Belvidere North Blue Thunder, Auburn Knights face off again

By Kaila Olsen
Reporter
ROCKFORD – On Friday, Jan. 22, at 7 p.m., Belvidere North’s varsity basketball team faced off against Rockford’s Auburn Knights for a conference game at Auburn High School.
The night’s game was the 16th match up between the Blue Thunder Boys and the Auburn Knights. Auburn had a perfect record against the Belvidere North’s varsity team. Earlier in this season, the Blue Thunder Boys lost against the Knights at home, with a final score of 60-20.
Belvidere North went into Friday night’s game with a record of 1-18, winning their first game of the season four days before to Rockford’s Lutheran, and the Auburn Knights went into the game with a record of 14-4.
Both teams, regardless their records, went into the game determined to take their own team to a victory.
Auburn started the game off by scoring two, two pointers, two free throw points, a two point basket, two, two point lay-ups, another free throw shot, another two point basket, and another free throw, all before Belvidere North made their first point.
Belvidere North’s number 13, Bennett O’Connell, #13, made North’s first point of the game with a three pointer.
Auburn continued with more points of their own though. Auburn scored another two points in a layup, followed by a two point basket and another layup.
Auburn also made the next point when Daveion Dixon, #23, made another two point basket, bringing their lead up to 22-3.
Auburn’s Robinson, #1, made the next shot of the game with a two point layup. Belvidere North’s Rylen Kirk, #22, followed that play with a two point basket of his own for his team. Auburn took back possession of the ball and scored another two points for the Knights. Auburn got the ball back, almost immediately, and made another three point shot, bringing their lead up to 29-8.
Next, Auburn came back with two more layups and a two point basket.
North finally came up with more points with Sebastian Gutierrez, #10, scoring a two point basket.
Auburn scored another two points, but fouled North’s Matthew Konkler, #2, who made one of his two free throws.
Auburn and North went back and forth with layups, ending the first half with a score of 41-13 in Auburn’s favor.
The start of the third period began with Auburn quickly scoring three, three point shot, and North finally scoring another two points.
Auburn came back shortly with more points off of a free throw. North continued with the fouls, allowing Auburn to score another free throw point in the third period.
With every point North made, Auburn seemed to double it. North made a two pointer and Auburn came back with two, two pointers of their own, followed by another point off of a free throw.
Belvidere North took possession of the ball and made a two point shot, but Auburn made a three pointer to increase their lead.
Back and forth again, North and Auburn continued to make two point shots. However, Auburn broke away from the trend with a three pointer.
Belvidere North’s Kirk shot and made a three pointer to end the third period, making the score of 69-24.
The fourth period began with Belvidere North taking the ball out. North’s Jake Bannon, #5, ran it down the lane to make a two point layup.
Next, Auburn’s Dixon made a three point basket.
Belvidere North’s O’Connell made the next shot with a two point layup, bringing the score to 72-28.
Auburn again dominated the court coming back with another seven points.
Auburn fouled North’s Guitierrez who scored another two points on his free throws and a three pointer after the recovery.
Auburn came back with another five points, but North didn’t give up. Evan Waddell, #12, made a two point layup. Waddell was fouled on that play and he made one of his two free throws, making the score 86-38.
North followed Waddell’s scores with another five points.
Despite the end effort, Auburn continued their winning streak over North by winning 86-41.