Jayden Dozie's clutch three-pointer in the final seconds of Friday night's game not only ended Niles North's 30-game conference winning streak but also solidified his reputation as one of the top young players in the Chicago area.
The Maine East sophomore, who has been more selective with his shot attempts this season after being criticized for taking too many ill-advised shots last year, was in perfect position to make a game-winning three-pointer. With the shot clock winding down and the Blue Demons trailing by two points, Dozie launched a deep ball that went through the net, giving Maine East a 65-63 victory over their arch-rivals.
"I took really crazy shots last year," Dozie said in hindsight. "This year is about playing as a team and taking better shots." His old creative aggressiveness came in handy on Friday, but it was his newfound focus on teamwork that ultimately led to the win.
Maine East coach Sergio Muro praised his players' chemistry, saying, "I really love my backcourt... Brandon has really taken [Dozie] under his wing, and [Dozie] has bought in." The senior guard Brandon Schreiber added 16 points to help seal the victory, and sophomore Albert Cooper chipped in with 11 points.
The win was a huge upset for Maine East, who trailed by seven with four minutes left. Dozie's clutch shot will be remembered for years to come, but Muro cautioned against getting ahead of himself: "You would think this could really change things for us... But we coach high school basketball; it's a long season."
Niles North's loss marked their first conference defeat in 30 games, and the Vikings outrebounded Maine East 40-27. Senior Rayne Punzal led Niles North with 14 points, but it was not enough to overcome Dozie's game-winning shot.
The victory will give Maine East a boost as they head into February, but Muro remains focused on the bigger picture: "It's a long season... We are going to try to finish the race and play our best basketball."
The Maine East sophomore, who has been more selective with his shot attempts this season after being criticized for taking too many ill-advised shots last year, was in perfect position to make a game-winning three-pointer. With the shot clock winding down and the Blue Demons trailing by two points, Dozie launched a deep ball that went through the net, giving Maine East a 65-63 victory over their arch-rivals.
"I took really crazy shots last year," Dozie said in hindsight. "This year is about playing as a team and taking better shots." His old creative aggressiveness came in handy on Friday, but it was his newfound focus on teamwork that ultimately led to the win.
Maine East coach Sergio Muro praised his players' chemistry, saying, "I really love my backcourt... Brandon has really taken [Dozie] under his wing, and [Dozie] has bought in." The senior guard Brandon Schreiber added 16 points to help seal the victory, and sophomore Albert Cooper chipped in with 11 points.
The win was a huge upset for Maine East, who trailed by seven with four minutes left. Dozie's clutch shot will be remembered for years to come, but Muro cautioned against getting ahead of himself: "You would think this could really change things for us... But we coach high school basketball; it's a long season."
Niles North's loss marked their first conference defeat in 30 games, and the Vikings outrebounded Maine East 40-27. Senior Rayne Punzal led Niles North with 14 points, but it was not enough to overcome Dozie's game-winning shot.
The victory will give Maine East a boost as they head into February, but Muro remains focused on the bigger picture: "It's a long season... We are going to try to finish the race and play our best basketball."
like he took that clutch 3-pointer with ease and i'm not surprised he's killing it on the court now after last year's struggles he finally got his head in the game 
coach muro said he's playing as a team and taking better shots but let's be real dozie was always talented, he just needed to calm down 
niles north got destroyed outrebounded 40-27 lol what a blow to their conference winning streak though the win for maine east is huge i'm hyped for them 
! Jayden Dozie's clutch three-pointer was pure magic 
️. I mean, who doesn't love a game-winner? 
The fact that he was more selective with his shot attempts this season shows how much he's grown as a player 
. And the chemistry between him and Brandon Schreiber is undeniable 
. Coach Muro needs to be proud of these players too 
! It's gonna be an exciting February for Maine East, and I'm here for it 
he was so calm and focused, like he knew it was gonna go in lol. I'm not surprised though, he's been working on his shot selection this season after getting roasted last year. Coach Muro is right too, they need to stay grounded and keep playing as a team. But what a win for Maine East! I love how the backcourt chemistry between Dozie and Brandon Schreiber was on point 
. And yeah, Niles North's losing streak is over... but it's not like it was gonna change everything right now 
, this kid Dozie is straight fire 
.
, but now he's more calculated in his approach. And having Brandon Schreiber taking him under his wing is huge 
.
! I mean, he went from taking crazy shots last year to being super selective this year. And then BAM! He hits that game-winning three-pointer 
. The way his team came together and played as a unit was amazing 
!
. Maine East totally got robbed of being swept by Niles North, those guys were on fire 
. seriously tho, Jayden Dozie's growth as a player is insane, he's gotta keep up that teamwork vibe 
. let's see how they do in Feb...
The fact that Maine East came back from down 7 with 4 minutes left is a huge win, and I'm loving the vibe of their chemistry on offense. Can't wait to see what they do next month! 
but this season he's really stepped it up and proved himself as a legit top player in Chicago! The fact that his old coach would criticize him for taking too many bad shots last year is pretty funny 
. Maine East's win over Niles North was totally unexpected, but that clutch three-pointer by Dozie will go down in history 
!
