Metea Valley adds another win vs. Downers Grove South
A fresh opportunity.
In a battle of Mustangs, Metea Valley fared better in its first boys basketball game of 2020 than did visiting Downers Grove South.
Reclaiming a lead for the first time since the first basket, the hosts held tight to win Friday's nonconference game 57-43 in Aurora.
Metea Valley (5-10) outscored Downers South 37-18 in the second half.
"For this half of the season, we just want to turn it around, just a complete turnaround and get some more wins," said Metea forward Tahj Morgan, who scored 9 points with 8 rebounds.
Lacking injured 3-point threat Myles Leavy, Metea worked the lane. Kymari McBride - high scorer with 23 points - Seann Kelly, Marquel Brumfield, Will Hopkins and Morgan grabbed 16 offensive rebounds, nearly equaling the 20 total by Downers South (2-12).
"With the hustle of the big men, we were able to score off those rebounds, off those putbacks. That's what got us to get back into the game," Morgan said.
Downers South led after one quarter and at halftime. Jake Dimovski's 3 and Michael Rheintgen's bank shot helped end the first quarter on a 10-3 run for a 15-7 lead. Part of an 8-0 run, two Jakobe Jones baskets and Kyle Fenner's half-hook paced the visitors' 25-20 halftime edge.
In a bit of foreshadowing, Metea forced a miss and four turnovers to end the second quarter on a 6-0 run.
"I thought our kids were ready to go and I think the first half showed that," said Downers South coach Kris Olson. "And then I thought in the second half their pressure got to us. The turnovers really hurt us."
A Hopkins 3 to start the third quarter, followed by two straight Morgan steals, had Metea up 27-25. Dimovski's hesitation move tied it, 27-27, but
Kelly scored inside and the host never again trailed.
"Coach (Isaiah) Davis told us in practice this team is a team that's not really comfortable with pressure, so we worked on our defenses a lot - like a lot," said McBride, who grabbed 4 offensive boards and 8 overall. "We only had one day to really practice, so that was the main goal."
Metea shot 8 of 9 from the floor to lead 37-34 after three quarters. Fenner opened the fourth on a pullup jumper, answered by a 9-0 Metea run.
Metea led 50-38 with 2:08 left to play and didn't falter behind 10-of-16 fourth-quarter foul shooting, 4 of 6 by guard Ethan Tai.
Downers South's Jones and sophomore Tyquan Butler each scored 8 points, Fenner and Dimovski with 7. Hopkins added 10 for Metea.
"I thought that the kids came out not quite like we wanted to, but to finish the game in the second half they really moved the ball well, they defended hard, they hustled, they made the right passes and hit some shots, so I was really proud of their effort tonight," Davis said.