Defense spurs Naperville North to win over Stagg

Two reasons why Naperville North coach Jeff Powers has succeeded over the years are preparation and shifting defense.

Both factored into the Huskies' 58-41 win over Stagg at York's 42nd annual Jack Tosh Holiday Classic on Monday.

Battling right off the bus, Naperville North (7-2) forced 8 first-quarter turnovers and over the 32 minutes employed six defenses half court to full court, Powers said.

"He always changes the defense, makes the other team have to think about their offensive possession, every possession," said senior guard Jelani McClain, who threw around his 225 pounds on a "5-11ish" frame for 12 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals.

"Take time off the clock, they come down the court waiting for one defense and then we're in another just like that. That always throws the offense off, in my opinion," McClain said.

The fact Stagg (8-2) - led now for 13 seasons by former York coach John Daniels - is a known quantity helped motivate the Huskies.

"They're in the top 25 in the state. They had an X on their back, we just wanted to win," said another quick-handed guard, Winston Elston. He scored 13 points with 4 steals, and 6-foot-6 sophomore Chris Johnson added 13 points, 6 boards.

Naperville North's steal-fueled first quarter earned a 17-9 lead Stagg never made up.

"They beat us," Daniels said. "Give all the credit to coach, he did a great job prepping. Their kids played well, I thought they played with good intensity. We're a marked team now and they came in knowing that, and good for them."

Led by Josh Strama and Josh Blim each at 11 points, Stagg pulled within 26-19 late in the second quarter. By 5:23 of the third Naperville North was back up 35-21 following Camaron Hardy's riser in the lane.

Spreading the court against Stagg's man-to-man defense, Naperville North led 43-26 entering the fourth quarter. When the Chargers tried to steam downcourt, Powers called a full-court press to slow them down.

"Proud of these boys," Powers said. "This gets us to 7-2, a chance to play Riverside-Brookfield, who is an awful good team. I think they were the No. 1 seed in the tournament, so a chance to get to the final four. This is a great thing for our program."