High school boys basketball insider: Alden-Hebron's Jacob Heaver Athlete of the Week

Athlete of the Week

Jacob Heaver

Alden-Hebron, sr., F

Heaver celebrated his 18th birthday Monday by scoring 17 points and helping the Giants to a 57-42 victory over Faith Lutheran in the Class 1A Alden-Hebron Regional. It was the Giants’ first regional win since 1987.

Heaver came back and scored 20 points, hitting two 3-pointers, as the Giants fell to Rockford Christian Life, 88-68, on Wednesday.

Northwest Herald Power Rankings

1. Jacobs (22-5): The Golden Eagles ride a 14-game winning streak into the postseason after defeating Prairie Ridge, 71-61, in the first-place Fox Valley Conference crossover game Friday.

2. Marengo (24-5): The Indians won six of their last seven, although that one loss to Burlington Central on Tuesday cost them a share of the Big Northern Conference East Division championship.

3. Richmond-Burton (21-5): The Rockets have lost only three times in their past 16 games – all to Marengo – yet they repeat as BNC East champs after they beat everyone else in their division.

4. Prairie Ridge (15-12): The FVC Fox Division outright champion Wolves played Jacobs about as well as any other area team, and their defense could be a factor in this week's Class 4A Huntley Regional.

5. Marian Central (13-15): The Hurricanes lost to East Suburban Catholic Conference champion Niles Notre Dame this week, but they have played well and could challenge Marengo in the Class 3A Marengo Regional.

Noteworthy

Gregoire injured: Cary-Grove senior guard Jason Gregoire, who averages 15.7 points a game, suffered a sprained right ankle late in the Trojans' victory over Grayslake Central on Friday. Gregoire and a Rams player jumped for a pass and Gregoire was undercut a bit, causing him to hurt the ankle.

Gregoire, the school’s career scoring leader, shot some baskets Saturday morning at practice and vowed to be back when the No. 11-seeded Trojans take on No. 22 Round Lake at 7:30 p.m. Monday in the Class 4A Cary-Grove Regional.

“It’s nothing I can’t play through,” Gregoire said Saturday. “I’ll definitely be playing. I’ll do rest and ice this weekend and get everything ready.”

Gregoire said he couldn’t run or cut on the foot Saturday, but was confident he will get better. C-G coach Ralph Schuetzle marveled at Gregoire sitting with both feet in buckets of ice for 20 minutes Saturday.

“I don’t know how he does that,” Schuetzle said. “He’s done that for a while, though. He’s had nagging injuries in his ankles all season. Hopefully we’ll play him as little as we need him on Monday. You don’t want to overlook anyone, but hopefully we’ll play him as little as we need him.”

Schuetzle wants to be sure to have Gregoire if the Trojans face No. 6 Hersey on Wednesday.

“I know he’ll be ready for Wednesday,” Schuetzle said.”That will be four days [to heal]. We’ll see what he can do in warmups on Monday.”

Big men out: Marengo and Crystal Lake South are two teams who will enter the postseason down one big man each because of injuries. Marengo lost 6-foot-6 junior Ben Volkening recently with a broken ankle, while South's 6-6 junior Wes Buckner suffered a broken left elbow.

Buckner went for a dunk in Wednesday’s practice and lost his balance, which resulted in him falling on his left elbow. The Gators have 6-9 Josh Friesen, but Buckner gave them another experienced inside player and led the team at 7.5 rebounds a game.

“It definitely hurts us because he’s been playing really well,” Gators coach Matt LePage said. “He’s a high-energy guy and he can really rebound. He swayed after he dunked. It was just a fluky thing.”

Buckner will have surgery and likely have a cast for 2 1/2 months.

This Week’s Regional Tournaments

Class 3A Marengo Regional

Local teams: Marengo, Harvard, Marian Central, Woodstock, Woodstock North

Class 3A Burlington Central Regional

Local team: Hampshire

Class 3A Lakes Regional

Local team: Richmond-Burton

Class 4A Cary-Grove Regional

Local teams: Cary-Grove, McHenry

Class 4A Bartlett Regional

Local team: Jacobs.

Class 4A Huntley Regional

Local teams: Huntley, Crystal Lake Central, Crystal Lake South, Prairie Ridge

Class 4A Rolling Meadows Regional

Local team: Dundee-Crown