South Elgin shoots past Bartlett

After one quarter that featured just 3 field goals combined between rival boys basketball teams Bartlett and South Elgin, it appeared neither team would pick up its shooting in the Upstate Eight Conference Valley Division matchup.

However, the Storm's Darius Wells and Eric Stazy changed that as they led their team to a 51-37 victory over Bartlett (7-8, 1-4) on Wednesday night at South Elgin.

After struggling to hit their shots in the first quarter, the Storm (9-8, 2-4) finished the final three quarters 15-for-25 from the field including seven buckets from behind the arc.

"We just kept gaining confidence," Wells said. "Shooters keep shooting. If you're off than you're off. If you hit them than you hit them."

The Hawks had taken a 5-4 lead in the first quarter thanks to a Jonathan Leigeber 3-pointer and a pair of free-throws from Marcus Aluquin (6 points), and an Aluquin 3-pointer to open the second gave Bartlett a 7-4 lead.

Stazy and Wells followed with 3-pointers during an 8-0 run which gave the Storm the lead for good at 12-7, and Jacob Maestranzi (6 points) knocked down a 3 at the end of the first half for a 19-14 halftime advantage.

"When you don't rotate and don't close out on your man, than they get open looks," said Bartlett coach Jim Wolfsmith. "We've got to do a better job defensively."

A Kris Fojas bucket and a 3-pointer and layup from Stazy to open the third quarter gave the Storm their first double digit lead at 26-14.

"It's nice when they fall," Stazy said. "My 3-pointers were falling, and when they're falling we can be pretty dangerous."

Both Wells (19 points) and Stazy (13 points) hit 3 shots from 3-point range, and Matthew Downing pulled down 6 rebounds for the Storm.

"This is a big game and emotions are flying," South Elgin coach Chaz Taft said. "This game was going to come down to whoever was not too high and not too low but whoever was even keeled."

A Matt Chaltin bucket pulled Bartlett to 34-28 to open the fourth quarter, but the Hawks pulled no closer. Chaltin finished with a team-high 10 points, Lorenzo Mitchell added 7 points and 5 rebounds and John Moss had 6 points.

"It's a great atmosphere, it's a great game and it's a great rivalry, and we get them again on our home court," Wolfsmith said. "Hopefully we can turn it around on them."