CL South splits at Boylan

Steven Rogers hoped to be playing for Crystal Lake South in Champaign instead of Rockford on Saturday afternoon.

But when Rogers' football season ended in the Class 7A semifinals last weekend, he was back at basketball practice Monday morning with his brother Kevin, Michael Frericks and Alex Macaulay.

Steven Rogers looked like he had been playing basketball for months and not just days Saturday at the Rockford Boylan Thanksgiving Tournament.

The 6-foot-2 senior scored 21 points in a 64-55 loss to the hosts and came back a few hours later with a career-high 26 on 11-for-16 shooting as the Gators finished 2-2 in the tourney with a 59-45 win over Barrington (0-4).

"I was surprised a little bit because I didn't expect to be in a rhythm right away," Rogers said after averaging 18 points in the tourney. "The last two games were really good. The team was flowing well and we played well together."

Rogers, whose previous career best was 25 last season against Woodstock, and senior Eric Wilde (21 points, 9 rebounds) did all the damage in a 13-point run that put the Gators up 41-30.

Wilde hit two of his three 3-pointers and the last of Rogers' three inside baskets resulted in a 3-point play.

"He wants to be the player he was last January," CL South coach Dan DeBruycker said of Rogers, a three-sport athlete who played cornerback and wide receiver this fall. "We said, 'Don't try to do too much,' and we simplified his role a little bit on the offensive end.

"If he gets an open look he's capable of doing that."

Adam Olszewski and Macaulay added 6 points apiece to round out the Gators' scoring. They shot 56 percent from the field (19-for-34) to 31 percent for Barrington (17-for-54).

"I think they're buying into the fact all of the little things about the game of basketball - taking charges and getting on the floor accumulates into points," DeBruycker said. "The second half guys worked extremely hard defensively and that's where it starts for us."

The Gators also made a second-half run at Boylan and cut a 31-19 halftime deficit to 49-44 after three. Rogers was 13-for-14 at the free-throw line, Wilde had 19 points and hit four 3s and Olszewski had three 3s and 11 points.

"I feel extremely good," DeBruycker said of the tourney. "We lost to really good Auburn and Boylan teams and in both we had a chance to win."

And that's why Rogers didn't rest his weary body after a grueling football season.

"We were all upset we didn't make it (to state)," Rogers said. "A lot of us really wanted to get back (to basketball).

"Especially me. I really wanted to come back and I wanted to have a good senior season. I didn't want to miss any time."