Senior Isaiah Gipson's energy and defense sparked #8 Kaneland in both halves to break open close game for win over LaSalle Peru! Grand Valley State commit Marshawn Cocroft goes over 2000 points!!!

Kaneland stays undefeated. Top performances in the state tonight as well. Rocco Pagliocca of Stevenson (Lincolnshire) goes for 41 in upset win over Waukegan. Niles North (Skokie)'s 30 game Central Suburban North winning streak ended tonight on game winner by sophomore Jayden Dozie of Maine East (Park Ridge) Here we go:

#8 Kaneland (Maple Park) 78 LaSalle Peru 60:

I was taken back roads to get here but I made it in just the nick of time to see LaSalle Peru not only hang with Kaneland, but had a 10 point lead with 2 minutes to go in the first quarter. LaSalle Peru led 16-6 before that run which coincided with Gipson (#2) coming off the bench to get multiple steals and runouts for the Knights to tie it at 16 at end of first. Game was still tied at 35 at recess, as junior big man Jeffrey Hassan (6'9") sat the enitre quarter with 2 fouls for Kaneland. Sophmore sensation Marion Persich, and senior Jameson Hill also had 2 fouls. Kaneland started the third quarter on a 10-2 run, but LaSalle Peru fought back to make it 51-49 Kaneland at the end of the third. Then Kaneland's defense and LaSalle Peru throwing the ball away broke this game open. Kaneland just dominated the fourth quarter and Hassan had 4 offeensive rebounds, some resulting in put backs and a nasty dunk in transition broke the game open. Cocroft (#3) was attacking and scoring at will the entire game, getting where he wanted off the dribble. Cocroft with his 18th point with an and one coming went over 2000 career points. Senior Evan Frieders (#11) did a little bit of everything in this game, filling the stat sheet. Game was 74-53 with 2 minutes left and both teams cleared the benches. Intiguiing was two football stars guarded each other. Senior Northern Illinois football commit Jalen Carter, guarding sophomore 4 star quarterback Persich. Carter did a good job in the post especially the second half of the game.

Kaneland ups it's record to 22-0, 5-0 in Interstate Eight, while LaSalle Peru drops to 15-7, 3-2 in Interstate Eight.

Top performances:

Kaneland (Maple Park):

Senior Marshawn Cocroft 22 points 1 steal (Grand Valley State commit)

Senior Evan Frieders 18 points 5 rebounds 3 steals 1 block

Senior Isaiah Gipson 13 points 5 rebounds 4 steals 2 blocks

Senior Jalen Carter 12 points 4 rebounds 3 steals 1 block (Northern Illinois football commit)

LaSalle Peru:

Senior Jameson Hill 15 points 5 rebounds 2 steals

Sophomore Marion Persich 13 points 4 rebounds 2 steals

Senior Erick Sotello 9 points 5 rebounds

Top perfomances in the state:

Jackson Bohm of Mahomet-Seymour scored his 1000th point tonight. 32 points

Rocco Pagliocca, Stevenson (Lincolnshire) 41 points

Donovan "Donny" Williams, Stevenson (Lincolnshire) 18 points

Jacob Harvanek, Glenbard West (Glen Ellyn) 17 points

Oliver Gray, Barrington 33 points

Tony Salemi, Wauconda 16 points 6 rebounds 3 steals

Austin Carlsen, Wauconda 18 points 9 rebounds 3 steals 2 blocks (junior)

Mark Render, Antioch 18 points

Tanner Block, Tuscola 15 points (sophomore)

Eze Nwagwu, St Rita (Chicago) 19 points (sophomore)

Dylan Dumele, Cary Grove 18 points

Luke Gouty, Lincoln Way West (New Lenox) 18 points

Charles Schlicht, Grant Community (Fox Lake) 25 points (junior)

DJ Stitts, Grant Community (Fox Lake) 15 points (junior)

Myles Newman, DeKalb 16 points

Khaleel Khan, Elk Grove 22 points

Cooper Casserton, Elk Grove 19 points (clutch three) (junior)

KJ Miller, East (Plainfield) 25 points 6 rebounds (junior)

Jayde Wyett, Providence Catholic (New Lenox) 24 points (sophomore)

Aaaon Tsai, Lane Tech College Prep (Chicago) 31 points (10 threes schol single game record)

Matt Szafoni, Lane Tech College Prep (Chicago) 33 points 14 rebounds (double/double) 5 blocks (Illinois State commit)

Cooper Knowles, West Hancock (Warsaw) 23 points

Luke Huston, Camp Point Central 16 points (sophomore)

Joey Kramer, Marmion Academy (Aurora) 17 points 10 rebounds (double/double)

Ben Piekarz, Marmion Academy (Aurora) 16 points

Erick Castillo, Momence 16 points

Myles Guthman, Murphysboro 30 points

Bryce Mossman, Routt Catholic (Jacksonville) 21 points

Brennan Lepper, Quincy 18 points (freshman)

Maas, Sterling 15 points

Brandon Schreiber, Maine East (Park Ridge) 16 points

Jayden Dozie, Maine East (Park Ridge) 20 points (8/11 FG, 2/3 three) (game winning three) (sophomore)

Aidan Gibbs, Huntley 19 points

Isaiah Onu, Huntley 16 points 6 rebounds (junior)

Tyler Stankiewicz, Rolling Meadows 16 points

Marty Lesner, Rolling Meadows 10 rebounds

Eddie Smajic, Columbia 22 points

Kishawn Gantt, Bremen (Midlothian) 22 points

Grant Smith, Lyons Township (LaGrange) 25 points 5 rebounds 2 steals (sophomore)

TJ Hillman, Central (Naperville) 21 points (5/7 three)

Miles Oykne, North (Naperville) 19 points 6 rebounds 4 steals (Carroll commit)

Victor Norris, Providence St Mel (Chicago) 18 points (junior)

Elisha Dahe, Providence St Mel (Chicago) 17 points 9 rebounds (sophomore)

Carter Slaise, Providence St Mel (Chicago) 11 points 13 rebounds (double/double)

Chris Bolte, St Ignatius College Prep (Chicago) 28 points (Yale commit)

Teegan McLaughlin, Eureka 16 points

Carson Trivilleni, South (Crystal Lake) 24 points 5 assists 5 steals (junior) (Illinois Baseball commit)

Brady May, Palatine 16 points (junior)

Robbie Wilcox, Palatine 16 points

Declan Brenhan, Leland 44 points (possible school single game record)

Carter Martin, Lakes (Lake Villa) 24 points (5/8 three) 5 rebounds (junior)

Aidan Hopkins, Lakes (Lake Villa) 10 points 10 rebounds

Jared Van Donselaar, North (Grayslake) 15 points (sophomore)

Brady Behringer, Sandwich 15 points 8 rebounds

Brady Hairald, Minooka 14 points 10 rebounds (double/double) 6 steals

Nick Czerak, Central Catholic (Aurora) 23 points (junior)

Joe Costanzo, St Patrick (Chicago) 18 points (5 threes)

Omar Ajanovic, St Patrick (Chicago) 14 points 11 rebounds (double/double) (junior)

Cam Curry, Marion 15 points

Makhi House, Marion 19 points

Gage Peterson, Waltonville 16 points

Omar Saleh, Oak Lawn 13 points 10 rebounds (double/double)

Jordan Shaw, Richards (Oak Lawn) 12 points 11 rebounds (double/double)

Noah VanTholen, Riversie Brookfield 22 points (sophomore)

Cameron Mercer, Riverside Brookfield 16 points

Amarion Smith-Holley, Richwoods (Peoria) 22 points (sophomore)

Tony Bradford, Richwoods (Peoria) 17 points

Tamarius Berry, Heights (Peoria) 17 points

DeAndre Marks, Heights (Peoria) 15 points (junior)

Max Beard, Woodstock 25 points (16/21 FT) (junior)

Ramon Rosario, Hoffman Estates 19 points (junior)

Torey Baskin, Hoffman Estates 18 points

Haar , Central (Breese) 17 points

Carter Brown, Sherrard 17 points

Kyler Owens, Orion 18 points

Jayce Schmitt, Johnsburg 16 points

Tony Horton Jr, Schaumburg 22 points

Lincoln Williams, Kankakee 28 points 9 rebounds 3 blocks

Kenaz Jackson, Kankakee 18 points

Declan Moran, Wilmington 18 points (4 threes)

Jayden Armstrong, Catholic Academy (Joliet) 25 points

Chase Ruppert, Heyworth 18 points

Boston Katz, Heyworth 15 points

Arthur Abbey, Rock Island 19 points (junior)

Brady Welch, Moline 15 points (junior)

Sean Reese, Glenbard South (Glen Ellyn) 19 points (junior)

Jace Allensworth, Notre Dame (Quincy) 18 points

J Karrick, Porta AC 27 points

Jeremy Zamost, Vernon Hills 18 points

Davion Tate, Maine West (Park Ridge) 24 points (junior)

Shrey Patel, Maine West (Park Ridge) 15 points (junior)

TJ Williams, Bolingbrook 26 points 7 rebounds

Brady Pettigrew, Bolingbrook 20 points 5 assists (sophomore)

Trey Brost, Bolingbrook 10 assists (Michigan Tech commit)

Gannon Turner, Nashville 24 points

Maddox Ritzel, Nashville 18 points 8 rebounds

Fenix Foy, Peoria 17 points

Trace Schaaf, Lockport Township 24 points

Brody Bruns, Rochelle 25 points (game winning shot from half court)

Brzezniak, Lincoln Way Central (New Lenox) 20 points

Lenear Bolden, Evergreen Park 22 points

Joseph Navarez, Argo (Summit) 21 points

Darron Greer Jr, Argo (Summit) 28 points

Jackson, Thornton Fractional North (Calumet City) 21 points

Chris Pulliams, Thornton Fractional North (Calumet City) 12 points 12 rebounds (double/double) (junior)

Kaiden Klein, Reed Custer 18 points 6 rebounds (sophomore)

Omar Baraket, Stagg (Palos Heights) 17 points

Neiko Leflore, Oak Forest 20 points

Pierce Childs, Annawan 22 points

Brock Brown, Taylorville 19 points

Travis Brown Jr, West Aurora 27 points (junior)

Richard Bell, West Aurora 10 rebounds (junior)

Kylen Henderson, Kennedy (Chicago) 16 points 5 steals

Adin Smajlovic, Mather (Chicago) 28 points

Byron Purnell, Mather (Chicago) 19 points

Michael Oginni, Mather (Chicago) 15 points

Khordell Gregory, Rochester 24 points

Mr Basketball Jaxson Davis, Warren Township (Gurnee) 23 points (junior)

Joel Paasch, Warren Township (Gurnee) 15 points

Markese Peoples, St Laurence (Burbank) 22 points (junior)

Luke Blackford, Calvary (Springfield) 32 points

Josh Long, Calvary (Springfield) 21 points

Alex Sirbu, Buffalo Grove 30 points 13 rebounds (double/double) (junior)

Nathan Marlow, Webber 28 points

Nick King, Gorevile 31 points (Junior)