Sports
Boys Basketball: Griffin's Free Throw Helps Huskies Past West Aurora
Naperville North 52, West Aurora 51. North senior Jovonn Griffin hits a free throw with 1.7 seconds left to lift the Huskies in DVC play.
The Hot Read: After West Aurora junior Juwan Starks tied the game at 51-51 with 3:53 left in the fourth on a three-pointer, both teams went scoreless until there were 1.7 seconds left. That’s when Naperville North senior Jovonn Griffin hit the front end of a one-and-one, after being fouled along the sideline away from the basket, to give North the win and a share of second place in the DuPage Valley Conference.
Patch’s MVP: Starks led all scorers with 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the field. He was held to six points in the second half, however, coming on a pair of fourth-quarter three-pointers.
Key stats: The game was won at the free throw line for North. The Huskies hit 17-of-22 in the game, hitting 17 straight after missing their first four attempts. West, meanwhile, was held to 1-of-3 shooting from the line, all coming from Kenny Battle Jr. The Blackhawks blocked six shots in the game, including five from senior Kyle Pilmer.
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West Aurora Leaders: Starks (20 points), Jonathan Dennison (12 points, 7 rebounds), Brandon Hayes (6 points, 5 rebounds), Tommy Goulding (6 points).
Naperville North Leaders: Nick Buege (15 points, 4 rebounds), Matt LaCosse (15 points), Griffin (14 points).
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Quotable: Three takes on Griffin’s game-winning free throw:
“Coach put me back in at the end of the game to try to attack the basket,” Griffin said. “I was just thinking that if I could pick up a foul and go to the free throw line, that would help. It was close right there at the end, but I think I finally got a call. I’ll take it how I can get it. It’s a win.”
“I knew Jovonn was going to at least make one,” LaCosse said. “He’s a great free throw shooter. I went up to him and told him, ‘Hey, you’ve got this, just swish it.’ And he did.”
“Jovonn was great on offense and we had to take him out on defense, but at the end, we put the guy that can shoot baskets on offense, and Jovonn hit a big free throw,” North coach Jeff Powers said. “It’s hard to stop him when he gets his motor going.”
Team records: West Aurora (12-8 overall, 7-3 DuPage Valley). Naperville North (13-9 overall, 7-3 DuPage Valley).
What’s next: West hosts West Chicago Friday at 7:30 p.m. before traveling across town to East Aurora for the annual East/West game Saturday. The Huskies gear up for the second installment of their cross-town battle with Naperville Central Friday at 7:30 p.m. North won the first game 56-50 on Jan. 7.
