NILES, Illinois — The Northridge varsity basketball team traveled down Dempster Street Tuesday night and knocked off crosstown rival Notre Dame (Niles) in a close finish, 56-51. It's the Knights second straight win in the series.
The Knights were led in scoring by senior Jacob Klatt, who dropped 19 points in a gritty effort, driving to the rim and pushing the pace for Northridge. Fellow seniors Evan Kataoka (12 points), Nelson Goodrich (7 points) and Bo Arnold (7 points) also contributed to a balanced scoring effort for the maroon and gold. The win moved Northridge to an impressive 20-5 on the season. The Knights have now won seven straight games.
The opening quarter began slowly, with both teams going scoreless for the first 4:00 of play. Soon enough, the action picked up as each squad traded turns holding the lead. The Knights stretched the lead to as many as four points but would end the quarter tied 13-13.
As the second quarter got rolling, so did the offense. Sparked by a Kataoka three-pointer midway through the quarter, the Knights would take a 16-13 lead. Two minutes later off a deflected pass, Kataoka would get an and-one to fall, giving the Knights a 19-17 lead. Starting with a Mark Scherer '25 three ball, the Knights ended the quarter on an 8-1 run after Billy Arnold '26 laid in a last second shot at the halftime buzzer. Northridge led 27-20 at the half.
Sure enough, the Dons came out firing in the 3rd quarter, erasing the Northridge lead just three minutes into the frame. The Knights, however, refused to unravel, responding with an 11-4 run over the last four minutes to head into the 4th quarter leading 42-36.
The Knights continued the momentum into the final frame, with Klatt quickly scoring four answered points to extend the Knights lead to double digits, 46-36. Following a timeout at the 5:49 mark, the Dons would come roaring back, cutting the lead to three over the next 2:30 minutes. The Knights would be sent to the free throw line multiple times over the final 60 seconds, with Linus Coleman '25 converting on both attempts to put the Knights up six with 15 seconds remaining. After a late three by the Dons brought them within three with 6.1 remaining, the sure-handed senior Kataoka hit both crucial free throws to send the Knights home happy.
"Over the years, this neighborhood rivalry has flourished, driven by shared values of hard work and selfless play," Knights head coach Will Rey said after the game. "Both teams play basketball the way it should be played, making every game a spirited yet friendly contest that showcases determination, skill, sportsmanship and mutual respect."
The Knights resume conference play on Friday as they travel into the city to take on Francis Parker. Northridge won the pair's first meeting on Jan. 10, 89-58. Tip off is at 6:30pm.
