Ojala's D Leads Wildkits Past Glenbrook North

Talk of expanded roles for the Evanston basketball players returning this season following a run to the Final Four naturally included Ben Ojala.

The sophomore lead guard’s offense hasn’t always been there for the Wildkits despite a successful start to the team’s season. And that expanded role for Ojala? All the coaching staff asks is that he stay on the court a little longer.

Issues with foul trouble in the early portion of the season didn’t prevent Ojala from discovering that he can be a game-changer on defense, even when he’s not scoring himself. And it was the sophomore’s defense on Glenbrook North point guard Nate Fridman Thursday night at Beardsley Gym that helped the Wildkits improve to 2-0 in Central Suburban League South division play.

Ojala’s defense helped Evanston stifle the Spartans 61-41 and there was nothing cunning about what it took. He just stayed in front of Fridman and refused to let the Spartan leader penetrate to the basket, limiting him to 4 points and 5 assists as the losers shot just 36 percent from the field.

And when the sophomore standout picked up his third personal foul late in the third quarter, teammate Dion Lane Jr. took a page out of that playbook and didn’t let Fridman get untracked, either.

Evanston improved to 6-2 and played like a team bent on repeating as CSL South division champs, sharing the ball (15 assists on 22 made field goals) and never relenting on defense. GBN dropped to 7-2 on the year, 1-1 in league play.

Evanston’s share-the-wealth approach on offense helped the hosts put four players in double figures on the night. Ojala and Vito Rocca each netted 12 points, Timi Ogunsanya dropped in 11 points, and Lane Jr. contributed 10 in a balanced performance that is becoming the norm rather than the exception for a team still trying to mature.

Part of that maturity is staying out of foul trouble, a lesson Ojala has had to learn the hard way.

“Fridman is the guy who makes them (GBN) go when they’re scoring in the 60s and 70s because he plays so free and loose,” said ETHS head coach Mike Ellis. “I have so much respect for him as a player. He’s a great penetrator and he might be the best point guard in the conference. If you’re out of position on defense, he can really make you pay.

“Ben’s been in foul trouble a lot the past few games but he did an outstanding job tonight, especially when you consider that Fridman had the ball in his hands a good percentage of time for them. Ben’s defense presence tonight shouldn’t be underestimated.

“I think we’re starting to play a lot more consistently now. We’re always trying to avoid playing up and down basketball, because the more consistent you can play --- and that includes decision making --- the better you’re going to play as a team. When I talk about decision making, it’s really court awareness that comes into play. That’s what cost us in our losses. You want to play in a way there are no surprises, understand what it is that gets you beat, and stay away from that.”

ETHS charged to a 10-0 lead on 3-point baskets by Ogunsanya and Lane Jr., and led 15-11 at the first quarter stop. The lead grew to 32-20 at halftime, as Ojala also made his mark on offense to help break the game open with 7 points in the period.

It took GBN three and a half minutes to score its’ first points of the game --- three more minutes to score its first basket at the start of the second quarter --- and almost three full minutes before they broke through at the start of the third period.

Those long scoreless stretches led to a season-low point total for the losers who were held under 60 points for only the second time this season. Charlie Lappin was the only GBN player to reach double figures with 11 points.

Evanston will take on Hillcrest on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. in the Team Rose Shootout event hosted by Mount Carmel.