Boys Basketball: Hinsdale Central survives slow start
Downers Grove North junior Rimas Barsketis (45) attempts a shot while falling during the game against Hinsdale Central on Saturday, January 28, 2012. Hinsdale Central defeated Downers Grove North 58-45.
| michael jarecki ~ for Sun-Times Media
Updated: January 28, 2012 8:52PM
Hinsdale Central made just one shot in the second quarter Saturday night and visiting Downers Grove North successfully kept the score and the pace “ugly” for the first half.
But the play of the Red Devils and senior guard Brad Anlauf was anything but ugly in the second half as the hosts broke away from a 16-15 halftime lead to win the West Suburban Silver battle 58-45 in Hinsdale.
After scoring just three points in the second quarter on a long-range jumper from Anlauf – and shooting 4-for-13 for the half – the Red Devils (11-7, 4-4) busted off 19 points in the third quarter and 23 more in the fourth. The Trojans (4-14, 0-7), who are still in search of their first WSS victory, got behind in the second half and went with a full-court press that turned into a number of lay-ups on the other end for Hinsdale Central.
“We made it look ugly in the first half which is what we’ve got to do to win,” Trojans coach James Thomas said of his team’s tough defense and patient offense. “But credit Hinsdale, they did a nice job in the second half. And any time you give up 42 points in a half, I don’t care who you are, you’re going to be in trouble.”
Dennis Blake and Rob Mahlke each connected on three-pointers early in the second half as the Trojans took a 21-18 lead that grew to 23-19 following a short turnaround jumper by Mahlke, who paced Downers Grove North with 21 points and five rebounds.
But Peter Thaus answered with one of his three three-pointers for the Red Devils and then Anlauf, who tallied 19 of his game-high 27 points in the second half, heated up for the home team.
Anlauf had two baskets and a free throw as Hinsdale went on a 16-4 run to close out the third quarter ahead 35-27. When Thaus added another three-pointer in the final quarter and Anlauf consistently got to the basket for transition points, the Red Devils were able to pull away.
Anlauf finished 10-for-15 from the floor, 5-for-7 from the line, and scored 12 points in the fourth quarter alone.
The 6-foot-3 Red Devil said it was just a matter of sticking with the game plan on Saturday. “We just needed to run through our offense and have faith in it,” said Anlauf, who also pulled in seven rebounds. “When we play together as a team, baskets come easier for us.”
Mahlke paced the Trojans with 21 points and five rebounds, while Thaus (12 points) and Chase Hamilton (nine points) provided balance to the Hinsdale attack.
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