Blue Thunder seeks bounce to jumpstart second half

By Chris Johnson

REPORTER

A few things could be beginning to line up for the Belvidere North Blue Thunder boys’ basketball team if a little fortune can be found. They have played a lot of good teams over the last few weeks and can get a picture about where they are. At this point, they are coming up a little bit short in the standings.

They have had their share of successes in matches registered as losses in the season-log. They also have had the chance to learn more about themselves. Successes, even a quarter at a time during the recent Chuck Dayton Holiday Invitational in DeKalb, can be found over the year-ending series of games.

Belvidere North had a few chances blocked and others ripped away as they fell to Chicago Schurz in the tournament opener, 66-58. Huntley escaped a night later, as they held back the Blue Thunder 65-64 to push Belvidere North to 0-2 in the Holiday Invitational.

On night three, a bigger challenge waited as 10-3 West Chicago stared down Blue Thunder. Speed and picture-perfect passing pushed the Wildcats on to the 73-55 win and kept the Blue Thunder winless in the first-half season, tournament-closer.

Tournament action faces a reprieve into the second week of the New Year. It will resume following Belvidere North’s visit to Rockford Auburn on Wednesday, Jan. 11.

When it does, Belvidere North will have to play through another field of teams as Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Tournament’s tip-off. Another chance to look at other teams they might not usually see provides another opportunity for Belvidere North during the days of games. The MLK Memorial Tournaments wraps up on Monday, Jan. 16.

The NIC-10 schedule receives all of Belvidere North’s attention beginning Friday, Jan. 20 when they travel to Rockford Jefferson.

A quick trip home to host Belvidere in the annual rivalry match has been scheduled for Wednesday,