Belvidere 57, Belvidere North 45:Lauren Hyser and Kayla Harris have played basketball together since sixth grade.

And it showed Tuesday night in Belvidere’s 57-45 win over Belvidere North in Class 3A regional action. The senior guards combined to score 47 points as the Bucs (9-18) advanced and will play Crystal Lake Central on Thursday for the championship.

Hyser finished with a game-high 26 points, including 16-of-22 from the free throw line. Harris added 21 points, including four 3s.

“They’re always big players,” Belvidere coach Darcee Baney said. “In clutch moments is when they come through. Maybe they won’t always be on at the same time, but if they’re not scoring points for us, they’re doing big things defensively.”

“It’s like Kayla and I are playing playground basketball,” Hyser said. “We know where each other is at all times. We have good chemistry together.”

It was the second meeting in five days for the two teams. North defeated Belvidere by eight points at home Friday after the Bucs won convincingly in a game earlier this season.

And that they did. Harris and Hyser each scored 10 points in the first half as the Bucs led 27-15 at the break. In the third, Harris scored eight points and Hyser five as Belvidere was cruising, leading by 17 at one point.

But the game got interesting in the fourth thanks to some cold shooting by Belvidere. Hyser did make 11 free throws in the quarter, but the Bucs made only one basket as North fought back. The Thunder pulled to within 51-43 on two Jacobi Banks’ free throws with 1:40 left, but Harris answered when she scored on a leaner and was fouled. She made the free throw and the 3-point play put the game away.

North (10-17) was led by Bobbi Johns with 12 points and Andie Behling with nine.

- Paul Anthony Arco, rrstar.com