Rappaport, Rams run down Red Raiders

There is more to the Grayslake Central boys basketball team than 3-point shooters.

It doesn't always seem like it, but there is.

Josh Rappaport typically provides the ying to the Rams' long-range yang, and he did so in an extra big way Saturday night in a 58-48 Fox Valley Conference Fox Division victory over visiting Huntley.

Of course, the 6-foot-3 junior forward did manage to sneak in one 3-pointer (remember, he does play for Grayslake Central, which averages nearly 20 3-point attempts per game), but for the most part, he hunkered down in the paint.

Rappaport muscled his way for rebounds, putbacks, post moves, you name it. Anything a 3-point specialist typically doesn't do, he did.

It all added up to a game-high 19-point, 15-rebound performance, marking the second game in a row in which Rappaport pulled down a season-high 15 rebounds. He also got that many Wednesday night against Crystal Lake Central.

"We have plenty of 3-point shooters," said Rappaport, who started the season as the sixth man, but stepped into the starting lineup when junior standout Andrew Sipes went down around Thanksgiving with a season-ending knee injury. "I kind of like (being inside) because it gives me the opportunity to get a lot of rebounds and make a lot of plays."

In the fourth quarter, Rappaport made some huge plays for Grayslake Central, which improves to 12-6 overall and 2-0 in the Fox Valley Fox.

With the Rams up by only 2 points, Rappaport strung together 5 quick points - two of which came on a hard-driving layup down the middle of the lane while being fouled - that helped seal the deal.

Suddenly, Grayslake Central was sitting on a much more comfortable lead (50-43) and there was only 2:57 left to play.

"Josh has picked up the role that Andrew (Sipes) filled for us," Grayslake Central coach Brian Moe said. "Andrew was always the guy who, when things got crazy or were going haywire, would be around the basket finishing easy shots for us when we needed them. That's what Josh is doing now."

The Rams seemed to have finished off Huntley early, taking a 31-20 lead into the locker room at halftime.

But the Red Raiders (11-7, 1-1 Fox Valley Fox) climbed right back in thanks to a 12-3 run at the start of the third quarter. That cut their deficit to 2 points and they went on to get to within a bucket several more times.

But the Rams never once gave up the lead.

"We knew (Huntley) would make a run," Rappaport said. "We just had to be ready for it. (In the fourth quarter), we picked up our intensity. We picked up our defense and also our rebounding."

Grayslake Central guard Mike Brumm also got hot in the fourth quarter, which helped cool Huntley. He scored 5 points in the period and wound up with 17 points overall, including 3 three-pointers.

Huntley was led in scoring by Jordan Neukirch, who finished with 14 points. Richard Gonzaga added 10 points for the Red Raiders.

"We got back in, but we just couldn't close out," Huntley coach Marty Manning said. "In the fourth quarter, we had a few turnovers in a row that really hurt us."