Huntley hangs on

There were a lot of excuses Huntley's boys basketball team could have used for its performance on Wednesday.

The Red Raiders (15-1, 4-0) looked to have a distinct advantage against visiting Jacobs (3-15, 1-2). Huntley was smack in the middle of taking finals this week and the Red Raiders could be looking ahead to Saturday's showdown against Elgin at the Sears Centre.

But Huntley coach Marty Manning wasn't hearing any of it after his team hung on to win a 50-37 Fox Valley Conference Valley Division game against Jacobs.

"I don't think we were too happy at any point," Manning said. "We have a lot of excuses we could have used but we didn't look too sharp mentally. The only good thing was it was a 3-point game and we got it to 10, then 12."

The 2 minute, 21 second stretch of the fourth quarter may have been what saved the game for Huntley. Jacobs made it a one-possession game when Bobby Mladenovic connected on a layup with 5:13 left in the game.

The Red Raiders responded with their best stretch of basketball all game scoring 8 unanswered points.

Forward Bryce Only (13 points, 3 assists) drew a foul on the next trip down the floor, splitting a pair of free throws. After Mladenovic (9 points) missed a 3-point attempt on the next possession, the ball bounced around a host of different players before Only grabbed it, ran the length of the floor for an easy basket to put the Red Raiders back up 38-32.

A Jacobs turnover gave the ball back to Huntley, Only in particular, who found Amanze Egekeze (16 points) under the basket. Troy Miller (8 points, 6 rebounds) scored off another Golden Eagles' turnover giving Huntley an 11-point lead at 43-32.

Huntley forced Jacobs into 5 turnovers in the fourth quarter, which led to 7 points.

"(At halftime) coach told us we weren't playing well on the defensive end," Only said. "We weren't playing physical, going up for loose balls. If we played well on the defensive end, it'll transfer to offense."

After playing Rockford Auburn on Monday, Huntley marked the second-straight sectional finalist team Jacobs faced in 3 days. The Golden Eagles played solid defense all game. Jacobs trailed just 24-22 at halftime after tying the game 3 different times in the second quarter.

"There was a three-minute period in the fourth quarter, where they dominated us," Jacobs' coach Jim Hinkle said. "Their defense really took over. They created some turnovers. Our kids played as hard as they could."

Huntley, specifically Egekeze, opened the second half strongly. He scored 2 straight baskets, the second was set up by his block on Will Schwerdtmann's shot. He then grabbed an offensive rebound setting up am Only basket to key a 8-0 run to open the third period.