Roundup | Friday, Feb. 6

BOYS BASKETBALL

Brother Rice finishes off De La Salle

Brother Rice coach Rick Harrigan wants to see that killer instinct. To finish a team off when they’re down.

So when his Crusaders raced out to an impressive 46-22 halftime lead Friday against visiting De La Salle, he challenged his team.

Attack, attack, attack.

“If you want to be consistent and win over and over in this league, you’ve got to have a little mean streak,” Harrigan said. “We’re trying to develop that. I didn’t want us to get on our heels because we knew they’d come at us. I wanted us to keep going and be aggressive.”

-Tim O’Brien

Highland Park stays hot against Maine East

It was 364 days ago when the Highland Park boys basketball team boarded its bus to Maine East in Park Ridge.

But the Blue Demons pulled of a stunning 48-45 victory, dropping Highland Park behind Deerfield in the conference standings, a spot that would hold as Deerfield took the CSL North crown.

Bench captain Rattner gives Vernon Hills an edge

The Vernon Hills boys basketball team has three captains this season.

Seniors Robby Nardini and Cory Levin are two of them. The other captaincy, that of senior Sam Rattner, comes with a not-always-flattering designation.

“He’s our bench captain. He loves that role coming off the bench,” coach Matt McCarty said. “It’s a not a role for everyone. Some adapt better than others. He has the personality to do it.”

-Jon Kerr

New Trier’s Haak happy to play again after injury

Ryan Haak has undergone a series of transformations during his high school basketball career.

Haak was an athletic slasher as a freshman at New Trier — one who was poised to be pulled up to varsity as a sophomore before he tore the ACL in his left knee in July of 2012. During his eight months of recovery, Haak became a stationary shooter because he was not able to do anything else on the court.

Upon his return as a junior, Haak was nowhere near the player he was before the injury — or that he is now.

-Eric Van Dril

Three-point shooting elevates Niles North

Niles North knocked down shot after shot.

It started with Abby George. Then it was Diondre Williams. Then Craig “Dutch” Dawkins. But no matter who rose up from behind the arc, he knocked it down.

Effective three-point shooting has helped the Vikings boys basketball team post a 15-8 record. Niles North suffered a 65-63 loss to Deerfield on Friday, but even in defeat, the Vikings’ ability to hit the big three-pointer shined.

-Brian De Los Santos

Benet’s Liszka bounces back from early setbacks

Sean Liszka got cut from his seventh-grade basketball team.

Now he’s one of Benet’s five starters.

“I’ve always been determined and I love basketball,” he said. “I kept working and my game kept progressing. The coaching at the lower levels (at Benet) gave me confidence and improved my skill set, and I credit coach (Gene) Heidkamp for helping me out.”

-Chris Walker

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Stevenson’s 1,000-point scorers pace Patriots

In Stevenson’s 42 seasons of girls basketball, eight players have totaled more than 1,000 points. Two of the eight were together on the court Friday night.

In a short senior night ceremony before the game at Stevenson, Taylor Buford and Sophia Way were recognized along with Patriots senior Melanie Despinich.

Once the game started, Buford and Way performed like stars. Way added to her career points total with 18 while Buford tacked on eight. After a sluggish start, Stevenson pulled away from Lake Forest for an easy 84-56 win.

-Jon Kerr

Lake Zurich’s hot shooting grounds Mundelein

There’s little doubt the Lake Zurich girls basketball team is playing the best it has all season.

The Bears proved as much during their 51-40 North Suburban Lake win over Mundelein on Friday night, which gave them a three-game winning streak — their longest of the year.

“We’ve literally been winning one, then losing one over and over until recently,” Lake Zurich coach Chris Bennett said. “Right now, we’re doing a lot of little things well and playing with a lot of confidence.”

-Tim Froehlig

New Trier starts strong, cruises past Niles West

Basketball is not Jackie Welch’s best sport.

But New Trier wouldn’t be the same team without the 5-11 senior guard.

Known more for her play on the defensive end, Welch scored 10 of her team-best 14 points in the first quarter in the Trevians’ 61-35 Central Suburban South win over Niles West. With the win, New Trier earned at least a share of the conference title.

-Matt Harness

Kaneland hosts shootout for breast cancer awareness

Kaneland coach Ernie Colombe has wanted to host a shootout-like event going back a year.

The Knights will Saturday, for a benefit that hits close to home.

Matchups between Kaneland and Aurora Central Catholic, and one between high-profile programs Marian Catholic and Marshall, highlight the first Kaneland Hoops For a Cure Shootout.

A portion of proceeds for the event will go toward Pat Hill. Hill, the Village President of Kaneville, has been diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. Her children attended Kaneland, and she has also been involved working concessions for the Kaneland Silver Stars feeder program.

-Joshua Welge

GIRLS GYMNASTICS

Maine South gymnast overcomes injury, enjoys senior sason

When Maine South senior gymnast Lauryn Rotonda performs on the floor exercise, her enthusiasm and joy stand out.

Both were almost immediately evident at the Hersey Regional on Thursday night. They were on display even before her beautiful dancing and two graceful tumbling passes.

“I’m a nervous wreck before I get out on the floor … but just the moment I step on the floor, take a huge deep breath before I lie down [to start the routine] — and it’s noticeable in every video — I just perform,” Rotonda said. “That’s my thing. I love to dance. I love to show it off. It’s so exciting for me to be out there, and I get so happy.”

-Eric Van Dril