DeKalb downs Geneva at 96th Chuck Dayton
Geneva’s Hudson Kirby hit a layup and a 12-point lead for DeKalb had dwindled to six early in the second half.
But the No. 3 Barbs scored 17 of the next 19 points to take control in a 61-36 win against No. 6 Geneva in the second round of Thursday’s 96th Annual Chuck Dayton Classic.
It was a rematch of a quarterfinal from last year as well, when the No. 8 Vikings stunned the No. 1 Barbs, 57-38.
“It was definitely back in most of our minds that they kicked our butts last year and knocked us out of the Chuck,” said DeKalb guard Sean Reynolds, who had 19 points, six assists and four rebounds. “To win this one, it feels pretty good. But we need to focus and regroup for tomorrow.”
The Barbs (9-4) advance to face No. 2 Belvidere North in a semifinal, while the Vikings (5-8) face Wheaton Academy on Friday.
DeKalb never trailed in the contest. Devon Grant scored the first six points on his way to a 20-point, seven-rebound performance that included two steals that ended with dunks down the other end.
Grant shot 9 for 12 in the game while Reynolds was 7 for 11 from the floor and 5 for 7 from long range.
“Their two really good players hurt us,” Geneva coach Scott Hennig said. “Reynolds hit five 3s and we talked about him all day. Anytime Grant got two feet in the paint he scored.”
The DeKalb lead peaked at 25-13 after an Eric Rosenow 3-pointer with 2:57 left in the second quarter. But after Kirby’s layup cut the lead to 29-23 with 6:58 left in the third, a layup by Grant kickstarted the decisive DeKalb run.
The Barbs led by as much as 52-27 with 5:37 left after Marquise Bolden found Grant with a behind-the-back pass for a layup.
Geneva shot 14 for 50 for the game. The Vikings shot 46% in the second quarter but only 13% in the first and 20% in the second.
DeKalb coach Mike Reynolds said that while 3-pointers and dunks are great, games are won and spirits broken on the defensive end.
“I knew they were dangerous if you let them get comfortable,” Mike Reynolds said. “I thought for a little bit there in the second quarter we let them get comfortable. But in the third quarter and fourth quarter we were able to take the life out of them, and we did that on the defensive end.”
Jack Hatton scored 13 for the Vikings while Gabe Jensen chipped in nine. Kirby had a team-best seven rebounds.
“They’re really good and we’re struggling. We’ve got a lot of young guys,” Hennig said. “But I thought the first half we competed. I thought Gabe Jensen, Jack Hatton did a really nice job, hit some shots. ... When we turned the ball over, they were able to get out in transition and they really hurt us.”
For DeKalb, Justin O’Neal had seven rebounds and Jackson Kees had six assists. It was enough to propel the Barbs into the semifinals against Belvidere North (12-2) after Geneva kept them out of the semis last year.
“The one thing is we can’t be interested in beating the team that beat us last year,” Mike Reynolds said. “We have to continue to be interested at all times. But you take things a little personal. We’re playing a game, there’s a scoreboard, we got to have a little pride and a little toughness.”