Huntley's defense stifles Lake Zurich
Huntley's boys basketball team will have better offensive nights.
It was on the defensive end where the Red Raiders won at the Jacobs Holiday Classic Tuesday night.
Holding to Lake Zurich to 11 baskets and 23 percent shooting, Huntley advanced to the championship bracket of the tournament by slugging past Lake Zurich 38-26 on the final day of pool play.
Huntley will play Chicago Hope Thursday at 6 p.m. In the other semifinal game, Elk Grove will play Crystal Lake Central. The winners will play for the championship Friday at 7:30 p.m.
The stifling Huntley defense held Lake Zurich to single digits in each of the four quarters, scoring 7, 6, 4 and 9.
The Bears (6-6) managed only 11 field goals in 44 attempts and were 2-of-8 from 3-point range for 25 percent.
"We would have liked to have played at a faster tempo, but Lake Zurich did a good job of slowing the pace down," said Huntley coach Marty Manning.
"We did a great job on defense of not letting them getting many shots. We did a great job of denying them the ball."
Doug Murphy was the lone Bear in double figures with 14 points to go along with 9 rebounds.
"We got some good looks and some good shots we just couldn't knock them down," said Lake Zurich coach Billy Pitcher. "We weren't aggressive enough taking the ball to the basket. We stood around too much and we didn't screen very well. Give Huntley's defense credit. They did a great job of flying out at us and they made it tough for us to run our offense."
Holding a narrow 19-17 lead early in the third quarter, the Red Raiders (8-1) finally seized control of the game with a pivotal 10-0 run.
Troy Miller spearheaded the run for the winners with 5 points including a layup and a long 3-pointer from the left corner. Justin Frederick and Ryan Lussow, a key player off the bench, each had a basket as the Red Raiders extended a 2-point lead to 12, 29-17, after three quarters of play.
The Bears, who went 6:22 without a point, scored when Ryan Roach canned a 3-pointer with 7:33 left in the game to pull Lake Zurich within 9, 29-20. The Bears couldn't get any closer.
Miller and Bryce Only each made 2-of-2 from the free throw line in the final minute to seal the win for the Red Raiders. Miller led Huntley with 15 points.