Two 3-0 teams with high expectations take the court in the Downers Grove North boys basketball Thanksgiving Invite championship. Metea Valley is looking to build on their hot start of the season but have to face a strong Downers Grove North squad that is coming off a 4th place finish at state last season. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Metea starts raining threes right away
It took both teams a while to score until we pass the four-minute mark in the first quarter with goose eggs on the board. Metea Valley’s Will Ashford connecting from three-point land. The Mustangs jump out to a 9-0 lead after one.
The three balls are working for Metea, and James Parker gets his name called and sinks the three from the wing to make it 12-0 Metea.
On the next Mustang possession, Kyle Bucher finds Ashford, and he throws down the two-handed jam.
The Trojans are in desperate need of some points so they call up Alex Miller who sinks the point basket from the wing to get his team some momentum.
Princeton commit Jack Stanton is shooting some freebies, and despite the miss, he fights for the ball and makes a nice reverse layup to cut the deficit to 16-11.
Metea leads by five but the lead keeps on shrinking because Miller is open again near the corner and sinks the trifecta.
Ashford brings the thunder
Mustangs do get another basket before the break with an Alex Danehl bounce pass to Ashford, and look out below. Ashford throws down another two-handed jam. It’s 25-24 Mustangs going into the locker room at halftime.
Ashford continues his assault in the third quarter. He dribbles, steps back and it’s good. That three-pointer put the black and gold up 30-24.
Downers Grove North gets hot
The Trojans will not give up as they continue to rely on the three and Jack Crowley is the one taking a shot and he gets it to fall. They inch a bit closer down 32-29 going into the fourth.
DGN trails by one and Jake Riemer fakes out the defender, drives, fakes another one and scores to give to the Trojans their first lead at 33-32.
Later on, Miller remains on the court and remains in three-point mode as he nails another one.
Then the defense steps up with Aidan Akkawi getting the steal and Houston we have lift off. Downers Grove North holds their largest lead of the game up 42-34.
You can’t count on the Mustangs just yet because Jake Nosek hits a much-needed three to get the black and gold back within four points.
Under twenty seconds to go, James Parker sinks his three ball from downtown and the Mustangs trail 48-46.
Trojans ice it for the win
However, Stanton hits two clutch free throws to ice the game and Downers Grove North boys basketball captures the Thanksgiving Invite championship after a 50-46 win. A thrilling start to an exciting season for both teams.
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