Payne, Schaumburg handle Rockford East

A game-high 23 points from Alabama-bound senior Cully Payne was no surprise for Schaumburg.

A combined 24 points from seniors Josh Spandiary and Grant Grossman was a nice surprise for the Saxons as they opened their boys basketball season by beating Rockford East 66-43 at the Rockford Boylan tournament.

Spandiary scored 14 points a little more than a week after the Saxons' football season ended in the Class 8A quarterfinals. Grossman added 10 points after scoring just 2 points all of last season.

"Grossman really played well and stepped in to do what we do in our program," said Schaumburg coach Bob Williams. "We always have seniors step up and do some things necessary for success.

"He got a chance and if you do the things you need to do for us to be successful you're going to play."

Payne hit a pair of 3-pointers and scored 8 fourth-quarter points as the Saxons pulled away from a 44-36 lead after three.

Seniors Anthony Iannotti and Perrish Bell, who are also returning from football, added 4 points apiece.

"Iannotti got some good time and he's going to get nothing but better," Williams said of the 6-foot-5 forward who was hampered by knee trouble last year. "Defensively (Bell) played really hard."

Williams also liked how junior Declan Geraghty played in his first varsity start.

"I thought we played hard for the first time out," Williams said. "I was very pleased with the effort."

Unfortunately for Barrington, it's opening game in the tournament was put on hold because Orr pulled out since it was playing in another tournament.

As a result, Barrington will play twice Friday (Rochelle at 2 p.m. and Boylan at 7:15 p.m.) and twice Saturday (Rockford Auburn at 10:30 a.m. and Crystal Lake South at 5 p.m.).

Schaumburg will play Auburn at 3:45 p.m. Friday and Boylan at 7 p.m. Saturday. The Saxons don't know yet if they'll receive a forfeit win since they can't play their scheduled game with Orr on Saturday.