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HUNTLEY – Huntley did not exactly scorch the nets with its 34 percent field-goal shooting.
Yet the Red Raiders compensated with solid defense and proficient ballhandling, committing only four turnovers for their entire game against McHenry.
“We kept the pressure up the whole game on them and we concentrated and ran our offense well, and made the smart plays and didn’t force anything,” Huntley freshman point guard J.J. Flores said.
The Warriors struggled with shooting (27.7 percent) and turnovers (21), leading to a 41-27 Huntley victory in their Fox Valley Conference Valley Division boys basketball game Wednesday night.
“We didn’t shoot the ball great, but it didn’t affect our defense,” Red Raiders coach Will Benson said. “The kids have matured and really taken to heart that the offensive end can’t affect the defensive end. It didn’t tonight.”
Huntley (7-11 overall, 2-1 FVC Valley) has grown immensely since its 1-7 start. After graduating eight of their top 10 players, the Raiders were starting new.
“This is a good team,” said center Connor Boesch, who led the Raiders with 10 points and six rebounds. “A lot of people doubted us because we lost a lot of seniors, but we worked hard to get here. We came together as a team even more. Over the weekend, we found ourselves, we spent a lot of time with each other and came together.”
Huntley went 2-2 at the Wheaton-Warrenville South Martin Luther King Tournament and competed well in every game. McHenry took a 15-7 lead in the second quarter Wednesday, but the Raiders allowed only 12 points the rest of the game.
The Warriors (4-16, 1-2) grabbed a 24-23 lead with 2:55 remaining in the third quarter on Colton Klein’s putback, but Boesch scored twice inside and Josh Esikiel also scored in the lane as Huntley took the lead for good.
Flores hit a 3-pointer with 5:46 to go in the fourth quarter for a 32-26 lead and the Raiders closed on a 12-1 run. Flores also thought the team-bonding time spent over the weekend paid dividends.
“We’ve been spending a lot more time together and jelling,” he said. “It helped. We’ve been talking in the locker room, having team dinners, all that stuff helps.”
Flores and D.J. Cruz added seven points apiece for Huntley, while Jack Bessey scored six. Nick Bellich led McHenry with seven points, with Matt Mohr and Deshawn Wilson each adding six.
“Game in and game out, our defense has been pretty good, making teams shot over the top and rebound,” Warriors coach Tim Paddock said. “Scoring’s been difficult for us. We’re taking some good shots and they’re not going in. They had some defensive pressure on us, but there were a lot of unforced turnovers, where we were loose with the ball and that led to some easy buckets for them.”
Game Ball
Connor Boesch Huntley, Sr., Center
Boesch scored six of his 10 points in the third quarter as the Red Raiders grabbed the lead for good in their 41-27 victory over McHenry. Huntley closed the quarter with a 6-0 run, Boesch had two of those baskets.
The Number 4
Turnovers committed by Huntley for the entire game.
The Big Play
After McHenry cut Huntley’s lead to 29-26 early in the fourth quarter, freshman J.J. Flores hit a 3-pointer that started a 12-1 run to finish the game.
Huntley 41, McHenry 27
McHENRY (27) Bellich 2 1-2 7, Mulhall 0 0-0 0, Lersch 1 0-4 2, Mohr 3 0-1 6, Wilson 2 0-0 6, O’Toole 0 0-0 0, Balog 0 0-0 0, Klein 2 1-2 6, Trocki 0 0-0 0. Totals: 10 2-9 27.
HUNTLEY (41) Floresa 2 2-5 7, Zobott 1 1-2 3, C. Boesch 5 0-0 10, Cruz 2 1-2 7, Bessey 3 0-1 6, Coss 1 0-0 2, Esikiel 2 0-0 4, Tizora 1 0-0 2. Totals: 17 4-10 41.
McHenry 7 8 9 3 – 27
Huntley 7 10 12 12 – 41
3-point goals: McHenry 5 (Bellich 2, Wilson 2, Klein), Huntley 3 (Cruz 2, Flores). Total fouls: McHenry 12, Huntley 10.