Young Dundee-Crown can't match Prairie Ridge
In a blink of an eye, Prairie Ridge's 2-point lead expanded to a 15-point advantage. Actually, it was a 3 minute and 43 second span in the third quarter, in which PR outscored Dundee-Crown 14-1.
D-C could never recover.
The Wolves' pivotal run propelled them to a 52-40 win over D-C in a Fox Valley Conference crossover boys basketball game in Crystal Lake Friday night.
"We were right in the ballgame in the third quarter and their pressure really got to us," said Dundee-Crown coach Lance Huber. "We are very young and inexperienced and you have to live with mistakes. But, there comes a point where the kids have to take responsibility for their mistakes and get better if they are going to play at the varsity level."
A putback from Kirk Hanselmann pulled D-C (1-4) within 2 points of PR (3-3), 26-24, with 6:05 left in the third quarter.
Then, the roof caved in for the Chargers. PR forced 6 D-C turnovers and turned 5 of the miscues into easy layups. Kevin Kaczmarski had 3 steals and 3 layup baskets and Sam Mandl had a pair of layup buckets as the Wolves turned a 2-point lead into a 15-point advantage, 40-26, after a putback by Dan Wolf with 2:25 remaining in the third quarter.
"We finally got some good pressure on the ball and got some easy baskets," said Prairie Ridge coach Corky Card. "We got a decent lead, but I didn't feel comfortable because Dundee-Crown is so scrappy and so well-coached. I knew they would keep coming at us."
A 3-pointer by Sean Bernhard pulled the Chargers within 6 of the Wolves, 43-37, with 6:46 left in the game. But D-C couldn't get any closer.
A 6-point PR run led by 4 points from Kaczmarski gave PR a 12-point lead, 49-37, with 4:11 remaining.
Kaczmarski led the Wolves with 19 points, 6 steals and 5 assists while Chad Ljunggren added 13 points with 4 assists.
PR could have had a wider margin of victory, but made only 15-of-32 free throws for 47 percent.
"We are a very good free throw shooting team," said Card. "Tonight was one of those nights we just had poor focus at the free throw line. I just think it was one bad night. I don't think it will be a pattern."
Dundee-Crown was led by Bernhard with three 3-pointers for 9 points. Will Stupar and Nathan Kirchoff added 7 points apiece for the Chargers.