Boys Basketball: Deerfield falls short this time against GBN
By matt harness Contributor January 31, 2012 6:58PM
Deerfield's Alexander Glantz looks to pass around Glenbrook North's Jason Markus during Friday's game. | Tracy Allen~for Sun-Times Media
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Updated: March 3, 2012 11:28AM
Deerfield couldn’t do it twice to Glenbrook North.
After beating the Spartans in overtime in early December, the Warriors boys basketball team fell 68-49 on Friday in Northbrook.
“We ran into a freight train,” said Deerfield coach J.J. Pearl, whose team dropped to 8-10 overall and 3-4 in the CSL North. “We seemed like we were two steps behind.
“(Glenbrook North) was determined, and they were just flat out the better team. You name it, and they were better than us. They were in a different gear.”
The Spartans, who again played without 6-foot-8 Andrew McAuliffe, used a 10-0 run to close out the first quarter to go 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.
McAuliffe missed the first meeting between the two teams after fracturing his patella.
“They shot an unbelievable percentage because a lot of their shots were from two or three feet out,” Pearl said. “They got us in transition and were able to attack the basket.”
Pearl didn’t question his team’s effort, but he knows the Warriors need to play with a purpose for 32 minutes.
“We are a work in progress,” Pearl said. “We have to learn to play at that high level for the whole game. Glenbrook North had that attack mindset the whole game, and some of our guys still are learning to play at that pace.”
One player who has been doing that all season is Mack Watts. The second-year starter scored a team-best 17 for the Warriors on Friday.
“He’s been so steady and so tough all year,” Pearl said of the 6-foot-2 forward, who is averaging nearly 10 ppg. “He’s been consistent, and I’ve been impressed with him all season. Even though he’s undersized for his position, he really battles inside.”
Junior Tony Shapiro was Deerfield’s second leading scorer with nine points. He was 3-for-4 from three-point range.
Senior Alex Sacks helped the Deerfield cause with six points and three rebounds.
Sacks is averaging just under 10.0 points per game.
Pearl said Sacks is understanding this is his final season with the Warriors.
“He’s playing with a sense of urgency,” Pearl said. “He knows he doesn’t have a lot of time left.”
On the schedule: Deerfield looks to get back on track Friday against last-place Maine East (7:30 p.m.). The Warriors then will host Conant on Saturday.
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