Hawks live on the edge against Oakton

The Harper College men’s basketball team took to the Sports and Wellness Center court Thursday night in Palatine against Oakton Community College (0-8) without sophomore guard Garett Gatz.

Gatz suffered a torn tendon in his ankle in the late stages of Tuesday’s lost to Moraine Valley.

Early, it looked like Gatz’s absence would be too much to overcome. But a much stronger finish helped Harper earn an 84-79 victory.

The Hawks (4-2) struggled to create offense, committing several turnovers and committing fouls.

“We just looked like we were stuck in mud,” said Harper coach Tony Amarino of his team’s early struggles.

That was when Chris Hicks (Elk Grove) came in off the bench and scored the team’s first basket, but the Oakton guard combination of Najee Bailey, Giovanni Bray and David Duncan continued to be effective.

“We did a poor job controlling the ball,” said Amarino. “(Bailey) is somebody who finds the opening.”

The Oakton guard trio accounted for 29 first-half points as the Raiders took a 45-30 lead into the locker room.

“We have been down at half every game. We are living on the edge,” Amarino said.

Things looked to get ever bleaker for the hosts after intermission as Bailey scored 9 of the Raiders’ first 13 points.

“I think you have to learn from why you got in a whole like this,” Amarino said.

Then the Harper offense came alive. The Elk Grove tandom of Brian Battaglia (12 points) and John Lorenz along with Hicks helped lead the charge.

Hicks ended up as the Hawks’ leading scorer with 24 points.

“We tried to concentrate on running good sets,” Hicks said.

Kyler Market (Willowbrook) and Connor Miklasz (Hersey) contributed key buckets in Harper’s surge.

“We have a lot of confidence in a number of guys to to take the shot on this team,” Hicks said of Market and Miklasz’s contributions late in the game.

“Whatever the opening is, we have to find it,” Battaglia said.