Kits Can't Stop GBS In CSL South Cage Opener

Glenbrook South couldn’t have started Friday’s Central Suburban League South division basketball opener much better.

And the Titans did a pretty good job of closing out visiting Evanston, too.

GBS led from start to finish after splurging for 25 points in the first quarter, and held off a late ETHS rally on the way to a 70-54 victory at the Titan Dome.

Evanston fell to 4-1 on the season while the hosts ran their record to 6-0 overall.

The 1-2 South punch of Nick Martinelli (27 points) and Cooper Noard (13) was tough enough for the Wildkits to deal with, but the winners also put two other starters --- Gavin Marr with 15 and Rodell Davis with 10 --- in double figures while shooting 55 percent from the floor.

Evanston was led by junior Jonah Ross with 11 points and David Gieser with 10.

“Glenbrook South just came out more dedicated than we did, at both ends of the floor,” said Evanston coach Mike Ellis. “That was the difference all night long. We played an 8-minute game and they played (hard) for almost 32 minutes. They kept bringing it to us all night.

“We gave up 35 points in the paint, and when you get those high percentage looks like that, it puts a lot of stress on your defense. In the fourth quarter we came back because we scored the basketball and got some excitement there. But we put the cart before the horse. We were worried too much about our offense, instead of trying to come up with some stops on defense.”

A pair of 3-point baskets by Ross pulled the Wildkits within 54-47 with 6 minutes left, and on Evanston’s next trip down the floor, a 15-footer by Jack Tully rimmed out. GBS responded with a 10-0 run and Evanston didn’t score again until the game was out of reach.

Martinelli dumped in 12 of his game-high points in the final period and shot 12-of-20 from the field.