Kaneland snaps losing streak by beating Huntley

There are several ways to break a losing streak.

Holding an opponent's starting lineup scoreless in the first half while not allowing a field goal in the first 12 minutes of the game? Yep, that should do it.

It still wasn't easy, but Kaneland put an end to its four-game losing streak with a 54-43 nonconference boys basketball victory over Huntley on Tuesday night in Maple Park.

"It felt good to finally get a win tonight and this gives us some momentum for Friday (at Yorkville)," Kaneland senior Dylan Vaca said. "We started a little slow with them, but then we got into things and we were really did it on defense. To hold them to so few points in the first half was big."

Kaneland wasn't pretty on offense, committing far too many turnovers, but finished with a balanced attack with four scorers in double figures, led by Ryan David's 15 points. Vaca added 11 while both Ethan Conroy and Jake Gomes had 10. Gomes also fought hard for 9 rebounds.

Gomes made a difference early snagging rebounds, delivering a putback and score an old-fashioned three-point play to help the Knights take a 19-1 lead.

"We were talking a lot about trying to get the ball inside," he said. "We were trying to make strong passes, little, fundamental things, but that escaped us at times and we weren't strong with the ball."

Huntley (6-9) didn't make its first basket until Luke Mahnke's baseline jumper with 3:34 remaining in the first half. Makomborero Tizora then followed with a 3-pointer as the Red Raiders showed some offensive life. Still, they trailed 25-9 at the break.

"We've had a couple games in a row now where we haven't gotten off to a very good start," Huntley coach Will Benson said. "It's something we have to look at getting better at. You can't dig a hole like that and expect to come back."

Committing 22 turnovers certainly complicated matters for the Red Raiders.

Kaneland (7-5) took its biggest lead of the game when they showed fantastic ball movement that resulted in a Jake Hed layup with 1:24 left in the third quarter.

That gave the Knights a 41-16 lead, but it didn't put the Red Raiders away.

A pair of 3-pointers by Jamieson Allare highlighted an 18-5 run by Huntley that allowed the Red Raiders to claw back to within 46-35 with 2:49 still left in the game.

"When the guys on the floor got energy it transferred to the guys on the bench," Benson said. "We started sharing the ball and were playing much better on defense and just playing harder."

The Knights made 8-of-10 free throws during the final three minutes to seal the victory.

Olalere Oladipo led Huntley with 12 points while Allare scored 11.