Jacobs continues playing spoiler in FVC
Jacobs will not win a fifth straight Fox Valley Conference title this season but the Golden Eagles are having a big say in who inherits their crown.
Cary-Grove traveled to Algonquin on Tuesday in a three-way tie for first place with Crystal Lake South and Crystal Lake Central with two games remaining.
The Trojans left in third place after Jacobs sank its 3-point attempts in a 60-57 victory and CL South and CL Central both won.
Jacobs (13-16, 7-8) shot 1 of 7 from 3-point range in the first quarter but made 9 of its 14 attempts over the next three to finish 10 of 21 from long distance. Senior guard Matt McCoy made three 3-pointers on his way to 18 points, junior Jaden Henderson sank a pair in a game-high 19-point effort and 33-percent long-range shooter Jalen Ramsey made a pair.
"Coach always says shots carry momentum," McCoy said. "The more we knock down shots, the more momentum we can carry."
The surprise was Jacobs senior guard Keshaun Lyons, who previously had made eight 3-pointers in 28 games. He went 3-for-3 from beyond the arc.
"Guys who don't normally make shots for them made shots," Cary-Grove coach Adam McCloud said. "We had them scouted but they made shots. They played well. They defended the heck out of the post. We had opportunities."
Cary-Grove (19-7, 10-5) trailed by 5 when senior forward David Aulert converted a three-point play and sophomore guard Ryan Weaver followed with 2 free throws that shaved the deficit to a point with 2:17 left.
McCoy answered with the biggest bucket of the game, a baseline drive for a layup and a 56-53 lead with 1:50 left.
Cary-Grove used a full-court press to turn the Golden Eagles over three times in the final minute but the Trojans missed two shots, including a layup, that could have made it a one-point game.
They were forced to foul after a turnover and McCoy, an 82-percent free-throw shooter, sealed the win with 4 free throws in the final 18 seconds.
"Great shooter, great free-throw shooter," Henderson said. "He's going to knock those down."
It was the third win in five games for Jacobs.
"The kids have found a little bit of confidence lately," Jacobs coach Jimmy Roberts said. "We gave up in the high fifties, but I thought, defensively, we really competed. We're outmatched, we're outsized at all times, but we got some stops when we needed to."
Jacobs and Cary-Grove split two Fox Valley Conference games. They could meet again next week in the playoffs at the Class 4A South Elgin regional. No. 10 Jacobs plays No. 8 Streamwood on Monday night and would advance to a Tuesday semifinal against No. 1 Cary-Grove with a win.
"If we beat Streamwood on Monday, and we can't take them for granted, we already know what Cary-Grove is going to throw at us," McCoy said. "Obviously, we'd only have a little bit of time before school on Tuesday to prep for Cary, so it was good to get the win against Cary."
Beau Frericks led Cary-Grove with 14 points, Daniel Sowas scored 11 points and Frank Jakubicek finished with 11 points and 17 rebounds as the Trojans won the rebounding battle 31-19.