Wrap: Regan's shot lifts Huntley; BC girls fall
The first option is usually the best one.
Trailing 44-43 with 2.2 seconds reaming Dan Reagan was the first option on Huntley's inbound play.
He was also the best option.
Regan took the inbound pass from guard Tom Giordano and bobbled the ball before banking in a jumper over Crystal Lake Central's Josh Polk to allow the Red Raiders a 45-44 Fox Valley Conference Fox Division victory as time expired.
"It worked out to our favor," said Regan, who was 3 of 8 before hitting the game winner.
"Their defense was a step slow to get to everyone. I just pulled back and shot."
The victory positions Huntley (14-6, 4-0) into a two-game edge over the Tigers (13-6, 2-2) in the Fox.
The teams were nearly tied.
Things looked bleak for the Red Raiders after their first two game-winning attempts had failed. Central looked to run the clock down, but sophomore Mike Fior was called for traveling with 37 seconds left.
Huntley point guard Diego Quintero ran the length of the court and dished the ball to Giordano. Giordano drove the lane shot, got the rebound and missed the putback.
After the ball bounced out of bounds, Fior took the inbounds pass and was immediately fouled. Missing the front end of a 1-and-1, Jordan Neukirch nabbed the rebound.
Quintero ran the length of the count, drove right and missed with Ferrell Kemp getting the rebound with just 2 seconds to go.
Nuekirch and Regan swarmed him, forced the jump ball and set Regan up for the game winner.
"It's exciting to win like that," Huntley coach Marty Manning said. "I didn't think he was going to be open. It was a great screen by Zac (Boster), great pass by Tommy and a great shot by Dan."
After trailing for the entire second and third quarters, Mike Gonzaga sank 2 layups in the first minute of the fourth period to put Huntley up 34-33.
Gonzaga played like a beast after Manning called a timeout early in the second half to reiterate his halftime speech.
Huntley was trailing 25-21 with 5:14 in the third quarter. The Red Raiders, led by a pair of blocks from Gonzaga (12 points, 5 rebounds, 3 blocks). The Red Raiders made 7 of their next 8 shots, led by Gonzaga making 3 buckets.
"We came out pumped," Gonzaga said of his team's response to the time out. "We didn't want to keep playing bad."
Girls basketball
Harvard 35, Burlington Central 28: Allowing zero points in the first quarter and 4 field goals in the second half usually is enough to win a game.
It wasn't Friday night for the Burlington Central girls basketball team thanks to a woeful performance on the offensive end.
The Rockets hit only 6 field goals the entire game and turned the ball over 18 times in a 35-28 loss to Harvard that cost them a chance at the Big Northern East championship.
Hampshire secured the league title with a win at North Boone, denying the Rockets back-to-back league crowns.
"It's pretty self-explanatory. We had six field goals," Central coach Darlene Guyett said.
Central (16-9, 6-2) scored 5 seconds into the game as Jordan Maisto took the opening tip for a layup and had a 6-0 lead 4 minutes into the first quarter. That would be the score at the end of the quarter as well.
Harvard (9-13, 3-7) went 0-for-14 from the field, 0-for-2 from the free-throw line and committed 5 turnovers in the opening 8 minutes. Central finished the quarter 2-for-11 with 5 turnovers.
"When we shut a team out defensively for the first 8 minutes, you have to take advantage of that," Guyett said. "We gave them hope."
The Hornets, who turned the ball over on their first three second-quarter possessions, finally scored with 6:40 left in the second quarter when Kelsey Martin scored in the paint to make the score 6-2. The basket provided a spark as Harvard went on a 10-0 run to take a 10-6 lead.
"We missed a lot of open shots (in the first quarter). I knew we'd come on," Hornets coach Casey Seyller said. "After the second quarter we look real good."
The Rockets ended a nearly 10-minute scoreless drought with a Melanie Laird basket with 2:10 left in the half.
Harvard took a 17-11 lead into halftime, going 8-for-14 in the second quarter.
A Megan Nolan 3-pointer a minute into the second half gave Harvard a 9-point lead, 20-11. The Rockets chipped away at the lead and took the lead, 25-24, on two Bazany free throws with 5:08 remaining in the fourth quarter.
The Hornets hit 7 of 13 free throws and converted two layups the rest of the way, while the Rockets went 0-for-5 from the field, 3-for-8 from the foul line and committed 3 turnovers.
"Not to take anything away from Harvard, but our opponent tonight was in white (Central's colors)," Guyett said. "We've been playing against ourselves and we beat ourselves tonight."
Martin's 14 points and 14 rebounds led the Hornets, who went 12-for-51 from the field and 10-for-22 from the free-throw.
Bazany led the Rockets with 11 points and 13 rebounds. Laird added 10 points. Central shot 13 percent, going 6-for-46 from the floor.
-- Brian Schaumburg
Weather mess
Once again, weather created postponements of some games around the area Friday.
• The Woodstock at Dundee-Crown boys game will be played tonight at 7 p.m.
• The Prairie Ridge at Grayslake Central boys game will be made up next Thursday.
• Elgin's girls will play at Neuqua Valley Monday night.
• Streamwood will host South at Elgin's girls at 2:30 today.
• The East Aurora at Larkin girls game postponed Friday has not been rescheduled as of yet, nor has the Aurora Central Catholic at South Elgin boys game.
Girls basketball
Westminster Christian splits at PSL Tournament: Competing in the Private School League Tournament, Westminster Christian (3-17) split, earning a Game 1 win over Luther South 21-5 playing two-10 minute halves before falling to Aurora Christian 52-26.
Caught up in traffic, the Luther South contest got cut to two 10-minute halves and after taking a 19-2 lead into the second half, the Warriors never looked back. Rachel Doby led the offense with 9 points and Sarah Rodgers added 6 points.
Despite the Game 2 loss, Rodgers had a big offensive game for Westminster scoring 12 points. Hannah Graves added 8 points.