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Lincoln-Way Central put together a bang-up first quarter Friday night at Thornton. The Knights shared the ball, pushed the tempo and put all five starters in the scoring column.

Thornton’s Sam Taylor III was just a little bit better. The 5-foot-11 senior guard scored 15 of the Wildcats’ 20 points in the first quarter on a barrage of perimeter jumpers to erase any of Central’s upset hopes.

“I had seen the McDonald’s All-America nominees, and I felt kinda disrespected,” said Taylor, who also put together a standout season at quarterback for the football team. “I know I’m better than some of those guys. I was trying to show up.”

Show up?

More like put on a show as Taylor finished with a career-high 26 points, and the Wildcats used some stingy second-half defense to seize a 77-57 victory in SouthWest Suburban Red action.

Curtis Dilworth added 15 points, including 11 in the second quarter, and Patrick Rucker had five points and five assists for Thornton (11-1, 4-0).

“Pat found me a couple times in transition and I got a couple fouls,” Dilworth said of his second quarter outburst. “That helped with the rhythm of my jump shot.”

With Taylor and Dilworth finding their range from deep, Thornton shot 10-for-17 on 3-pointers in the first half to take a 44-32 lead into intermission.

“They really drew us in for help and found the open man,” Lincoln-Way Central coach Bob Curran said.

Curran confirmed this is his best Knights team, and Mikey Koszela is one reason for that.

Koszela paced Central (10-3, 2-2) with 18 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks. The 6-5 senior showed off his hops in the fourth quarter and added a pair of dunks. Jarret Gmazel chipped in 11 points and six assists.

“We knew they like to pack it in and that we’d have to make shots,” Thornton coach Tai Streets said. “That’s kind of the strength of our team. Coming into the season, I didn’t know it would be, but those guys work hard.”

Thornton didn’t stay red hot from beyond the arc, but the Wildcats amped up their defense in the third quarter to hold Central to four points.

“We’re rolling,” Taylor said. “We’re coming for everybody.”

Taylor, who recently helped the Wildcats win the Big Dipper tournament, was more of a role player last season. He’s now finding comfort in a familiar position.

“My whole life I was always like a star, except for last year — that was the only time I was a role player,” Taylor said. “So it’s like I’m back to myself. I feel more relaxed, more calm, more confident in my shot.”

The Knights cut the lead 59-45 when Gmazel found Koszela for his first jam midway through the fourth quarter. But Taylor and Christian Anderson hit consecutive 3-pointers to balloon the lead to 21.

“Sometimes (Taylor) gets a little trigger-happy,” Streets said. “He’s a heck of a competitor, so I’ll live with it.”

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Logan Malloy is a freelance writer for the Daily Southtown.