The trap was laid, and Oak Park almost got snared.
A day after claiming a first-place battle at Proviso West, the No. 15 Huskies used an ample supply of mettle to rally for an equally vital 69-66 West Suburban Silver victory Saturday night over host Lyons.
“We came out a little sluggish and took Lyons lightly,” said Huskies guard Iman Shumpert, who had 16 points. “At halftime we had a little talk and realized we had to turn up the pressure.”
Lyons (12-5, 2-4) used a 17-1 spurt at the start of the second quarter to open a 32-19 cushion three minutes before halftime. Junior forward Matt Hirt, who scored a game-high 27 points, had 20 of his team’s first 26 points. But foul trouble limited his effectiveness after halftime and he fouled out midway through the fourth quarter.
The Huskies (15-3, 5-0) took the lead for good at 58-56 on a basket by Daniel Barnes (team-high 22 points) with four minutes remaining.
They were 12 of 16 from the free-throw line in the final quarter to seal the win.
“This game was just as important as [Friday] night,” Barnes said. “The Oak Park Huskies have heart–we never give up.”
