Determined York sets tone at Downers Grove North
Make no mistake, that York boys basketball team is on a mission. And the Dukes mean business.
The Dukes took one step closer to a West Suburban Silver title Friday with a 70-54 victory over host Downers Grove North, spoiling the Trojans' Senior Night.
In the process York hit a whopping 13 3-point baskets - 5 from senior point guard Nate Shockey - to improve to 24-3 overall and 8-1 in the league.
The victory also set up a showdown with Oak Park-River Forest at 6 p.m. Saturday at York. The Huskies defeated Glenbard West 53-45 Friday to improve to 9-1 in the WSC Silver and 15-8 overall.
None of the York players - literally none - smiled before or showed any real emotion before or during the game. That's how serious this is.
"We're trying to win a conference championship, and we're all business," said senior forward Erik Cohn, who finished with 18 points, including four 3-pointers and a pair of dunks. "We can have fun after the game in the locker room, it's all business from tipoff until the buzzer rings."
And how. Downers North started the game in a zone defense, but do you think that hindered the Dukes?
They merely canned five 3-pointers in the first quarter - Shockey and then two apiece from Cohn and senior guard Nick Kosich - to take a 21-5 lead at its conclusion.
Another pair of 3s by Cohn in the second quarter ballooned the lead to 34-17.
"We just wanted to find the open guy," said Shockey, who turned in his best game of the season with 27 points. "We all shot the ball really, really well. I think everyone on this team is really unselfish and just looking for the next pass."
But Downers North didn't go away. In fact the Trojans used sheer hard work to craft a 17-2 run late in the third quarter to pull within 49-36 at its conclusion. Their three-quarters press and trap gave York fits and led to back-to-back steals and layups by senior guards Sema'j Henderson and Collin Reed. With 49 seconds left, Henderson capped the run with an NBA 3 from the right side.
But it was too little, too late.
"I told our guys, the good news is they'll probably win state and make our conference look good, the way they're doing," Downers North coach Jim Thomas said. "They did the same thing to us we did to Oswego East. They are in great rhythm offensively, and they're tougher than nails defensively."
In fact York's defense held the Trojans to just one field goal in the first quarter and 4 in the second. They also limited Downers North to just 22 percent shooting from 3-point land.
If you're York, there's no time to enjoy this one, though a big date with OPRF looms.
"We're excited about the opportunity," Doran said. "Our kids are pumped. We're probably going to have to calm them down a little bit before the game, but they are fired up and they should be. They've earned this opportunity and I'm proud of them."