Article updated: 2/2/2013 9:36 PM

Cary-Grove tops Huntley for 4th straight FVC Valley title

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Joslyn Nicholson

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Cary-Grove needed a quick pick-me-up since it was down 9 points to visiting Huntley and only 5:36 remained in regulation of Saturday afternoon’s Fox Valley Conference Valley Division girls basketball title showdown at Elroy Fitzgerald Gymnasium. Cary-Grove coach Rod Saffert used a timeout to get his players, who were trying to claim a fourth straight conference championship, to visualize the positive potential of a situation which could have easily fostered overwhelming negativity. “The most important thing was staying positive and not getting down about them scoring and being down nine,” said Trojans’ senior Joslyn Nicholson. “Coach told us to imagine how cool it was going to be after we pull this one out in five minutes.” OK, so Saffert was quite on the mark in terms of time. But the Trojans (19-6, 10-1) managed to force overtime and went on to clinch at least a share of their 12th conference crown with a 50-44 victory over the Red Raiders (21-5, 10-2).