The DeKalb boys basketball team overcame a halftime deficit with a big third quarter and held on to defeat Naperville North 42-37 on the road to claim the DuPage Valley Conference title in the team's first season in the league.

The Barbs improved to 8-1 in the DVC and 22-7 overall.

“It’s an exciting feeling," DeKalb coach Mike Reynolds said. "I remember when they were asking me in the interview. I said I’ve always been good as the underdog. We were the underdogs in the league."

The Barbs trailed 23-17 at half, but held the Huskies scoreless until the final minute of the third quarter.

“They packed it in, we spread the floor and the first possession was a minute, we didn’t score. They came down and scored," Reynolds said. "They didn’t really come out of their packed-in defense until about two minutes left."

Joseph Owens and Trenton Kyler each scored 11 points and Christian Grays grabbed eight rebounds. Reynolds said Owens made timely buckets and Jamarcus Winters hit a clutch 3-pointer in the second half.

“It was nice to see our guys really rise to the occasion," Reynolds said.

IC caps undefeated regular season: Indian Creek won 67-38 to cap the regular season with a 30-0 record.

Drew Gaston had 16 points, five rebounds and Cooper Larsen added 15 points and five rebounds.

Royals win: Hinckley-Big Rock coasted to a 64-16 win over Leland.

GIRLS BOWLING

Kolberg, Rae moving on: Sycamore had a heartbreaking finish to Day 1 at state bowling at The Cherry Alley in Rockford, though Megan Kolberg and DeKalb's Makala Rae did enough to move on to Day Two Saturday.

DeKalb's Makala Rae rolled a 287 on her final game of the day, leaving her with a six-game score of 1,209 pins, leaving her in a tie for 29th, 139 pins back of the lead. Kolberg had a six-game score of 1,243, leaving her 11th.

The Sycamore girls fell just one pin back of 12th place, which would have allowed the Spartans to extend their season to Saturday. Oregon leapfrogged the Spartans by a single pin, 5,426 to 5,425, marking the fourth time Oregon has defeated the Spartans this season.

The 13th-place Spartans entered the final game in the 13th place and outperformed York to eclipse the 12th-place York squad, only for the Hawks to make their move. Sycamore coach Andy Hampton said last year, Sycamore had Oregon's number, this year, it was Oregon's turn.

“We were on the outside and we could have laid down, but they didn’t want to that," Hampton said of his team.

The Spartans had freshmen step up in the final game, including Brandi Stover and Maxine Lathrop. Stover rolled a 1,096 for Sycamore's second-highest individual score, leaving her in 81st as an individual.

“It’s pretty easy to realize there was a lot of tears," Hampton said. "We still have some to shake off. It’s hard to take.”

Hampton said it was a chance for the young bowlers who will lead Sycamore in the future to learn what it is like to compete on a big stage.

“I’m looking for her to do what she always does, stay focused, understand what the lane conditions are, adapt quickly and make deep challenge to the championship," Hampton said.

Brian Weidman contributed to this report.