Boys Basketball: Huntley still has Crystal Lake Central’s number

Updated: January 4, 2012 10:42PM

In a rematch of the Jacobs Holiday Tournament championship game, Huntley once again proved to be the superior team, topping Crystal Lake Central 56-35 in Fox Valley Conference crossover play Wednesday night.

A well-balanced offensive attack for the Red Raiders (11-1), along with a stingy defensive effort and dominant performance on the boards equaled a big win over the Tigers (11-2), as both schools came off an 11-day layoff following Huntley’s 55-49 victory in the title game.

A 32-14 advantage on the boards by the Red Raiders was the stat of the game, as they consistently limited the Tigers to one-and-done trips down the floor.

“They had some size on us, but we’ve been doing lots of rebounding drills in practice, and that definitely helped us tonight,” said Huntley junior Bryce Only, who had six points and provided some terrific defensive pressure.

Added Huntley coach Marty Manning: “Our defense was really good tonight, and we did a great job making sure they didn’t get any second chances with our rebounding.”

That significant rebounding advantage, coupled with the defense holding the Tigers to a 14-of-42 (33 percent) shooting night from the floor, allowed the Red Raiders to lead the game from start to finish.

In fact, following a Troy Miller three-pointer to open the second quarter that gave the Red Raiders a 20-10 lead, the Tigers deficit was never under double digits.

Offensively, the Red Raiders got were led by sophomore center Amanze Egekeze, who recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. That came on the heels of a 21-point effort the last time the two teams met.

“We knew they would come out looking to get us back for giving them their first loss, but we practiced hard over break, and were better prepared for their personnel this time around,” said Egekeze.

The Tigers got a pair of good games from guards Chase Cane (10 points) and Corban Murphy (nine points), but it wasn’t nearly enough.

Justin Fredrick added 11 points for the Red Raiders, while Ryan Lussow chipped in six points and five rebounds off the bench.

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