While many of us spent time with our families this week and relaxed over break, the Boys’ Basketball team was competing in the New Trier-Loyola Thanksgiving Tournament. Playing against Butler Prep, St. Ignatius, Lincoln Park, and Mather, the Scouts had a solid, yet unspectacular week as they finished the break with a 2-2 record. Lake Forest started out with an 0-2 record after losses on Monday and Tuesday to Butler Prep and St. Ignatius. They rebounded nicely with wins over Lincoln Park on Wednesday and Mather on Saturday.

Monday: 48-45 Loss to Butler Prep

The Scouts and Lynx went back and forth for much of the game with neither team pulling out to a huge lead at any point. Tommy Hanson kept the Scouts in the game for much of the early part with three huge three pointers as he finished with nine points and a few key charges. The Lynx looked as if they were going to pull away shortly after the half but methodical possessions and a Jake Fisher three pointer kept the Scouts close behind. Crawford Bolton was a key cog in the post all game long as he scored the Scouts’ first five points and finished with a team high fourteen. The two teams battled as the Lynx led by two points in the final minute. With thirty seconds remaining and the Scouts needing a bucket, Fisher delivered. The point guard drove into the crowded paint but managed to get his layup to fall, tying the score at 45-45. The Lynx stalled for a few seconds before pulling up from deep three point range. They nailed a three-pointer as time expired and won the game, 48-45.

Tuesday: 49-40 Loss to St. Ignatius

The Scouts offense was not quite as adept on Tuesday finishing with only 40 points. Senior guard Michael Pasquella led the Scouts with 12 points but Coach LaScala’s bunch was never really able to get anything going. Similar to Monday, the team saw a zone defense for much of the game and was unable to defeat it. St. Ignatius jumped out to an early lead and never relinquished it even as the Scouts cut the lead towards the end. Grant Kaus played a strong game for Lake Forest as he remained calm and collected even in the tight game. Senior Crawford Bolton had this to say about Tuesday’s contest: “We played pretty poor zone offense. We saw a zone again and couldn’t quite figure it out, especially when we needed to. That’s definitely something we’ll have to improve upon as the season heats up in the future.”

Wednesday: 53-47 Win Over Lincoln Park

Coach LaScala’s bunch played their best game of the break on the eve of Thanksgiving. Lincoln Park ended up winning the tournament with a 57-56 victory over New Trier in Saturday’s championship. Coach LaScala’s bunch showed they’re able to beat anybody as Lincoln Park is a very skilled team which will make some noise come March. Jake Fisher and Crawford Bolton played excellent games and displayed how critical the duo is to the team’s success this winter. Fisher led the team with 16 points and three assists and Bolton added 15 points and six rebounds. The Scouts shot the ball effectively as the team finished with an efficient 55% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc.

Saturday: 52-37 Win Over Mather

The Scouts completed the tournament with a big victory over the winless Rangers. The blowout allowed the entire roster to see the court, but the week-long narrative held true as Jake Fisher and Crawford Bolton led the Scouts with 12 and 10 points respectively. Michael Pasquella added eight points in the win as the team shot a 55% clip from three-point land. This was a game that Coach LaScala’s bunch was supposed to win, and they did as they were a few bounces away from earning a higher seed and playing a more formidable opponent. Senior forward Tommy Hanson had this to say about the Tournament: “We saw a lot of different things throughout the week. We played against some zone, man, and press defense and being able to see all of those things and learn how to adapt should help us in the future. One positive that stuck out is that I think we did a great job of sharing the ball and really trying to get the best shot possible.”

Congratulations to Jake Fisher as he earned All-Tournament honors for his performance for the Scouts. Lake Forest squares off tonight against Grayslake Central at 7:00 PM. The contest is the home opener and will also be streamed on the NFHS Network with commentary from Connor Clark and AJ Shaw.