If you want to be the champ, then you have to beat the champ.
Given the opportunity Friday, Naperville Central seems determined to be in the thick of the DuPage Valley race.
Behind four players scoring in double figures, the Redhawks knocked off reigning champ Wheaton Warrenville South 55-43 in Naperville.
More Top Picks Best Waterproof Bluetooth Speakers
Seniors Nick Baskin, Tyler O’Brien and Dillon Kane led the way for Naperville Central (11-2, 4-1) with 12 points apiece, while Daniel Raab added 10.
“They were trying to take away (center) Ben (Wolf), so that kind of left the high post open for me,” said Baskin, a forward. “So I just tried to take advantage of that. Tyler and the rest of the guards did a really good job of getting me the ball.”
The Redhawks won their fifth straight game and snapped a 20-game conference winning streak for the Tigers (10-3, 4-1).
With Central down by as many as eight points midway through the second quarter, O’Brien and Kane combined to score the Redhawks’ last 11 points in the half.
Wheaton Warrenville South coach Mike Healy gave all the credit to the Redhawks.
“(Kane) killed us,” Healy said. “Kane absolutely killed us. For whatever reason, he was able to penetrate through us and get to the rim. We kind of seemed a step slow.”
Up 18-17 at halftime, the Redhawks used a 10-2 run at the end the third quarter to take a five-point lead going to the fourth.
Three-pointers from both O’Brien and Baskin gave them the lead for good at 27-24 with 1:58 to play in the third.
“We just had to keep our composure, both offensively and defensively,” O’Brien said. “On the defensive end, we knew what they were going to do. We knew they wanted to hold the ball and they wanted to play a short-possession game.
“So we felt like that we had to stay in front of our guys, make sure we don’t let open shooters get good looks. On the offensive end, we knew to take care of the ball.”
A double-digit victory against the defending conference champions was made all the more impressive considering Wolf, headed for Northern Michigan, had just three points.
The balance shown just indicates how times have changed in a year for Naperville Central.
The Redhawks eclipsed their 10-victory total of last year.
“The chemistry,” Naperville Central coach Pete Kramer said. “The kids, they have a little bit of an edge to them. They’re not afraid and they’re willing to battle and put in the time. We really like this group.”
Blake Baumgartner is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.