Suits hits game-winner for Saints

Saturday's boys basketball game between Naperville North and St. Charles East felt more like a 3-point contest than a nonconference contest.

The two teams combined for 16 treys, so it was only fitting the game was won on a 3-pointer.

Ryan Suits, a senior with the Saints, hit "the biggest three of his career" when he nailed the game-winning 3-pointer in St. Charles East's 75-72 win against the Huskies in St. Charles.

"We knew it was going to come down to one possession, and Ryan Suits stepped up," St. Charles East coach Brian Clodi said. "Bottom line is our kids competed, and it was a great high school game, high scoring with both teams finding their way on the offensive end. We are extremely proud of the kids."

With the game tied at 72 and 13.3 seconds remaining, Suits hit his third 3-pointer of the game at the top of the key.

"I was open…I was feeling good and I hit a couple shots earlier," said Suits, who finished with 13 points and also grabbed the game-ending rebound. "Fortunately, it went in."

Naperville North (2-4) had the chance to tie the game when Austin Weiss was fouled behind the 3-point line with 2.1 seconds left in the game.

Weiss missed the free throws, but he finished with a career-high 26 points, including 9 in the final quarter.

"Austin is a nice player, and I'm sure he really wants the ball at crunch time," Naperville North coach Mark Lindo said. "He's going to be a good player."

Weiss and Suits weren't the only ones to post career nights. St. Charles East star Collin Pryor matched his own high after he finished with 31 points and 11 rebounds.

He also was a threat behind the 3-point line, as he made a trio of treys, including one that pushed the Saints (2-4) ahead 69-66 with 1:58 remaining in the game.

"He took over the game," Clodi said of Pryor.

The Huskies never led again after that. They were able to tie the game at 72 after a basket from Weiss in the paint with 39.3 seconds left in the game.

In addition to Weiss, Naperville North was led by Jake Hasse's 13 points.

The Huskies are 2-4 and have lost all of their games by a total of 13 points.

"We just haven't been able to close the deal," Lindo said. "But I feel really good about the way the guys are competing."