Williams, Elgin shooting to win

Elgin needs 3-point specialist Armani Williams to be in the zone to beat the zone.

Williams, a senior guard whose 103 3-pointers this season topped the school record of 101 he set as a sophomore, will figure prominently in tonight's Class 4A Jacobs boys basketball sectional semifinal between Elgin (19-9) and Hononegah (28-2).

The Indians, ranked No. 5 in the last Class 4A Associated Press poll, have used a variety of zone defenses to great effect for seven seasons under former Elgin coach Mike Miller, who coached the Maroons for one season in 2000-01.

In his lone campaign at Elgin, Miller won an Upstate Eight Conference title and a regional title with a team that finished 21-8.

Zone defense has carried Hononegah to three holiday tournaments this season -- Hoops for Healing at Thanksgiving, the State Farm Classic in Bloomington (where it beat De La Salle 52-42 for the title) and its own Martin Luther King tournament. To win the latter tournament the Indians defeated Upstate Eight champion Neuqua Valley, powerful Zion-Benton, Rock Island Alleman and Hoffman Estates.

"That's what has kind of become our identity here the last seven years at Hononegah," Miller said of playing zone. "We've been a ball-press team, so we'll go full-court zone back to a half-court zone, and it's been pretty effective for us."

In half court situations, Hononegah plays mostly 1-2-2 or 2-3 zone defenses, depending on how an opponent attacks. The best way to beat such zones is to shoot over them, something Williams can do as effectively as any player in the state of Illinois.

"I told Armani earlier in the week that he should be drooling at the prospects of this, and he's shot the ball really well the past few days (in practices)," Elgin coach Mike Sitter said. "But even in a zone I think they'll overplay to his side and try to take him out of it, so we have to find a way to get him open shots."

Hononegah junior guard/forward David Brown was named MVP of the NIC-10 Conference after averaging 21.2 points a game this season. He is no man on an island, however.

Brown is supported by a veteran cast, including third-year varsity guards Adam Curran (9.0 ppg.) and Nate Gillette (10). Junior point guard Danny Welsh (7 ppg.) and junior forward Dustin Meier (6) are also returning starters.

"There's no way we can shut down just one guy," Sitter said. "Brown does a real good job of playing team basketball early in the game. Then, when it's on the line, he'll try to take over. That's something we have to recognize: When he gets that bulldog attitude and tries to take it to the rim on consecutive possessions, we have to make sure we get one or two bodies between him and the basket."

Elgin has won 6 straight games and 13 of its last 15 with a combination of improved defense, tenacious rebounding from its big men and timely scoring from senior guards Jeremy Granger and Williams.

But there's little doubt Armani Williams is the wild card in tonight's matchup.

"Armani's a great player and a major concern for us because his strength is what can hurt us the most," Miller said. " Obviously, he can stretch you. We have to identify where he's at, try to find him and try to limit some of the shots he can get. We know that's easier said than done."

Is there a backup plan if the zone defense fails to keep Williams in check?

"We'll just yell, 'Miss it,' " Miller joked.