Napervilles going in different directions

One team came into Tuesday's DuPage Valley Conference game struggling and missing its best player. The other is playing its best basketball of the season.

The outcome wasn't a surprise.

Host Naperville Central recorded a 67-38 victory over cross-town rival Naperville North.

"We sadly missed Kaelyn Witkowski," first-year Huskies coach Jacquie Discipio said of the senior who missed the game due to illness. "She offers a lot of leadership, a lot of energy. A lot of our team comes from her momentum. We press better when she's here, our offense moves better when she's here. A tough game for us to go in and play Central again less than two weeks later without her."

If the Redhawks (11-9, 6-2) felt any pity, it didn't show. They attacked with fervor, taking a 22-5 lead after the first quarter.

"We talked about a full, 100 percent intense effort, and we've been getting it the last three nights out," Redhawks coach Andy Nussbaum said. "I'm pretty pleased with the way we're playing right now."

The Redhawks were conscious to avoid a letdown against the Huskies (2-14, 1-7), whom they defeated 73-40 on Jan. 8.

"We talked about this is the only game we have left, because we felt like for North this is their biggest game of the year, and we needed to match their intensity. And we did a pretty good job of that right out of the gate," Nussbaum said.

"We struggled with the press in the beginning," Discipio added. "I think we got a little frazzled, and we missed Kaelyn's leadership on that.

"At the beginning our shots weren't falling. We were flustered. It was all in all not our best showing."

The lead grew to 41-19 at halftime, and the Redhawks made sure of matters by scoring the first 10 points of the third quarter.

Twelve Redhawks got significant playing time, and 11 of them scored. Kelley Hendrick led the way with 17 points, 11 in the first quarter.

Senior Haley Krentz led the Huskies with 12 points, and junior Colleen Warren added 11

"I felt like Colleen Warren really stepped up," said Discipio, who also praised Krentz's play. "You could see that had that fight in her eye, like she was aggravated and wanted to do better, which I appreciated, especially for the future of our program. That fighting spirit is something you can't necessarily coach."

Discipio also liked Ashley Wiezeorick's effort.

"Ashley Wiezeorick did some amazing defensive work. She's been kind of a bubble starter. She just brings a lot of hustle and spirit," Discipio said.