Wildcats remain unbeaten

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BOLINGBROOK -- When Neuqua Valley coach Todd Sutton was asked to describe his boys basketball team prior to tip-off against the Bolingbrook Raiders on Tuesday he said they work hard but they go up and down much like a roller coaster.

It turned out his evaluation of his team was dead on as the Wildcats both went on and allowed big scoring runs in their 68-65 victory over the Raiders in Bolingbrook.

"The beginning of the second quarter - great. The second half - great," Sutton said. "At the end of the first half when they went on a 10-0 to close the half, they kicked our butts. They also started off the game like that.

"We are a little young but we are growing up very quickly and in the second half I really think we grew up."

The Wildcats were held without a field goal for the last 3:16 of the first half and the potent Bolingbrook offense, led by Wisconsin-bound Diamond Taylor, capitalized and went on a 12-1 run during the Neuqua drought to take a commanding 37-27 at the half.

Taylor finished with 26 points against Neuqua - 13 coming in each half.

"I think I got hot and shot the ball real and I hope this turns into a streak for me," Taylor said. "I credit my teammates for getting me the ball but we still got the "L" though and we want to win."

Neuqua's strong play returned right after halftime when the Wildcats went on a 17-2 run within the first 4:24 of the quarter to grab a five-point lead. The defense stepped up as well and it allowed only four Raiders field goals.

Neuqua (6-0) didn't relinquish the lead the rest of the way, remaining undefeated so far this season.

The Wildcats let Bolingbrook (5-2) hurt themselves as the Raiders missed 16 free throws during the game as a team, and went only 5-of-13 during the fourth quarter. At one point in the final frame, the Raiders missed six consecutive free throws.

"You have to make the free throws. I mean you make just half of those

16 misses and you win the game," Taylor said.

The Raiders did have a shot to tie the game as they were down by three with just over three seconds left to go. However Taylor's desperation three-point attempt was blocked by the Neuqua double-team.

Kareem Amedu poured in 19 points, all of which came in the second half and Dewayne Evans had a team-high 23 for the Wildcats.

"Coach told us that Dewayne (Evans) was doing all the work out there so I really wanted to step it u p in the second half and it felt good to get that first bucket," Amedu said. "We talked about this one of the bigger games we've played in awhile and we wanted to get the win. After today I hope people start thinking of us differently."