Boys Basketball: Kobe Adams, Oswego cap off unbeaten Hoops 4 Healing Tournament run
Adams spectacular once again with 23 points, Panthers hold off Naperville North 64-56
OSWEGO – Kobe Adams and his Oswego teammates lingered on the court to accept well wishes from friends, then joined in a jubilant "Happy Birthday" chant easily heard outside the locker room.
It was indeed a week to celebrate.
![Adams, Oswego's senior guard, capped off an eye-opening first week with 23 points Friday, 15 in the second half.
The Panthers followed his lead, holding off Naperville North 64-56 to complete their first unbeaten run through the Hoops 4 Healing Tournament since 2015.
The title made it an extra sweet birthday for Oswego coach Chad Pohlmann.
"Jack [Kahoun] sent me a message this morning saying 'Happy Birthday, coach, we're going to get you a W,'" Pohlmann said. "It's pretty cool, pretty awesome."](e42ab78a-2a84-4ab4-9f32-62cab0e2e34b/image-pv_web.jpg)
Adams, Oswego's senior guard, capped off an eye-opening first week with 23 points Friday, 15 in the second half.
The Panthers followed his lead, holding off Naperville North 64-56 to complete their first unbeaten run through the Hoops 4 Healing Tournament since 2015.
The title made it an extra sweet birthday for Oswego coach Chad Pohlmann.
"Jack [Kahoun] sent me a message this morning saying 'Happy Birthday, coach, we're going to get you a W,'" Pohlmann said. "It's pretty cool, pretty awesome."
Adams enjoyed a pretty awesome first week.
He scored a career-high 30 points in Oswego's first game Monday, a harbinger of things to come. Adams averaged 23.3 points over four games, and on several occasions Friday hit big shots when Oswego (4-0) needed it.
"It means a lot; it shows all my hard work is paying off. I thank my teammates," Adams said. "It's a great start, 4-0, that's huge for us. The last couple years we struggled in the beginning but we've come out strong."
Adams did so after an inauspicious start Friday.
He missed two free throws after getting fouled on his team's first possession, and had a layup roll off the rim on a sweet drive.
But Adams went coast-to-coast for a score to send Oswego into halftime ahead 27-24, then scored six straight Oswego points and took a charge to extend the Panthers' lead to 38-30 lead in the third quarter.
"He's been pretty special," Pohlmann said. "I told our guys, it's a mindset that the kid put in the work, and he wanted to get good. He didn't waver from what he did. He put in the time, he's a very humble young man and he's a competitor. He wants to win."
Naperville North came out in a box-and-one defense, with its best defender Zeke Williams trailing Kahoun.
Kahoun, who scored 24 points Wednesday against Downers Grove South, only attempted six shots with six points and six rebounds – but other players like Adams stepped up.
"Kobe has the opportunity to make plays," Pohlmann said. "We talked about in the offseason, we knew coming into the year that Jack would get a lot of attention, deservedly so. Kobe has the opportunity now to make plays if they're going to key on Jack."
Adams, on Friday, stuck several midrange jump shots – an aspect of his game he's worked quite a bit to develop.
"My midrange was falling," said Adams, who shot 10-for-17. "Tonight, I was going to that a lot. They started off in a box-and-one, we struggled to get it going in the beginning, but we picked it up."
Brady Peterlin, also, picked it up.
Oswego's junior guard was scoreless through three games this week, 0-for-8 from the field. But he went for 13 big points Friday, 3-for-5 from the field. Joey Niesman, who added 10 points, had two more of Oswego's seven 3s.
"We need him," Pohlmann said of Peterlin. "We knew it was just a matter of time. All week long it was in and out. Tonight you could see a little more confidence. He got the ball, and he was putting it in. It was kind of his coming-out party. We need that shooting."
Peterlin's second 3-pointer, with 2:25 left in the third quarter, gave Oswego its biggest lead at 43-33. Naperville North, though, went on a 7-0 run spanning the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth. Riley Thompson, who scored 11 of his 17 points in the second half, scored on a backdoor layup to close to 47-44 with 5:58 left.
Thompson's driving layup got the Huskies within 53-52 with 2:55 left, but Peterlin stuck a 3-pointer at the other end, and turned to the Oswego student section in delight.
The Huskies never drew closer.
Connor McCance added nine points and seven rebounds for Oswego. Grant Johnson scored 13 for Naperville North.
"They [Naperville North] hung in there," Pohlmann said. "They're well-coached, tough kids. We weren't quite as crisp defensively but we made enough plays."
Oswego’s Kevin House (4) steals the ball from Naperville North's Liam Kim (2) during the 15th annual hoops 4 healing basketball tournament in Oswego Nov. 29.
Oswego’s Joseph Niesman (0) shoots a free throw against Naperville North during the 15th annual hoops 4 healing basketball tournament in Oswego Nov. 29.
Oswego’s Kevin House (4) shoots a three pointer against ]Naperville North during the 15th annual hoops 4 healing basketball tournament in Oswego Nov. 29.
Oswego’s Kobe Adams (24) drives to the hoop against Naperville North during the 15th annual hoops 4 healing basketball tournament in Oswego Nov. 29.
Oswego’s Joseph Niesman (0) shoots a three pointer against Naperville North during the 15th annual hoops 4 healing basketball tournament in Oswego Nov. 29.
Oswego’s Kobe Adams (24) drives to the basket against Naperville North during the 15th annual hoops 4 healing basketball tournament in Oswego Nov. 29.
Oswego’s Connor McCance (52) plays the ball in the post against Naperville North's William Thompson (10) during the 15th annual hoops 4 healing basketball tournament in Oswego Nov. 29.