Vernon Hills makes a winning adjustment

Sometimes we forget how hard Vernon Hills' boys basketball team was hit by graduation. In fact, there went the first seven from last year.

So there are eight seniors are on this team. Untested seniors, that is.

Antioch was the guest on Wednesday night. And neither team could find the basket in the early going. The Sequoits (3-4) took advantage by opening a 17-9 lead with less than three minutes to play before the half.

As 3-point shooter and new senior Jake Helfand described it, the Cougars heard a rousing halftime speech from coach Matt McCarty.

Vernon Hills won the second half 30-17 and claimed this NSC Prairie Division win 47-38.

"That speech got us going in the second half,'' Helfand said. "We learned a lot by watching last year's team. I'm thinking a lot people will underestimate us this year."

But how do we explain that slow-moving first half?

"What was it, 2-2 for the first six minutes?'' McCarty said.

Antioch coach Jim White was pleased with his team's start. But Antioch's finish didn't excite him much.

"We shot 29 percent from the field,'' White said. "We had a great week of practice but we missed some bunnies tonight."

The Cougars (4-3) got a big boost from Tanner Tolari just before halftime. The senior delivered back-to-back 3-pointers to cut into the Antioch lead.

"Those 3s by Tanner got us going,'' Helfand said.

Antioch's last lead of the game came on a 3-pointer from Brandon Dade. That gave the Sequoits a 24-19 lead.

Vernon Hills scored 18 of the next 20 points in the third quarter. Helfand drilled 2 of his 3 three-pointers in the period.

White had studied game film on Vernon Hills and he felt his team was ready for this challenge on the road. He was a little surprised by the play of 6-foot-7 Eric Weiler, the Cougars' center.

"He's big, but his game speed impressed us,'' White said.

Weiler grabbed 8 boards for the winners.

Now, this game wasn't all about poor shooting. Tough defense was played by both teams.

"Antioch is tough on defense,'' Helfand said. "They were bumping us a little."

"We take pride in our defense,'' White said.

Both teams scored a dozen points in the final quarter, but neither team shot well down the stretch at the foul line.

McCarty noted how well junior guard Jack O'Connell played in the second half. His steal and layup was the Cougars' last field goal. O'Connell finished with 5 points.

Dade paced Antioch with 13 points, and Tolari's 12 points led Vernon Hills.