Jacobs can’t slow Jett, McHenry in FVC opener
If his play keeps causing his teammates to jump off the bench with excitement, McHenry senior guard Caleb Jett might have to keep starting games sitting on it.
The 6-foot-5 Jett started all three games in the Hoops for Healing tournament at Woodstock last week in helping the Warriors win the title, but the veteran found himself in the role of the sixth man Wednesday night against Jacobs. He responded by scoring a game- and season-high 23 points to lead McHenry to a 64-52 win in a Fox Valley Conference opener.
“We rotate kids,” Warriors coach Corky Card said. “We try to get everybody a [starting] spot here and there.”
“I don’t mind it,“ said a smiling Jett, who started most of last season. ”It’s all good. ... I respect everything that the coaches have to say about that.”
McHenry (4-0) used full-court pressure defense early in its home opener to build a 17-7 lead in the first quarter and led most of the night. But Jacobs (3-1), which won the Lakes tournament last week, got within 45-41 late in the third when Ben Jurzak, who struggled shooting the ball all night, knocked down a left-corner 3-pointer.
Jett split two free throws to give McHenry a 46-41 lead entering the fourth and then took over. When he splashed a left-wing 3 to extend the lead to 59-44 with 4:26 to go, he slapped his hands together enthusiastically as he hustled to the other end of the court.
McHenry’s bench – and fans – erupted.
Jett scored 10 points in the fourth to help put the game away. He also had six rebounds, including three on the offensive end.
“I read the defense, read what they were trying to do,” Jett said. “I felt good coming in.”
“He did a nice job at the end,” Card said. “Tonight was probably as good as I’ve seen him rebound on the offensive end of the floor.”
Jurzak scored 80 points, including 38 in Jacobs' season opener, in three games in earning all-tournament honors at Lakes, but he didn’t make a shot from the floor until his third-quarter 3.
He went 1 of 16 from beyond the arc and finished with seven points.
“We were trying to break the press, and I got my looks,” Jurzak said. “My teammates were doing a good job of finding me. My shots just weren’t falling, so I got to do what I can to help win some other way. It just wasn’t my game, shooting-wise.”
Emaan Thomas scored a team-high 13 points (three 3-pointers) for Jacobs. Samson Averehi had 12 points and nine rebounds, Carson Goehring came off the bench to add eight points and eight rebounds, and Nolan Roper had nine points. Jurzak had two points at the half, but Jacobs trailed only 31-27.
“We were fighting some uphill battles,” Golden Eagles coach Jimmy Roberts said. “We got to the line a bunch in the first half [but went 4 of 9], so we’re chasing that, and obviously our guy [Jurzak], who’s already carried us to three wins, didn’t make shots. It’s tough.”
McHenry got balanced scoring, as four players scored in double figures. Adam Anwar scored 10 of his 13 points in the second half and finished his night with a two-handed dunk late. He also had eight rebounds. Conner McLean (eight rebounds) and Dylan Hurckes each scored 11 points.
“We’ve just been focusing on playing for each other, the man beside us,” Jett said. “We’re a tall team, and we’re doing pretty well. We’re rolling.”