Erickson, Phillips key Knights' surge

Sophomore Lauren Erickson is more than a little incredulous that Grayslake North recorded a scant three victories last year in basketball.

"I thought they were kidding at first," said Erickson, who played as a freshman at Cardinal Newman in Palm Beach, Fla.

Unfortunately, but perhaps not too surprisingly, Grayslake North went 3-25 in its inaugural year as a varsity program. But the talent that Erickson has observed on a daily basis is the reason why the Knights are on the upswing.

The Knights' 53-49 victory over Grayslake Central on Tuesday ran their record to 9-10.

"Our goals are a lot higher because we know what to expect," senior point guard Elizabeth Phillips said.

Grayslake North's transformation really began to take shape when the Knights more than held their own in summer-league play.

"The kids knew they could play with people so they started the year with a lot of confidence," coach Jim Sarver said. "It has been tremendous fun for the girls to see the fruits of their labors."

The biggest difference this year has been Grayslake North's ability to put the ball in the basket. The Knights average about 45 points, which is 13 more points than last season.

Erickson, who is averaging about 10 points, is a major reason for that.

"She has a nice (shooting) touch and she can also play inside," Sarver said.

Erickson and senior Natalie Barczyk each have hit more than 20 shots from beyond the arc. Junior Ali Vlahos also has made 3-pointers on a consistent basis.

"Our ability to shoot 3-pointers keeps us in games," Sarver said. "It's almost like hitting blackjack. We're getting 3-to-2 on our money."

Sarver likes the way the 5-foot-9 Phillips is running the offense.

"She's really starting to blossom as a ball handler," he said. "She takes advantage of her size inside against smaller girls."

The Knights are markedly improved despite losing 6-foot-1 senior center Alex Lowry to an ACL injury six games into the season.

"She's an excellent shot-blocker and a huge loss for us in the middle," Sarver said. "It took us some time to adjust."

As a result, Phillips and Erickson, who play in the backcourt on offense, often guard the opposition's post players. Grayslake North's man-to-man defense has forced opponents to work hard for good shots.

Although there is a smaller pool to draw from with two schools in Grayslake, Sarver said there are enough players to go around.

"There's always been a good amount of girls basketball talent here," he said. "Over the next couple of years I see us having very competitive basketball teams."