Boys Basketball: Rockford Auburn rallies past Hillcrest

Updated: December 28, 2011 9:56PM

Hillcrest plays at only one speed, all-out. Unfortunately for the Hawks, they found a team not only willing but able to outdo them at their own style.

Rockford Auburn guard LaMark Foote hit consecutive three-pointers that ignited a 17-4 run and star guard Fred Van Vleet dominated the fourth quarter as Hillcrest watched a 12-point lead evaporate in the Knights’ 69-60 quarterfinal victory in the Proviso West tournament Wednesday night in Hillside.

Auburn (9-1) advances to play in Thursday’s semifinals against the winner of Proviso East and Benet.

Jovan Mooring scored 11 points in the first and Jalen Loving added nine points and seven rebounds as Hillcrest (8-3) bolted out to a 34-26 lead at the break. Hillcrest had its largest lead at 38-26 by scoring the first four points of the second half.

Foote scored six straight from the left wing that initiated the rally. “That got us focused and after trying a couple of different defenses, we finally settled on something that gave Hillcrest problems, a kind of run and jump and switching,” Auburn coach Bryan Ott said.

Van Vleet scored 14 of his game-high 22 points in the second half. He also added seven assists. The most spectacular was a lob pass that Jaylin Marshall caught and threw down a vicious dunk. “That seemed to get us going, and you could see [Hillcrest] started hanging their heads a little after that,” Van Vleet said.

“Those [three-pointers by Foote] opened up some space for me and it put pressure on their defense, because I was able to penetrate and kick after that,” he said. “It also let me get to the basket because they had to honor the outside shooters.”

Foote hit his final three-pointer at the start of the fourth. Van Vleet made three spectacular drives, including a reverse three-point play, that delivered the Hawks’ knockout blow.

Hillcrest’s frenetic style did not disrupt Auburn offensively. Behind the smooth handle of Van Vleet, the Knights turned the ball over just twice in the second half.

Mooring scored 16 points to lead the Hawks. Loving contributed a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

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