Boys Basketball: Oswego routs Plainfield North
By Dennis Nelson For Sun-Times Media January 19, 2013 12:20AM
Updated: February 21, 2013 6:35AM
Being short-handed against the top team in the Southwest Prairie Conference proved to be bad for Plainfield North.
The end result was an 87-49 loss to mighty Oswego on Friday night at North.
The Panthers, ranked No. 12 in the state in Class 4A by The Associated Press, ran their record to 14-2 overall and 6-0 in the SPC. The Tigers’ worst loss of the season dropped them to 5-11, 3-3.
“They are as good as advertised, no doubt,” North coach Nick DiForti said. “We were short-handed, and they shot lights-out in the first half. We were chasing them most of the night.”
Oswego jumped to a 25-15 lead after a quarter, which was just the start. The lead ballooned to 51-27 when Danny Mangers scored off an assist by Miles Simelton with 2:15 left in the first half.
That came after Simelton scored 16 of his 20 points during the first six minutes of the second quarter. Included were four three-pointers. In the first half, Oswego made eight threes, the shots coming from four different players.
“We tried to make if difficult on him by making him work for his shots,” DiForti said of the defensive effort against Simelton, a four-year starter. “He still hit shots.”
Simelton was one of three Panthers in double figures. Darion Reddick scored 19 points and Elliott McGaughy 11.
North, down three regulars for various reasons, committed 17 first-half turnovers, 28 for the game.
“Being short-handed put us in the tough position, but it gave other guys a chance to step up and shine,” DiForti said.
Corey Evak totaled 12 points and Trevor Stumpe chipped in 10 for the Tigers, who trailed 74-32 after three quarters. North had just 16 baskets for the game.
