Playoff basketball is here as the Naperville North Huskies welcome the Yorkville Foxes in a regional semifinal matchup. The senior-heavy Huskies enter the postseason as the four-seed after winning nine of their last 11 games. Meanwhile, Yorkville comes in with just one win in its last four contests. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Early in the first, Miles Okyne gets a step by his defender with hesitation and then hits the tough fading shot from the baseline. North is up 7-3.
On the other end, Joey Jakstys takes it all the way to the rim, but he can’t get it to fall. He gathers his miss and then kicks it out to an open Graham Martinson, who drills the deep ball. That one ties the game at 13-13 with a minute left in the first.
Huskies are in a favorable spot after one
With seconds left in the quarter, Jack Zitko delivers a pass to Carson Loughlin, cutting to the basket, and he lays it in to put North up 15-13 at the end of the quarter.
In the second quarter, Loughlin dives to the hoop again, and this time, Miles Okyne is the assist man. The Huskies are down 19-17.
Back the other way, Brennen Woods feeds Jakstys, and he finishes with the smooth lefty hook shot. Yorkville is up 23-19 with under two minutes to play in the first half.
Now with only seconds left in the half, Zitko deflects a pass, and the Huskies come up with a steal. Loughin races down the court and finishes the left-handed layup just before time expires. It’s 23-21 Yorkville going into halftime.
On to the second half, Loughlin tracks down the pass in the corner and tosses it back in play. Will Harvey is there to gather and convert the layup through contact. With that score, its all tied up at 23.
Later in the quarter, Zitko gets his hands on another pass, and North forces another turnover. Antonio surveys his options in transition before he finds Reid Montanari under the basket for two points. That one ties the game up once again at 28-28 as the third quarter nears its end.
Joey Jakstys steals the momentum back
Come the fourth, Jakstys attacks off the dribble into the defense and finishes at the rim plus the foul. That high-flying bucket ties the game, and the free throw puts the Foxes up 36-35.
With under two minutes to go, Yorkville is still up by one. Braydon Porter connects with Gabe Sanders, cutting backdoor. The easy layup extends the lead to 38-35.
With a minute to play, the Huskies are down by five. Okyne drives into the lane and kicks it out to Max Steele, and he knocks down a big three-pointer to cut the lead to 40-38.
Yorkville boys basketball pulls the upset in the regional semis
Two free throws put Yorkville up four, and the Huskies have one more opportunity. They’re looking for a three-pointer, but Alonn Flint gets a hand on the ball and takes it for himself. After some more free throws, Yorkville puts the game away as they advance to the regional finals with a 46-40 victory to take on Downers Grove South on Friday.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page!
