Scouting: Huntley vs. Rockford Auburn

An injury suffered in the closing seconds of Huntley’s 57-46 victory over Elgin on Tuesday has left leading scorer Tyler Brunschon stiff and sore, but he will likely start when the Red Raiders face Rockford Auburn tonight in a Class 4A boys basketball sectional title game at Jacobs.

Brunschon, a two-time All-Area pick who averages 12.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists, was injured diving for a ball late in the game as he and two Elgin players collided.

Brunschon experienced neck and lower back soreness Wednesday and an initial trip to the doctor revealed strained neck muscles, according to Huntley head coach Marty Manning.

Huntley’s senior captain participated in practice Thursday and performed well enough to gain the starting nod against the Knights.

“His neck and back are really bothering him,” Manning said. “He just got contorted in the wrong way. It’s tough on him as a senior. He obviously really wants to play, but you don’t ever want to mess with the neck and back. It’s too important for your livelihood. He needs to understand that he has a lot more basketball left in front of him and he’s got a life to live, so he won’t be letting anyone down if he physically can’t.

“I would think that he’ll give it a go no matter what, and then he’ll see how he feels.”

With or without Brunschon, who was limited to 3 points against Elgin, Huntley (24-4) faces a tough opponent in Rockford Auburn (25-4).

Undefeated champions of the NIC-10 Conference, the Knights boast a balanced, perimeter-oriented attack, led by junior guards Fred Van Vleet (18.9 ppg), LaMark Foote (14.7 ppg) and Javauntae Hicks and senior Anthony Strickland (14.7 ppg). Rounding out the starting lineup is 6-foot-6 senior forward Taivious Ford.

All five starters scored in the first period of Wednesday’s 60-46 victory over South Elgin. All five also finished in double figures. Strickland led the way with 13 points, followed by Foote (12), Ford (11), Van Vleet (10) and Hicks (10).

Strickland sank 3-of-6 attempts from 3-point range against South Elgin, and Foote sank two more.

“Strickland will shoot it any time he’s open,” Manning said. “With the kind of defense they play, (Foote) has the ability to overplay and get those steals. When you have most of the defense focused on Van Vleet, it gives Foote opportunities to get to the basket.”

Hicks, one of Auburn’s better defenders, has been providing the Knights with increased offense late in the season.

“Hicks has really stepped up in the past six ballgames,” Auburn coach Bryan Ott said. “He was kind of reluctant to take those midrange shots for most of the season. But we just prevailed upon him that we have to get that from him.

“People are leaving him alone too much and keying way too much on the other three kids. He’s really stepped up in that role, along with the fact that he plays really great defense for us.”

The Knights seek the sixth sectional title since in school history. Auburn is making its first sectional title game appearance since 1979.

Huntley is shooting for its second sectional title. The Red Raiders won a Class A sectional in 2001.

Huntley juniors Troy Miller (22 points) and Justin Frederick (16 points) had the hot hands in Tuesday’s win against Elgin. Miller sank 6-of-8 attempts from 3-point range.

Miller and the Red Raiders are quite familiar with the surroundings at Jacobs at this point. The sectional title game is the eighth game Huntley has played on Jacobs’ home court this season. That’s one more game than the Red Raiders played in their own gym this year.

Huntley played five games in Algonquin during the Jacobs Holiday Tournament, one Fox Valley (Valley) contest and Tuesday’s sectional semifinal.

Ott said he didn’t get a chance to see Huntley face Elgin in person due to a prior commitment, but he received a full scouting report from an assistant.

“Our coach feels that they are a very disciplined team,” Ott said of Huntley. “He really feels strongly how much they outplayed Elgin, and we know how good a team Elgin is. At their place in the semifinals of their Christmas tournament, we lost to them on a last-second shot in overtime. If Huntley beating Elgin by 11 doesn’t get our attention, nothing ever will.”

The bleachers on the east side of Jacobs’ gymnasium were not pulled out Wednesday due to a mechanical issue. Small sets of temporary bleachers and folding chairs were used instead.

Jacobs boys basketball coach Jim Hinkle said Thursday that portable bleachers would be brought in to accommodate fans tonight if the mechanical issue cannot be resolved in time.

Broadcast: The game can be heard on WRMN AM-1410 or via the Internet at www.wrmn1410.com with announcers Kyle Bault and Jeff Meyers.