New-look Huntley just keeps on winning games

The Huntley boys basketball team has been turned inside out since last season, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Last season the Red Raiders emphasized their advantage in the paint with big men Corey Mader (18 ppg.) and Anthony Jaggers (9.3 ppg) to great success under then-first-year coach Marty Manning.

With its combination of inside power complemented by dependable perimeter shooting, including senior point guard David Worst's team-best 23 3-pointers, Huntley finished 23-6, shared the inaugural Fox Valley Conference Fox Division title with Prairie Ridge and won its first Class AA title by beating Rock Falls in a regional title game.

That successful formula has been reversed this season, yet the Red Raiders, who have won 14 of 20 overall and are 4-0 in the Fox Division, just keep on winning.

"We thought it was possible even though other people didn't think it would be possible without those big guys in the middle and Davy at point guard," senior center Mike Gonzaga said. "But we definitely thought it was."

The Red Raiders still have solid performers playing the interior in Gonzaga (6-0) at center, a player undersized in everything but heart, and fellow senior Dan Regan (6-2), a does-a-bit-of everything forward. Both are backed up by junior Brett DePorter (6-1).

But the offensive emphasis has most certainly switched to the perimeter.

Last season Huntley made 90 3-pointers in 29 games. Through just 20 games this season the Red Raiders have already connected on 119 shots from long range in 335 attempts (35.5 percent).

"It's totally different," said junior forward Jordan Neukirch (pronounced New-kirk). "Last year it was get the ball inside to Cory and Anthony, now this year it's more of a perimeter game, drive and kick out."

The 3-point barrage is led by junior sixth-man Zac Boster, who has made 47 3-pointers in 112 tries off the bench, and senior starting guard Tom Giordano (21 of 57). Neukirch (17)and Regan (15) also contribute to the 3-point attack.

"We know we can't pound it in the middle," Giordano said. "To win we need to hit our outside shots. That's why we take a lot of shots after practice.

How many shots does a 3-point specialist take exactly?

"I take at least 800-1,000 shots every day during the summer," said Boster, who placed third last year at the Class AA 3-point showdown in Peoria. "But during the season I usually stay after practice and shoot about 200. I'll get 500 up each day on the weekends."

Manning still employs a flex offense with some motion thrown in for movement and several set plays designed to free up specific scorers.

However, whereas the flex offense last year was designed to open up shots for Mader and Jaggers in the paint, the Raiders now look for shots on the perimeter out of the same scheme.

The result has been balanced statistics among the top seven players in the rotation: Neukirch (9.3), Boster (9.3), Giordano (7.9), Regan (7.6), Gonzaga (6.8), senior point guard Diego Quintero (4.7) and DePorter (3.4).

"The thing I've been most happy with is that guys didn't try to score all the points being left behind by Cory and Anthony," Manning said. "There were times people took bad shots at the beginning of the year and we had to correct it, but no one's been chucking up shots just trying to get theirs.

"They are more than willing to share the ball. They understand we have six or seven capable scorers and if they're open, their teammates get them the ball and let them shoot it. That's what's best about this team. There aren't too many egos as far as trying to be the leading scorer. They all just take what's given to them."

Part of this team's success can also be attributed to how tight-knit a group it is away from the basketball court.

For instance, the players regularly gather to play the interactive video game, "Rock Band."

Team manager Nate Huxtable usually takes lead vocal while DePorter, the only adept drummer of the bunch, bangs the skins. "Brett has to play drums," Boster said with a smile. "Everyone else pretty much (stinks) at it."

The rest of the roster takes turns picking away at the two guitars, the same way they take turns picking apart defenses.

"They all enjoy each other, from the first guy to the last guy on the bench," Manning said. "They're all very close. They all go to Fuddrucker's to eat. They do everything together. It's nice to see. They all go out and hang out together and accept each other.

"I think that does have a big impact on what they're like on the floor. They're willing to help each other out on the defensive end and they're willing to share the basketball on the offensive end. That makes us a lot tougher to guard than last year's team."

Defensively, the Red Raiders are tough to score against because they rarely gamble, according to Manning. Huntley forces teams to pass the ball 15, 20, 25 times per possession because it never gives in. Opponents must earn their shots.

Conversely, the Raiders are not designed to be patient on offense. Not blessed with an abundance of ballhandlers, this team is encouraged to shoot after just one or two passes rather than over-handle the ball into a turnover. If the shot is open, the Raiders take it regardless of how quickly the open look presents itself.

As Huntley's outside-in philosophy continues to pay dividends, preseason skeptics grow quieter.

"Even some of the people in our school were wondering if we'd be any good because Corey and Anthony were such good players for us and Dave Worst did a great job," Boster said. "There were a lot of skeptics out there. This team was the only ones who believed we'd be in this position right now."

That position is first place in the Fox Division.

Again.