Boys Basketball: Glenbrook North ends skid with win over Deerfield
BY MATT HARNESS mharness@pioneerlocal.com January 27, 2012 9:52PM
1/27/12. Northbrook. Glenbrook North's Mark Johnson goes in for the shot in front of Deerfield's Michael Alfieri. Glenbrook North hosted Deerfield at Glenbrook North High School. | Tracy Allen~for Sun-Times Media
standings
CSL South
New Trier 7-0 18-2
Waukegan 6-1 11-8
Evanston 3-4 13-8
Maine South 3-4 13-10
Glenbrook South 1-6 5-14
Niles West 1-6 3-13
CSL North
Glenbrook North 5-2 14-5
Niles North 5-2 15-5
Highland Park 4-3 11-8
Maine West 4-3 10-9
Deerfield 3-4 8-10
Maine East 0-7 4-13
(Records through Sunday)
Article Extras
Updated: March 3, 2012 8:06AM
Mark Johnson knew Glenbrook North couldn’t afford another loss in the CSL North.
After falling to Niles North on a buzzer-beater to drop into a three-way tie for first place in the league, the Spartans needed to make sure to register a win Friday at home against Deerfield, especially after the Warriors won the first meeting Dec. 9.
Glenbrook North snapped a two-game losing streak with its 68-49 victory over the Warriors to climb to 14-5 overall and 5-2 in the conference.
“We slipped up twice already in the conference, and we knew we couldn’t lose (Friday) if we wanted a conference championship,” said Johnson, who scored 15 points. “This also was the last time us seniors will play Deerfield at home. We wanted to go out and win.”
Glenbrook North and Niles North entered this week tied for first in the CSL North. The Spartans travel to Highland Park on Friday, while the Vikings welcome Maine West.
The Spartans, who again played without 6-foot-8 Andrew McAuliffe, used a 10-0 run to close out the first quarter ahead 20-10. They pushed the lead to 13 by the break and never let up, taking a 52-31 advantage into the fourth quarter.
“Our offense sometimes struggles, so we wanted to assert ourselves on defense,” Johnson said. “When we fall behind, we can struggle. We play well with the lead.”
Johnson can’t wait until his offensive numbers decrease. That would mean McAuliffe is back in the lineup after spending nearly two months in warmups while recovering from a fractured patella. The junior was in the layup line before Friday’s game, but once again took the bench for the opening tip.
“I’m really excited for him to come back,” Johnson said. “It’s not about me scoring, it’s about us winning games.”
The Spartans have relied heavily on the 6-6 Johnson, who was inserted last season primarily for defensive purposes.
“My playing time has increased a ton,” he said. “This year I am doing a lot more.”
Kurt Karis scored a game-best 22 points, but the junior point guard left the game midway through the fourth quarter with what looked to be leg cramps.
Adam Chick added 14 points.
“Our pressure caused problems for them,” said Glenbrook North coach Dave Weber. “It also made us play faster on offense. We had to come out with great effort, and we did that.”
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