March 28, 2024
Boys Basketball

Boys basketball: DeKalb defense stifles Guilford, Barbs to play for Chuck Dayton title

Barbs to play for Chuck Dayton title Monday.

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DEKALB – Despite not being the last game of the night, DeKalb’s Chuck Dayton matchup versus Guilford had the makings of being a top-billed game, with two programs separated by a single win and loss, each undefeated in the tournament.

The Barbs scored a combined 125 points over two Chuck Dayton games and the Vikings held opponents to a total of 77 points in the same span. Guilford blinked, and for longer. The end result was another dominant Barbs win, 47-26.

Held scoreless for the first three and a half minutes of play, DeKalb's Avery Medina finally broke through when he scored a layup and later sunk two free throws. DeKalb (9-3) ended the first quarter in front 11-10 when Medina picked off a Guilford (7-3) inbounds pass and beat the buzzer with another layup.

“In the first half, we settled for some threes,” DeKalb coach Mike Reynolds said. “Our talk in halftime was ‘We got to get in the paint,’ whether it's with Joe (Owens) or Christian (Grays) or getting somebody downhill. And then we were able to do that.”

When halftime hit, DeKalb had expanded that lead to 26-20, despite Zach Russell being held scoreless.

“DeKalb has some kids that can shoot from the perimeter,” Guilford coach Carl Armato said. “So, we wanted to extend and stay out on them. Yeah, we did a pretty good job. They had a kid last night who scored 14 [Russell]. We took away one weapon, but then inside they hurt us. You pick your poison.”

Owens exploded for 19 points, seven rebounds and three steals, generating offense near the basket with a variety of spins and fakes that kept the defense off balance.

“When he gets downhill with the ball, we're in the paint, he's tough to guard,” Reynolds said. “Because he's a good athlete. He's got good touch around the rim. He can make a three, he can do a little bit of everything.”

Owens was a force in the second half particularly, scoring 15 of those points in the final 16 minutes of play.

“My team needs me to be that all-around player, that versatile player,” Owens said. “Me being a versatile player brings a big part in a team aspect and brings us all together.”

Even as Owens and the Barbs started piling on the points, they didn’t lose focus on the other end of the court. With 1:17 left in the third quarter, Guilford scored their final basket of the game.

“Tonight, everybody's offense was off,” Armato said. “We shot 25% from the field, 8% from three. When you do that, you're not going to win many games. Again, I give DeKalb's team credit. They play with a lot of energy, and we're going to have to work harder to get to better shots and take care of the basketball.”

By the numbers: Guilford’s Joey Saunders recorded double digit rebounds—in the first half.

“He had 10 rebounds last night,” Armato said. “He's good on the defensive glass and he plays pretty good defense.”

Beyond the stats: Owens had the highlight play of the night when he picked off a Guilford pass in the fourth quarter and took it the length of the court for a dunk, prompting chants of “Joe’s a bucket” from the stands.

They said it: “I think the ceiling on this defense is pretty high,” Reynolds said. “They scored, you know, a couple baskets there in the second half. They only had six points. I thought we defended and made them shoot contested shots and, and if we get a few more rebounds, you know, it would be even easier.”

What’s next: DeKalb plays Naperville Central for the Classic title on Monday at 7:30 p.m. Guilford plays Oswego at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. Both games are part of the final day of the Chuck Dayton Classic.