Slow start does in Warren in loss to Lake Forest

Hitting the holiday break, Warren's boys basketball team would have liked the idea of staying on the winning side

But a slow start and trying to recover ground left the Blue Devils an uphill battle on Friday night.

Lake Forest used a quick start, never let up and pulled away with a 54-44 victory over Warren in a North Suburban Conference matchup in Gurnee.

Freshman Asa Thomas (6-foot-4) led the Scouts (4-5, 1-2) with a game-high 21 points and Jack Malloy added 17.

Juan DelaCruz led the Blue Devils (3-6, 1-2) with 12 points.

"(Lake Forest) was playing very well, good defense, pressuring us and we didn't handle it that well," Warren coach Jon Jasnoch said. "We missed a lot of inside shots in the first half and there were others that we didn't see other guys open inside.

"(Lake Forest) on the other hand did a nice job of finding each other with a really good team offense and finished well. We just tried too much and that never works out too well."

The Scouts opened the game with 8 straight points and had a 10-2 lead, after Malloy hit a jump shot with 4:55 left.

The Blue Devis cut the lead back down to 14-13 by the end of the quarter.

Lake Forest dominated the second quarter with a 12-2 run and led 26-15 at the break.

Late in the third with Thomas scoring 8 points including a free throw, allowed the Scouts to push the lead to 38-25 with 2:10 left.

"My teammates find ways to get me open," Thomas said. "My teammates just get me going. They get me the shots and it's great teamwork."

Warren tried to recover and got the lead down to four twice in the final quarter.

But the Blue Devils couldn't get the extra couple of baskets they needed for the comeback.

"We got after it. Getting off to a good start always helps," Lake Forest coach Phil LaScala said. "Warren made some nice runs. I think they will be a good team down the stretch. They just got those football players back. Once they get those guys playing, they will be a quality team. Once they get their chemistry, they will be tough in the North Suburban. We're lucky to play them early."