The Patch Hardwood Tour examines boys high school basketball on a weekly rotational basis, focusing on teams in a 12-town region. Its intent is to celebrate and inform about prep hoops.
“The only thing that Huntley lacks is size.” That’s what I wrote in my notes as I watched the Red Raiders topple Jacobs from the ranks of the undefeated in the Fox Valley Valley conference on Tuesday. With the win, which took place on their opponent’s home court, the young Huntley club seized sole possession of first place in the division.
It was a contest worthy of the stakes, with the Red Raiders finally emerging victorious in overtime on the right side of a 52-49 score. Meanwhile, the season winds down to its final two weeks prior to state tournament play. After the game, Huntley coach Marty Manning echoed my scribbled concern about his team even while praising the effort that has led to an 19-4 season (7-1 in conference) and comparing it to past round-ball winners he’s coached.
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“The first team I had here (at Huntley, the 23-6 team of 2006-07) we had a lot of talent and size. The tough thing with this group is we have no big guys. But they have a lot of talent and a lot of heart.”
The tallest starters for Huntley are its two seniors, both 6-foot-3, Dylan Neukirch and Tyler Brunschon. Both played bigger than their size against Jacobs, stepping up and seizing the day, especially with junior sharpshooter Troy Miller plagued by foul trouble all night long and eventually going to the bench with five. Neukirch was the game’s high scorer with 21 and Brunschon added 11 while hounding Jacobs’ top scorer Nick Hofman defensively all night long.
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Huntley continued its quest for the conference title with a 51-40 win over Dundee-Crown Friday night.
Unbeaten bubble bursts for Jacobs in double-dip weekend
Prior to this week, the Jacobs Golden Eagles presented a contrast in records, suffering nine losses this season, but zero setbacks in the Fox Valley Valley conference, where they sat atop the standings at 4-0. That has all changed.
After losing in overtime to Huntley on Tuesday for their first conference blemish of the year, the Eagles then fell again Friday night to Crystal Lake South 64-53. Both were teams that Jacobs had bested the first time around in divisional play. Every team has at least one weakness, and in the case of the Golden Eagles, it’s the lack of scoring from its big men. This club is heavily dependent on points from senior guards Nick Hofman and Mike Peterson, and both are excellent outside marksmen who deliver as well as can be expected under the circumstances.
I’ve seen Jacobs play three times now and I’ve yet to see them win. This doesn’t mean they’re a bad team, as their 12-11 overall record (4-2 in conference) indicates. They seem to get the most out of their talent. But the back-to-back set-backs this past week demonstrate how difficult it is to win consistently without inside scoring. In the three games I’ve seen coach Jim Hinkle’s team play; his big men have been in double figures just twice.
The Golden Eagles have three winnable games this coming week against Cary-Grove, Dundee-Crown and Libertyville. They’ve beaten the first two teams already this year and can remain in the hunt by doing so again. But there are no guarantees for Jacobs, a team that has to scrap for every one of its wins and could just as easily go 0-3 next week.
Lake Forest improving, but North Suburban competition rugged
I have high hopes for the future of the young Lake Forest Scouts, but they have fierce times ahead in their quest to climb to the top of the North Suburban Conference’ s Lake Division. This campaign, the Scouts, with a roster filled with sophomores and juniors, will have to be content with hovering about the .500 mark. This is no small accomplishment when one considers the competition in the division, which year in and out produces two or three powerhouse teams.
I saw the Scouts lose at Zion-Benton 67-56 on Wednesday. Lake Forest junior forward Thomas Durrett was outstanding with 24 points, with heady sophomore Carter Bass chipping in with 12. The pair will be excellent pieces for coach Phil LaScala to build his team on next season.
On Saturday night, Lake Forest (11-12, 3-8) ran into the current Lake power, the Warren Blue Devils, who dealt them a 58-46 defeat. Warren is already a highly ranked team in the Chicago area and will return all of its key players next season. So between dealing with Warren and Zion-Benton through the 2014 season Lake Forest (to say nothing of the other Patch.com teams from Libertyville and Lake Zurich) will have its hands full. The Scouts may show dramatic improvement next season and beyond and still not come close to sniffing a championship in the Lake Division of the North Suburban Conference. It’s that tough of a league.
Filling the Lanes: Other noteworthy accomplishments last week
Biggest Wins
Crystal Lake Central Tigers (19-4, 9-1) got revenge and then some against the Grayslake North Knights (16-6, 8-3) the only team to defeat them in the Fox Valley Fox conference by destroying the visitors 71-49. The victory clinched at least a tie for the division championship for the Tigers.
Grayslake North Knights (16-6, 8-3) preceded their disappointing loss to Crystal Lake Central with their first basketball victory ever over the rival Grayslake Central Rams. The Monday home game was all North, 56-40, and snapped a nine-game losing streak to the cross-town team.
Huntley Red Raiders (19-4, 7-1): Bested Fox Valley Valley front-runner Jacobs in overtime (see top column item) to take over first place in the conference.
Multiple-Win Week
Grayslake Central Rams (13-10, 8-3): Lost biggest game of three played last week to rival Grayslake North, then took it out on two other Fox Valley Fox foes from Woodstock and Johnsburg with 17- and 24-point wins.
Cary-Grove Trojans (10-13, 4-4): Went 2-0 for the week with a pair of Fox Valley Valley conference wins against Crystal Lake South and McHenry.
Crystal Lake Central Tigers (19-4, 9-1): Plowed through their two Fox Valley Fox opponents by 22 points each, taking out Prairie-Ridge, and more impressively, Grayslake North.
Huntley Red Raiders (19-4, 7-1): Bested a pair of Fox Valley Valley conference foes, downing Jacobs, then Dundee-Crown to take over the league’s top spot.
Stevenson Patriots (12-11, 4-7): The Patriots took advantage of a break in the schedule that gave them three consecutive games against teams with losing records. Stevenson took care of the trio (Round Lake, Glenbard West and Lake Zurich), though only Round Lake was handled with ease. The wins put the Patriots back above .500 for the year.
Streaking
Huntley Red Raiders: Seven in a row, eight of last nine.
Crystal Lake Tigers: Six in a row, nine of last 10.
Buffalo Grove Bison: Four victories in a row and five in last six games.
Stevenson Patriots: Three wins in a row follows three straight losses.
Noteworthy
Prairie Ridge (4-18, 2-7): Broke a seven-game losing streak with a one-point road win against Woodstock North.
Rating the Top Teams on the Hardwood Tour
1. Huntley Red Raiders (19-4) Took over first in Fox Valley Fox with pair of conference wins.
2. Crystal Lake Central Tigers (19-4) Destroyed Grayslake North in rematch; can clinch division Tuesday.
3. Barrington Broncos (17-8) Split pair but lost the big one to Schaumburg in conference.
4. Fremd Vikings (16-8) Still in the hunt for Mid-Suburban West title with win against Hoffman Estates.
5. Buffalo Grove Bison (16-8) Sweated out win against Wheeling to stay in Mid-Suburban East chase.
6. Jacobs Golden Eagles (12-11) Took double-dip in conference to fall out of first.
7. Grayslake North Knights (16-6) Won big vs. Grayslake Central, lost big vs. Crystal Lake Central.
8. Crystal Lake South Gators (12-10) Sybil-like week, losing to Cary-Grove, then besting Jacobs.
9. Dundee-Crown Chargers (11-11) Two conference losses, to McHenry and Huntley.
10. Grayslake Central Rams (13-10) First loss ever to Grayslake North followed by two cupcake wins.
11. Stevenson Patriots (12-11) Three-game win streak gets them back on list, bumping Lake Forest.
