Huntley grinds out a win over Jacobs
It is hard to win a game when you make 2 of your first 10 shots, shoot 20 percent from 3-point range and 30 percent overall but Huntley's girls basketball team found a way.
Spearheaded by a 14-0 run which covered the third and fourth quarters, the Red Raiders were able to earn a hard-fought 43-33 win over host Jacobs in Fox Valley Conference Valley Division action in Algonquin Friday night.
"It was certainly not our best game or best effort of the season," said Steve Raethz. "We found a way to win. Any conference road win is a good one. We certainly have to clean some things up."
With Huntley (11-4, 3-0) leading 22-16 at halftime Jacobs, on a 3-pointer and a 12-footer in the lane by Jessica Powell, quickly sliced the Red Raider lead to 22-21 with 6:33 left in the quarter.
Those would be the last points Jacobs would score in the quarter.
Huntley, which got 4 free throws from Paige Renkosik, a 3-pointer from Kayla Barreto and inside baskets from Ali Andrews and Madeline Moffett, scored the final 11 points of the quarter to lead 33-21 heading into the final quarter.
To complete Huntley's 14-0 run, Andrews hit a 3 early in the fourth to give the visitors a 36-21 advantage.
The pesky Golden Eagles (5-10, 0-3), who were hindered by shooting 30 percent (3-of-10) from the free throw line, didn't quit.
Led by a pair of baskets from Carly Sidor, Jacobs went on a 7-0 run to get within 8, 36-28, with 4:55 left.
The Golden Eagles couldn't climb any closer.
Huntley delivered the win by making 5-of-7 from the line in the final 1:36. Renkosik, who was 7-of-8 from the charity stripe for the game, connected on 2-of-2 from the line down the stretch.
"It is frustrating to shoot the way we did at the free throw line," said Jacobs coach Joe Benoit. "It has been a point of emphasis all season and will continue to be. It is something that is correctable. My kids played hard and were in the game in the fourth quarter. We are going to get one of these wins against good teams."
Andrews led Huntley with 16 points while Renkosik tallied 11 with 9 rebounds.
"We knows teams are going to double-team Ali," said Renkosik. "The other players on the team have to step up. I really tried to attack the basket."
Sidor led Jacobs with 10 points.