The Naperville North boys basketball team came out swinging against crosstown rival Naperville Central Wednesday, securing their first playoff win.

The Huskies (16-15) defeated the Redhawks  (19-10) by a final score of 46-32.

After losing to the Redhawks twice in the regular season, the Huskies played with a chip on their shoulder. North lit up the rim to start the first quarter, putting six points on the board before Central had a chance to respond. Senior guard Jake Torcasio acknowledged the improvement on the defensive side of the ball since their last matchup against Central. 

“We just changed how we worked in practice. Our last loss was just the defense. We let up seventy points and we just don’t do that,” Torcasio said.

The Redhawks continued to flounder in the second half as brothers Zeke and Luke Williams took over, both of whom put up ten plus points for the Huskies. Sophomore forward Luke Williams attributed their increased performance on offense to the Huskies’ patience.

“Our team upended them, waiting for good shots and not forcing the ball,” Williams said.

Senior Guard Zeke Williams’ physicality was put to the test against an aggressive Central defense. Williams, a wide receiver on the Naperville North football team, used his skills to dominate the paint, drawing fouls and scrambling the Redhawks defense in the fourth quarter.

“Going in there you just got to tuck it and be strong, and football really helps with that,” Williams said.

The Huskies’ next playoff game is scheduled for Friday, February 25 at 7:00 p.m. against the Lake Park Lancers at home.