Dundee-Crown tops Huntley for 6th straight win
Dundee-Crown had just lost its fifth of six games on Friday, Jan. 27 at Hampshire, in which guard Kali Freeman was hurt, and other players felt less than their best.
Chargers coach Lance Huber joked with his assistant coaches as they walked to the bus: "It's like in 'Bull Durham,' we could use a rainout.'"
The next day, it snowed and D-C's game with Barrington was canceled. The players and coaches took the weekend off to get away from each other and they have not lost since.
D-C took control with a strong second quarter against Huntley on Tuesday night and held on for a 53-45 Fox Valley Conference victory, the Chargers' sixth consecutive victory.
Huntley (20-9, 12-5 FVC) took a 19-12 lead early in the second quarter on Bryce Walker's 3-pointer, but D-C (14-13, 9-8) came back with an 11-0 run, then closed the half with a 27-21 lead.
The Red Raiders cut the lead to three early in the third quarter, but after that could not get closer than four points.
"We got the ball inside, Kuba (Senczyszyn) made some shots, Tyler (DiSilvio) made a couple," Huber said. "Kali (Freeman) had an unbelievable first half, and his defense (on Noah Only) was tremendous."
Freeman scored 15 points, all in the first half, to lead D-C. DiSilvio had 14, with three 3s, and Senczyszyn added 10. The Chargers his 20 of 38 field goals and committed only six turnovers.
"At the beginning of the season we weren't playing to our full potential," said D-C forward DiSilvio, who scored 14 points and hit three 3s. "I always knew this team had it. That break gave us time to process and think about our season. After that break we came to practice and started going hard."
Senczyszyn fired up the home crowd with a third-quarter dunk and twice kicked out to DiSilvio for 3s in the second half.
"I always think a day or two break is good," Senczyszyn said. "It gives everyone time to relax, gather their thoughts and get ready for the next game.
"Everyone's playing with much more intensity and has much more desire to win with the playoffs coming in. Everyone really wants to continue the streak we have going on."
Huntley lost for the fourth time in five games. Carter Schaap led the Raiders with 11 points and three 3s. Omare Segarra added nine points.
"They're a very good team when they play like they have the last six games," Raiders coach Will Benson said. "They have a kid (Senczyszyn) that's hard to guard, No. 21 (DiSilvio) complements him very well cause they inside-out, No. 2 (Freeman) took Noah out of the game and had 15. (Freeman) was the best player on the floor.
"They played better and they won. They were just better."
D-C hit 6 of 8 free throws in the fourth quarter, had one turnover and ran its delay game to perfection to help eat up time.
Huber says everything just clicked after the unscheduled snow break.
"We got away from everybody and they mentally were free for two days and kind of cleared their minds," Huber said. "I'd had enough of them, they'd had enough of me and we just kind of cleared it. Absence makes the heart grow fonder."
Huber, sticking with the "Bull Durham" theme and respecting a streak, has not shaven since the streak started.
"I guess (the beard) is going to have to stay," he said.