NSCDS Basketball Update, Feb. 3

Submitted by North Shore Country Day School

Depth was the story Wednesday night as the Raiders wore short-handed Elgin down. The Raider guards were able to pressure the thin Elgin roster throughout the first three quarters which allowed the boys to force quarter turnovers and create a 20 point with 6 minutes left in the game. Manny Hodzic and

Mike Morette continued their improved play as both guys combined for 19 rebounds. The last 3 games both boys have improved their rebounding. Captains Andrew Case and Matt Morette paced the Raiders as the scored 15 and 20 respectively. Sam Kayser aggravated his ailing knee.

If depth was the Raiders’ key to success Wednesday night, the loss of Kayser and Murray beat the Raiders’ Friday night as the battled conference foe Francis Parker. The Raiders were unable to pull away from FWP when it had chances late in the first half and didn’t have the juice to weather the early third quarter Parker imposed. Junior guards Matt Morette and Ben Potter managed to hit double digits, but most of those were hard to come by and usually came after a series of one on one moves. Credit Parker’s extended defense, relentless interior offensive attack and rim protection in creating hard to score situations which resulted in 4 NSCDS players entering the scoring column.

GIRLS’ VARSITY BASKETBALL

North Shore vs. Willows Academy, January 27, (L) 49-40

North Shore vs. Ida Crown Jewish Academy, January 29, (W) 36-27

The North Shore’s varsity girls’ shooting cooled off with the weather in a 1-1 week that saw them lose 49-40 to league rival Willows on Tuesday and then beat Ida Crown 36-27 on Thursday.

“Our defense played well enough to win both games”, said head coach Dana Leonard, “but we had some difficulty shooting the ball in the first half of both games which put us in a hole. (Senior leader) Annie Kroll just couldn’t buy a basket which happens to even the best players. She did play really hard at both ends of the floor while assuming the role of point guard in Lauren Kaplinsky’s absence.”

Leonard singled out senior co-captain and forward Meghan Nolan for her hustle and leadership on Tuesday and senior co-captain and guard Safia Vohra for her scoring(team leader with 19 points for the week), passing and usual tough defense on both opponent’s top guards. “Safia and Meghan have stepped up a couple of levels the last two weeks” said Leonard. “When that happens, it’s one of the best things a coach can experience and it really bodes well for us going into the playoffs.”

Before then, the Raiders welcome back Kaplinsky from an ankle injury and host league rival Woodlands Academy of Lake Forest on Tuesday and Chicago Academy on Thursday in the regular season finale when they will honor seniors and 3-year captains Annie Kroll, Claire McCarthy, Meghan Nolan, and Safia Vohra. The following week, the Raiders host a regional where they will be seeded second to Chicago Math & Science- schedule to be announced.