Two teams, two good defenses, one height advantage.

Timothy Christian owned the last aspect over host Wheaton Academy at Wheaton College.

Like a running football team pounding away at the line, the Trojans eventually capitalized on their bread and butter to win the Private School League boys basketball game 58-49.

Six-foot-6 Jonathan Huizinga scored 14 of his team-high 16 points after halftime. He added 8 rebounds and 2 blocks.

“It was a big court, a different court. I don’t know,” Huizinga said of the college floor’s extra 10 feet impacting Timothy’s slow start. Wheaton Academy led 11-6 after a quarter and trailed 22-21 at halftime.

“In the second half I guess we just started passing the ball around a lot more,” he said.

The 6-8 Josh Crittle scored 9 with 5 blocks and 6 rebounds to aid a 30-19 edge on the boards for PSL co-leader Timothy Christian (11-0, 3-0). The Trojans made 23 of 39 shots and forced Wheaton Academy into 17-of-47 shooting.

Wheaton Academy (2-6, 1-2) was within 33-29 early in the fourth quarter when Huizinga scored off an inbounds play and a putback. When the Warriors crept to 42-37 with 4:04 to play, his basket off another inbounds play hurt them again.

“I think the key was Jonathan pretty much was standing around doing nothing in the first half, then he got his butt moving in the second half,” said Trojans coach Jeff Powers.

Huizinga went 4 of 4 from the foul line in the last 28 seconds, making as many free throws as Wheaton Academy attempted in 32 minutes.

The Warriors, with 6-4 Nate Williams, 6-3 Jeremy Parker and 6-0 Joel Malmquist on the Trojans’ horses, launched volleys from the perimeter, as expected, and forced 19 turnovers to hang with the Trojans.

John Tillery had 18 points on four 3-pointers, and both Parker and Warriors coach Andy Euler’s son Benjamin each hit three 3s. The Warriors made a striking 12 of 28 from the arc.

“We were hoping to drive and just kick (the ball out) and get some shots off on them,” Andy Euler said.

That worked to a point. Successive 3s by Tillery had Wheaton Academy within 29-27 at 2:53 of the third quarter.

Zack VanDyke, who in the fourth quarter scored twice off his own steals, made 2 free throws. Isaac Ross’ steal and 3-pointer pushed the Trojans lead to 33-27 going into the fourth.

“I think that was a key steal,” Powers said.

Then Huizinga had a key quarter to help secure the win.

“We had them on the ropes and we let them come back into the game,” Tillery said. “I thought we should have won the game.”