Foresters Fall Twice to Open the 2004-05 Season
Late runs by Carthage and Benedictine defeat Lake Forest 
  

Eric McDonald started the year with two double-doubles.

Junior Franklyn Beckford (Jacksonville, IL/Jacksonville) led the visitors with 21 points at Carthage. He shot 7-of-12 from the field and 7-of-11 from the free throw line. Senior Eric McDonald (Elk Grove, IL/Elk Grove) recorded a double-double in the game with 16 points and a team-high 10 rebounds. Junior Greg Klos (Carol Stream, IL/Glenbard North) scored all nine of his points from three-point range and classmate Adesina Benton (Richton Park, IL/Argo) led the squad with five assists.

Carthage shot 46.6% from the floor while the Foresters made just 35.8% of their field goal attempts. The Redmen connected on 11 of 23 three pointers (47.8%), committed just seven turnovers to Lake Forest’s 11, and out-rebounded the visitors 44-36.

Lake Forest led by as many as six points twice during the game’s first eight minutes. The score was tied three times before the home team used a 7-0 run to take the lead. The Carthage advantage was 37-33 at the half. The Foresters scored the first seven points after halftime before a dunk and a pair of three-pointers quickly put the Redmen back on top by five. The score was tied at 45 with 16:44 remaining but Carthage outscored their guests 22-7 over the next 10+ minutes to pull away.

McDonald recorded his second double-double of the weekend with a team-high 18 points and 11 rebounds against Benedictine. He shot 10-of-11 from the free throw line. Klos connected five times from three-point range and scored 17 points. Benton was 2-for-3 from beyond the arc and scored 10.

Lake Forest was out-shot 46.2% to 42.6% from the field and each team connected seven times from three-point range. The Foresters were 22-of-27 (81.5%) from the foul line but committed 18 turnovers.

Neither team led by more than four points in a first half that included five ties and as many lead changes. The period ended with the visitors clinging onto a 34-32 lead. Lake Forest tied the score at 34 and 36 early in the second half and trailed by just one before Benedictine scored seven straight to take a 48-40 advantage with 10:52 left. The Foresters cut the lead to two points four times before a Benton three-pointer with 3:14 remaining gave the home team its only lead (63-62) of the half. The Eagles scored the next seven points to pull away and their lead did not drop below three points the rest of the way.

Lake Forest will host the University of Chicago at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday (November 23).