Sizzling NSC Prairie start continues for Grant

Compared to last year, a 5-0 start in the North Suburban Prairie Division for the Grant boys basketball team has been like a stroll on the beach on a pleasant summer day.

"Last year was a like a long winter," Grant senior forward James Mobley said with a chuckle.

Last season, Grant won a total of just three games.

"After last year, this is a really good feeling," Mobley said. "It was hard last year. Now, it's like smooth sailing."

Now, Grant is one of the hottest teams in Lake County, and getting hotter with its 63-43 win over host Antioch on Friday.

Logan Lewis led the Bulldogs (9-7, 5-0 Prairie) with a career-high 16 points on 4 three-pointers. Mobley and John Kerr added 13 points apiece. Mobley knocked down 2 three-pointers.

"Our guys just play together well," Grant coach Wayne Bosworth said. "We have a group that's close-knit. They don't care who scores or who gets the stats.

"It's that type of unselfish attitude. They just want to win."

The Bulldogs won by scoring in transition and hitting the long ball. They nailed a total of 7 three-pointers.

"Our guys had a lot of energy and they executed well offensively and defensively," Bosworth said. "We did a good job running the floor at a faster pace tonight. We tried to stay away from slow-pace basketball. We wanted to try to get it up and down."

Grant ran up a 32-20 halftime lead.

Antioch (6-10, 1-4 Prairie) struggled to hit shots. The Sequoits were just 8-of-28 from the field in the first half. Their shooting woes continued into the second half. Antioch was getting open shots but just wasn't finishing.

"We were just kind of flinging," Antioch coach Jim White said. "Not shooting at a good clip isn't going to get us where we need to be. It's been kind of a broken record for us this season."

Antioch's trouble with injury and illness has also been a recurring problem. The Sequoits haven't played a game with their entire starting lineup in tact all season.

"It's been very frustrating," said Antioch senior guard Trevor Koch, who scored a team-high 18 points and was the only Sequoit in double figures. "You just hope that when someone (new) has their number called that they're ready to go. Our team has done well, we're just trying to hang in there while we get everyone healthy. Eventually it will come."