Boys Basketball: Niles West’s Dolins picks right time to dial long distance

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Lauris Herth protects the ball in Friday's game between Niles West and Maine South. | Morgan Glier~Sun-Times Media

Updated: March 3, 2012 8:24AM

Niles West’s Cory Dolins could not have picked a more perfect to time to hit his first shot of the game Friday night, when his team faced Central Suburban South foe Maine South.

The Wolves had just watched Maine South erase an eight-point, second-half deficit to tie the score at 41-41. Dolins buried a three-pointer from deep in the corner in front of the Niles West bench with less than two minutes left in the contest.

It turned out to be his only basket, but it put a screeching halt to the Hawks’ rally, and the Wolves posted a 49-43 road victory in Park Ridge.

“They were in a triangle-and-two, and I already had one three that I passed up,” said Dolins. “I am a good three-point shooter, so the next time I shot it and made it. So it was a good shot.”

It would have been understandable if the Wolves had panicked when Maine South (13-10, 3-4) knotted the score. The home team had lost 10 straight games prior to Friday’s win.

“We thought about (the game slipping away), but we have been through this enough,” Dolins explained. “We had nothing to lose, so we just gave it our all and played our hearts out. We have not quit — that is what it is all about. Since we did not quit, we competed each day, and (Friday) we never gave up, and played with our hearts.”

Niles West held a slim 9-7 lead after the first quarter, but started to open things up in the second. Joe Younan knocked down two three-pointers, and the Wolves pushed the margin to eight points on three occasions. Two late free throws by DJ Harris (6 points) gave West a 25-17 lead at the intermission.

Sophomore Ahmad Gibson hit three shots from long distance in the second half, including a three-pointer with 42 ticks left. He led Niles West (3-14, 1-6) in scoring with 15 points. Younan finished with 13 tallies, and sealed the win with two free throws in the closing seconds.

Alek Biser had six points before the break and grabbed four rebounds, and David McCoy pulled down seven boards.

The Wolves hadn’t been victorious since earning a 60-57 win against crosstown rival Niles North on Dec. 3.

“I am really happy with the character of our team,” said Niles West coach Bob Williams. “We have been working on it all year, to continue to improve all year. That is something that I am very proud of our kids for, because our record is not good, but our hearts are big — and they are working, getting better. This is a big win for us in that regard. I could not be more pleased with their attitudes and their efforts, and it is nice to see it pay off. And now we have to build off this.”

Niles West was unable to maintain its success, however, and fell to Buffalo Grove 49-39 on Saturday.

Niles West took command early, limiting the Bison to just seven points in each of the first two quarters. The Wolves led 20-7 midway through the second quarter following a bucket by McCoy (7 rebounds).

McCoy led Niles West with 14 points, including 10 before the intermission. Joe Younan had all eight of his points in the first half, while Gibson collected six points.

The fourth quarter was dismal for the Wolves. They managed just two free throws and did not knock down a field goal in 13 attempts.

“I think we just lost our focus and forgot what coach (Williams) was telling us,” explained McCoy. “We try to take it one possession at a time, but as they got on their run, we started to lose focus and got down on ourselves and each other.

“In the first half we were moving well, cutting and setting screens. In the second half, it just stopped.”