TJ Williams, Glenbard West get dominant win at Downers Grove North

DOWNERS GROVE – TJ Williams said Glenbard West had a chip on its shoulder heading into Friday’s game at Downers Grove North, given recent history.

The Hilltoppers played like it, too.

Williams and the Hilltoppers were surgical at both ends of the court in building a 17-point halftime lead. Glenbard West went on to a 54-35 win in a key West Suburban Silver matchup.

It’s Glenbard West’s first win in Downers Grove since 2022, the year the Hilltoppers went on to win the Class 4A title.

“We haven’t won here in a few years, and we knew it was a tough environment. We came together as a team and got the job done,” said Williams, a junior guard. “We came out strong in the first half, our preparation was good, our coach had us well-prepared.”

Williams had 11 points and two steals, Josh Abushanab nine points and Michael O’Connell eight points for Glenbard West (16-4, 6-1). Jack Crowley scored nine points and Bobby Grganto eight for Downers Grove North (17-6, 4-2).

Five different Hilltoppers had baskets in the first quarter as they crisply picked apart Downers Grove North’s zone. Glenbard West never trailed after the game’s third basket, and Williams' steal and dunk made it 12-6 seven minutes in. In a low-possession game, Glenbard West shot 67% (12 for 18) in the first half.

“Finding the pockets in the middle of their zone,” Williams said. “Every time we could get it to the middle, we knew we could get it our bigs and our bigs could go bang because our bigs are more physical and bigger than theirs.”

Meanwhile, Glenbard West’s 1-3-1 zone forced seven turnovers with five steals in the first quarter, four more turnovers in the second quarter.

Williams' three-point play off a turnover started a 10-2 to end the half ahead 29-12.

“That’s our identity at Glenbard West, is playing our zone and trying to disrupt and create chaos and get in transition,” Glenbard West coach Jason Opoka said. “We did a good job of that.”

Indeed, Downers Grove North had difficulty throughout the first half navigating the 1-3-1 and the length of defenders like Williams, Abushanab and Logan Glover. The Trojans didn’t manage a two-point field goal until 2:19 left in the half.

“They’re long,” DGN coach Jim Thomas said. “I think at one point in the first quarter we were six of seven possessions with turnovers. You cough up that many possessions, you’re not going to win a ball game.”

Jack Romsey’s 3-pointer for Downers Grove North closed the Trojans to within 34-23, but from there they didn’t score the remaining 3:22 of the third quarter.

“At one point we got six consecutive stops,” Thomas said. “We have some inconsistencies and holes in our offense at times. The times we don’t we’re really good at both ends.”

Williams, after taking just one shot in the third quarter, made a couple tough runners in the fourth quarter to close things out after Downers Grove North had closed within 10.

“TJ is so athletically gifted,” Opoka said. “He can get to this spots and rise over defenders and put himself in situations to make pull-ups and get to the rim.”

Glenbard West, after an 8-0 start to the season, hit a bit of a speed bump around the holidays with four losses over a two-week stretch.

But the Hilltoppers have emerged with five straight wins and host Hinsdale Central next Friday for the Silver lead.

With their talent, and what seems like a manageable postseason path, they could be set up for another deep run.

“The biggest thing is our guys are growing, they are trusting each other, you can see it on the court, at practice and on bus rides,” Opoka said. “It’s becoming a special season. Work together, fight through adversity and trust each other, we can go relatively far.”