GBN goes inside to beat Deerfield, share CSL North title

Spartans' 54-34 win avenges earlier loss

It was very difficult for fans to get inside the gym to see this much anticipated rematch. But for the host Glenbrook North boys basketball team, getting inside was much easier against Deerfield.

Glenbrook North defeated Deerfield 54-34 to clinch a share of their ninth straight Central Suburban League North title with Deerfield in a game played before a crowd so large that the doors to the gym were airlocked more than a half hour before tipoff.

The Spartans avenged a 56-52 loss at Deerfield Jan. 14.

“This was one of the best wins of my career,” said Glenbrook North’s Alex Dragicevich, who led the Spartans with 18 points. “The energy was great, the atmosphere was great. We had a lot of confidence tonight. It was very special to clinch our ninth straight title on Senior Night.”

The Spartans (21-4, 9-1 in CSL North) did that by going inside the lane, getting 30 points in the paint and from the free throw line.

“We keep preaching to get the ball inside,” Glenbrook North coach David Weber said. “I think that was one of the most effective jobs we did of that tonight.”

Glenbrook North broke the game open in the second half by holding Deerfield (22-2, 9-1) to just three third-quarter points and getting seven points from Dragicevich in the quarter, all from the line. That along with Austin Weber’s first five points of the game and a runner from Matt Merrigan (5 points) extended a 24-22 halftime lead to 38-25 after the third.

“We just willed ourselves on defense,” Dragicevich said. “We played solid man-to-man and controlled the ball on both sides. It was great showing how tough we could play on that side of the ball.”

The closest Deerfield got after that was 38-27 as Weber got going, scoring eight of his 13 points in the fourth quarter, including a big three with 2 minutes, 33 seconds remaining to keeping Deerfield at bay, 47-32.

“I just knew I had to get going and hit one big shot,’ Austin Weber said. “It all starts with one and the confidence keeps growing. It gets me into a rhythm and I feel like I can just keep shooting successfully.”

Weber may have provided the rare outside shooting in the game, but freshman center Andrew McAuliffe (8 points) helped Glenbrook North control the paint by getting two crucial blocks of Deerfield leading scorer Duje Dukan (18 points) in the fourth quarter and making a huge three-point play with just over four minutes to go that gave the Spartans their first 15-point lead of the game at 44-29.

“I just wanted to come out and be aggressive,” McAuliffe said. “We showed a lot of energy out there and it’s big that we were that successful inside. There’s a lot of expectations to live up to on a night like this and I was glad I was able to help us do that.”

This was a very surprising result after a first half that saw neither side take bigger than a four-point lead.  And Glenbrook North got big production from Peter Szostak (7 points) in the first half.

“After that tough first half, I was shocked at how big the lead became,” David Weber said. “I think they just got a little stagnant on offense and we caught on to how to guard them.”

Glenbrook North was not the only one going inside as Deerfield scored 22 of its 34 points in the paint. Dukan got going early, scoring Deerfield’s first eight points, all in the paint.

“Duje had some pretty special drives early on, and both teams were scoring inside a lot,” Deerfield coach Bret Just said. “But I think in the end their big lineup really hurt us and was tough to defend.”

Clinching their ninth straight conference title could not have come on a more special occasion as seniors Dragicevich and Weber were honored for their time playing at Glenbrook North.

“There’s a lot to be happy about with this win,” Dragicevich said. “To get another conference title feels great. But to do it on Senior Night makes it that much better.”

“It’s an amazing feeling,” Austin Weber added. “And, because it’s on Senior Night, the atmosphere just adds to the excitement.”

Despite the loss, Deerfield has a share of its first conference title since 1997 and will play host Waukegan (19-4) in the CSL Crossover Championship at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

“I’m just as proud and just as confident in our guys as I was before this game,” Just said. “To be hunted for the last two months is a tribute to these guys. It just wasn’t our night tonight.”

Deerfield’s other scorers were Adam Rhum (9 points) and Ryan Davis (4 points).