Naperville Central 66, Glenbard North 47

With 29 points under his belt and the ball in his hand on the left wing late in the third quarter, Drew Crawford was surprised, to say the least, to see a Glenbard North defender scampering away from him.

It was about the only defense the Panthers hadn't yet employed to stop the 6-foot-4 Naperville Central junior, who promptly swished the open 3-pointer to cap a career-high 32-point effort and lead the Redhawks' boys basketball team to a 66-47 DuPage Valley Conference win on the road.

Half of those 32 came in the second quarter, the turning point in the game. Down 14-12 early in the period, Crawford converted a 3-point play to spark a 25-5 run that put Naperville Central (6-4, 2-2) in front with a comfortable 37-19 lead at the break. Scoring from inside and out, Crawford accounted for 16 points in the period.

"The second quarter decided the game," said Redhawks coach Pete Kramer. "We played great defense, which got our offense going. And when Drew (Crawford) and Harrison (Daniels) are hitting their threes, we're tough to beat."

None of it would have been possible without the calming influence of Danny Ondik running the point. Listed at 5-foot-11 and 150 pounds, the junior's poise and superb ball control running the Redhawks offense broke Glenbard North's press and sparked their offensive outburst.

"I just make sure to stay steady and keep us under control," said Ondik, who scored 5 points, all from the foul line. "We were real unselfish tonight, and it's a luxury to have great offensive players around you to distribute the ball to."

Kramer went to a smaller, quicker lineup because he thought it would bother the Panthers. With Ondik and senior guards Mike Schmitz and Harrison Daniels on the floor, Naperville Central was able to find open looks in Glenbard North's defense.

For Glenbard North (1-8, 1-3), it was another display that showed promise but resulted in disappointment.

"We hit a four-minute stretch where we were too careless with the ball," said Panthers coach Erin Dwyer. "Every day, we talk about shooting better and taking care of the basketball. The rest will take care of itself."

Six-foot-5 center Kaaran Singh, who wasn't a starter until two weeks ago, scored 14 points to lead the Panthers.