For six straight years and counting, Niles West has thrived under the pressure in the Crosstown Classic, defeating Niles North by a score of 67-63. The Niles West boys’ varsity basketball team has improved to a hot 5-0 record after defeating their ultimate rival.
In the annual Crosstown Classic hosted at Niles North High School, the Wolves came out on top in what was an absolute nail-biter from the time of the opening-tip to the time the final buzzer sounded. Both teams traded leads throughout the game, but after 32 minutes of scrappy defense, aggressive rebounding on the offensive glass, and excellent ball movement, the Wolves were able to come away with a victory.
After Niles North won the tip, they came at the Wolves with a full head of steam and got off to a quick 8-0 lead. Head coach Bob Williams calmed his team down and reinstated his game plan with a timeout, and the Wolves rallied back to take a 15-14 lead with 3 seconds left in the first quarter. West took an incredibly unlucky blow in the ending seconds of the first quarter as Niles North drained a three-fourths-court buzzer beater to take a 17-15 lead.
The Skokie rivals continued to trade leads throughout the entire second quarter. Behind 12 first half points from senior forward Alex Darville, including a three-point play that made West’s entire side of the gym explode with excitement, the Wolves held a slim 32-31 lead to close the first half.
Niles West shared the basketball exceptionally well in the second half. Junior Ahmad Gibson made a conscious effort to set up his teammates, personifying the meaning of “team play.” Gibson also added 14 points to help lead his team to victory. Despite trailing the Vikings 46-45 to start the fourth quarter, the Wolves kept their composure and continued to play tenacious defense. Both teams gave a full 100 percent effort and left everything they had on the court.
In the end, however, the night belonged to Niles West. In the closing two minutes of the fourth quarter, Darville hit a layup to put the Wolves up 64-60. Senior David McCoy, who led the Wolves with 18 points, sealed the deal at the free throw line, hitting one of two to put the Wolves up 67-63 with eight seconds to go.
According to Williams, practice makes perfect.
“We have to get our focus on doing what we practiced,” he said.
The Wolves did just that in the final eight seconds of the game, shutting their opponent down before they could even get off a shot.
