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McHENRY – Everything was going Jacobs’ way toward the end of the first half.
First, Ajani Rodriguez's air ball on a 3-point attempt looked more like an assist, as Cooper Schwartz caught it in stride for a layup.
Then, as the Golden Eagles had a chance to hold for the last shot, Ryan Phillips missed with 14 seconds remaining, giving McHenry an opportunity. Phillips stole a pass with 5 seconds remaining and raced for a layup.
“I jumped the (passing) lane and finished the half,” Phillips said. “We went in at halftime and were saying, ‘This is fun stuff, it’s a fun game. Let’s go out there and compete, play on the defensive end, and the offense will come.’ Fortunately, we did that.”
Schwartz hit a pair of 3s in the first 1:48 of the second half, and Jacobs defeated the Warriors, 54-40, in their Fox Valley Conference boys basketball game Friday night at McHenry’s West Campus.
Jacobs (15-1 overall, 6-1 FVC) was behind 19-16 midway through the second quarter and closed the half on an 11-2 run.
“When we started making shots it becomes contagious, and other guys started hitting,” said Schwartz, who finished with 10 points. “In the first half we were getting good looks and just couldn’t knock them down. When Cam’s making a 3, you know it’s a good night.”
Jacobs’ 6-foot-9 center Cameron Krutwig scored a team-high 16 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. He hit his first 3-point attempt of the season. Phillips added 10 points.
Gavin Markgraff led the Warriors (10-9, 5-2) with 17 points. Matthew Mohr had six points and 10 rebounds.
“Our kids did a good job (defensively), cranked it up another notch or so (in the third quarter),” Eagles coach Jimmy Roberts said. “We didn’t shoot it great tonight, but we talked about toughness. No matter how we shoot it, if we have what we define as toughness, we’re going to be in good shape.”
The Eagles took over sole possession of second place in the FVC behind Prairie Ridge, which handed them their only loss of the season Saturday. The Eagles put the game away with tenacious man-to-man defense and patient offense in the fourth quarter, when they often ran big chunks of time off before getting a basket.
“Coop started it off with two 3s, that really boosted us up,” Phillips said. “It all started on the defensive end for us.”
McHenry coach Tim Paddock felt his team’s problems were more with offense than defense.
“We were good defensivel. We didn’t score it very well,” Paddock said. “We didn’t hit shots you have to in a big game. Gavin (Markgraff) played good. They’re going to hound and guard him. That was impressive what Gavin did the way they were focusing on him. To beat a team like that, you have to make some more plays.”
UNSUNG HERO
Ajani Rodriguez
Jacobs, jr., G
Rodriguez was on the floor for a crucial stretch in the second and third quarters as the Golden Eagles took control of the game. He scored one basket, had three assists and a steal as Jacobs defeated McHenry.
THE NUMBER
1: Jacobs center Cameron Krutwig connected on his first 3-point attempt of the season.
AND ANOTHER THING ...
McHenry junior guard Maki Mohr started and scored six points after singing the national anthem with fellow student Gavin Smyth.
AGATE
Jacobs 54, McHenry 40
JACOBS (54)
Balkcom 3 2-2 8, Schwartz 4 0-0 10, Krutwig 6 3-4 16, Phillips 4 1-2 10, Materna 3 0-0 7, Mack 0 0-0 0, Rodriguez 1 1-2 3, Kale 0 0-0 0, Nickoley 0 0-0 0, Price 0 0-0 0. Totals: 21 7-10 54.
McHENRY (40)
Calabrese 3 0-0 7, Markgraff 5 5-6 17, Maki Mohr 1 3-4 6, Matthew Mohr 2 1-2 6, Breisch 0 0-0 0, Mulhall 1 0-1 2, Rupcich 1 0-0 2, March 0 0-0 0. Totals: 13 9-15 40.
Jacobs 9 18 14 13 – 54
McHenry 11 10 9 10 – 40
3-point goals: Jacobs 5 (Schwartz 2, Krutwig, Phillips, Materna), McHenry 5 (Markgraff 2, Calabrese, Maki Mohr, Matthew Mohr). Totals: Jacobs 14, McHenry 12.