Libertyville, credit them. They came out and did a real good job in a hostile environment."

Libertyville, which lost its final two games at Fenton last week, improved to 3-2, while handing Buffalo Grove tournament-champ Stevenson (4-1) its first defeat.

"I thought we played great," said Libertyville sophomore forward Luke Mathewson, who had 10 points and 8 rebounds. "We really came together. We came off two losses at Fenton and knew we had to come together to know we're a good team. We showed it tonight."

Stevenson spotted Libertyville a 15-4 lead after one quarter, as the Patriots made 2 of 15 shots, many from close range.

"Defensively, I thought we really made them struggle a lot," Wildcats coach Scott Bogumil said. "We were really getting in the gaps."

Nate Johnson, who posted game bests of 19 points and 14 rebounds, and Mark Swanson (8 points, two 3-pointers) helped Stevenson get back in the game in the second quarter. But a bailout 3 by Billy Meyer (13 points, 10 rebounds) just before the halftime buzzer had Libertyville up 28-24.

"I thought that was a big momentum shift because we were getting a little doubt on ourselves," Bogumil said. "Last week at Fenton we were up right before the half and (Fenton) made a little run and I thought we panicked the second half."

A drive by Johnson had Stevenson within 36-32 with 2:41 left in the third, but Stevenson was whistled for having six players on the court. Hobie Herberger (9 points) sank both technical-foul shots and Libertyville closed the quarter with a 12-2 run.

"When you're not hitting shots, your confidence goes down, so it kind of brings the morale of the team down," Swanson said. "But that's just where we got to step up. Tonight there were times when we missed (shots), we got down, and that's what sparked their runs. They kicked us when we were down."

Jeff Levitt had 11 points for Stevenson, which played without guard Ryan Chapman, who might have a broken rib.

Tyler Schweigert added 10 points for Libertyville.

"Their dribble-drive offense really caused us fits," Ambrose said. "And that Barth was a nice player. He really took it to us."