LAKE FOREST, IL. – An enthusiastic vibe spread through Lake Forest High School’s East Campus on Friday night with a Boys and Girls basketball doubleheader, $15,000+ raised for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, and a full Competition Gym. The two teams were sure to boost the crowds morale as they both came away with wins over North Suburban Conference foe Lake Zurich. The boys impressed during the first contest of the night as they rolled to a 49-34 victory.

In classic 2018-2019 fashion, the first quarter ended with a score of 10-8 in favor of the home Scouts. Tough perimeter defense was common for both sides as highly-skilled point guards Jake Fisher and JR Cison were limited throughout the evening. This meant a frontcourt battle between Crawford Bolton and Matt McGraw and that matchup didn’t disappoint; the two 6’5” forwards went at each other all night on both ends of the floor.

The second quarter was similarly competitive as the Bears outscored Lake Forest 8-7, but the scoreboard still favored the Scouts 17-16 heading into the halftime break. The initial matchup of the night had the looks of one which would end at the final buzzer.

The second half was all Lake Forest however as the visitors were unable to keep up with the Scouts’ offensive firepower. Bolton kept the steady scoring down low but a plethora of players in the home whites would add their names to the scoring column. Efficient and confident nights from Jack Malloy and Michael Pasquella added an offensive balance that had been lacking at times this season.

As the first matchup came to a close and the girls got ready to trot out on the floor, that joyous vibe was only propelled with an illuminated scoreboard favoring Coach Phil LaScala’s team. Bolton, the senior forward, led the Scouts with 18 points and seven rebounds, however McGraw was able to force seven turnovers in the post. Fisher quietly added nine points and eight assists with an astounding zero turnovers; the senior point guard dished the ball very well which led to the diverse offensive attack.

Lake Forest moved to 8-12 (4-4 in conf.) with the win and Lake Zurich fell to 6-18 (1-7 in conf.). The Scouts travel to Mundelein on Saturday with the hopes of revenge over the Mustangs.

Girls: 48-36 Win Over Lake Zurich

This past Friday was a night defined by victory. Not only did both the Boys’ and Girls’ Varsity Basketball programs secure back-to-back wins over the visiting Lake Zurich Bears, but together the two teams raised over 15,000 dollars to help support the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. Cancer is a complex beast, but with their joint efforts, Lake Forest drew even closer to defeating cancer once and for all.

For virtually the entire game, neither team was able to pull ahead of the other. After the Scouts took the tip-off, a defensive showcase was on full display and the two teams battled back and forth, seemingly exchanging baskets inside. The first quarter finished with a 9-7 lead in favor of Coach Kyle Wilhelm’s group. The second was similar; however, perimeter scoring dominated the quarter, and Lake Zurich managed to tie things up at 18 apiece heading into the break.

Following a quiet start from a typically explosive and heavily transitioned-based offense, the Scouts found their stride once again late in the third. Until then, the defensive battle resumed, only to be shattered by consecutive three-point daggers from beyond the arc by sophomore Molly Fisher. At the end of the third period, the Scouts held a seven point edge over the Bears with a score of 36-29.

And with the Competition Gym dialing up its energy in the fourth, Wilhelm’s team surged to the finish line in convincing fashion. Stout defensive efforts by sophomore Finola Summerville and junior Halle Douglass forced Lake Zurich into committing several costly turnovers down the stretch which ultimately converted into open layups on the other end for the home team. Holding the visitors to just seven in the final quarter of action, Lake Forest was able to earn the 48-36 win over conference rival Lake Zurich.

With the Bears limiting the offensive production of Douglass for most of the contest, the team’s heavy-lifting fell largely in the hands of seniors Grace Tirzmalis and Ellie Pearson. Tirzmalis capped off the night with 14 points and a perfect percentage from the charity stripe, sinking all four of her attempts. Pearson totalled nine points while collecting six rebounds. To go along with four steals and a strong defensive showing, Summerville added six points and pulled in ten rebounds. After a slow start, Douglass still found herself scoring in the double-digits, closing the game with 11 points, six rebounds, and five assists.

And with a Saturday home win against the Palatine Pirates, the Scouts won their fifth in a row. Looking to surpass their previous season-high of nine straight, Lake Forest (21-6, 8-3) welcomes Warren (7-15, 4-7) to the Competition Gym tonight for a prime-time 7 pm tip-off.