Boys basketball: Darrell Island’s big third helps DeKalb top Sterling

DeKALB – When DeKalb needed a run to take control of the game, Darrell Island kicked things into high gear.

The Barbs trailed Sterling for much of the first half in their eventual 71-55 win, but a 19-5 third-quarter run with Island scoring 10 of those points gave DeKalb the lead for good.

“We felt them getting tired around halftime,” Island said. “Coach said drive it down there and throw it in. They should be giving up soon. We saw the big man [6-foot-7 forward Lucas Austin] tire, so that was our best option, to run.”

Even when Island wasn’t scoring during the run, he was making things happen for the Barbs (8-2). He had missed a 3-pointer but ran after the rebound and leaped to save it from going out of bounds. He then passed while still in mid-air to Sean Reynolds, who drained a 3 to push the DeKalb lead to 46-38, the Barbs’ biggest to that point.

“When he plays under control, he’s as dynamic as a player we’ve had here,” DeKalb coach Mike Reynolds said. “The key is getting it every time. That’s hard for any kid. But he’s really dynamic, and especially in that third quarter when we kind of stretched things out. I was impressed with his defense on [JP] Schilling, an all-conference guard and probably an all-state guard as the year goes farther on.”

Sterling (8-3) cut things to 55-49 with 4:11 left, but a technical foul resulted in a seven-point run for the Barbs – a three-point play by Davon Grant, a pair of technical free throws by Sean Reynolds, then a 3-pointer by Island.

“When you’re not making shots, your defense has to carry,” Sterling coach Ryan Vasquez said. “We just weren’t getting those consecutive stops. When we needed those consecutive stops, we just didn’t get those. That’s a game of runs.”

Andre Klaver and Schilling each scored 15 to pace the Warriors. Austin had eight points and 10 rebounds.

“We were a step or two slow,” Vasquez said. “Give credit to DeKalb, they had a pep in their step. ... We just didn’t have it in our step tonight.”

Island had 20 points to lead all scorers, and added five rebounds and three steals. Sean Reynolds had 15 points, four rebounds and three steals. Grant shot 6 of 7 for 13 points, and grabbed six rebounds.

Island said it was another great game for Grant, the Barbs’ 6-4 forward.

“He’s doing wonderful,” Island said. “For that kid to be coming out of middle school, that man is great,” Island said. “We have a long season ahead of us. We shouldn’t be losing that many games.”

The Barbs have won two straight after back-to-back losses to Naperville North and United Township earlier this month.

“We’ve been practicing because we took two Ls not too long ago,” Island said. “We just had to make a quick cleanup of what we had to do.”