Basketball: Minooka beats JCA for a weekend split

CHANNAHON – Was this destined to be a lost weekend at home for the Minooka boys basketball team?

Joliet Catholic Academy greeted the Indians with a triangle-and-two defense in Saturday night’s nonconference matchup and scored the first 10 points. But Minooka, which fell to Southwest Prairie Conference foe Joliet Central on Friday night, has experience. Panic is not in the Indians’ vocabulary.

Coach Scott Tanaka’s team did not score until 6-foot-7 Adrian Gutierrez tipped in a basket with 2 minutes 47 seconds left in the first quarter. Before the quarter ended, the Indians were back within 12-10, and before the run ended, it reached 21-2, including a 17-0 finish, for a 21-12 lead with 4:00 left in the second quarter.

Coach Joe Gura’s Hilltoppers got back in it and stayed within striking distance until early in the fourth quarter, when Minooka pulled away to secure a 50-36 victory.

“A gimmick defense always does bother you for a while,” Tanaka said. “You just have to get used to it and keep doing what you do.”

The gimmick gave tight man-to-man attention to the Minooka twins, Keegan and Kyle Graebner. That opened the floor for senior guard Brandon Hill to take over, and defense for the Indians (4-3) did the rest.

“They knew how good Kyle and Keegan are, and Brandon did a great job getting others involved, including Kyle and Keegan, and scoring on his own,” Tanaka said.

“When defenses put most of their attention on Kyle and Keegan, it makes me more aggressive,” said Hill, who scored 19 points on 9-of-14 shooting to go with eight rebounds and a few assists. “I have to attack the basket and then when they come at me, kick it out to a shooter.”

The Indians’ defense limited JCA (2-7) to two points in an 8:21 stretch during the 21-2 run and allowed a mere 16 points in the second half.

“We preach defense,” Tanaka said. “It’s nice to have that to get back in a game.”

Still, youthful JCA, which was coming off a 62-50 East Suburban Catholic Conference road win at Marian Central on Friday night, refused to fold.

“We gave them everything we had,” Gura said. “I know they had a tough game [Friday] with Joliet Central, but we had an extremely tough road game against a tough conference opponent. They pulled away a little at the end, but it was a good game tonight for 3 ½ quarters.

“Overall, it was a good weekend. We’re still trying to find our way with an inexperienced team, but we took a major step forward this weekend.”

Specifically?

“We are playing with passion now and we have stopped worrying about how good we are and stopped worrying about struggling,” Gura said. “We’re playing now like we belong on a varsity floor, and the kids believe that.”

On Saturday night, the Hilltoppers were beaten by Minooka’s experience.

“Give Minooka the credit. Tip your cap to them,” Gura said. “Their experience showed tonight. They made plays when we got close.”

There were a few occasions along the way when JCA took the ball hard to the basket, and the Indians got into position to draw a charge. The point swings on those plays were enough to help swing the game in Minooka’s direction.

Jaedon Johnson and Grayson Hofmann came in off the Indians’ bench and knocked down 3-pointers in the second half that helped secure the victory. Hofmann scored 10 points, Johnson six and both hit two 3-pointers. Gunter Nusbaumer had 10 points, Connor Ward and Jake Bumstead seven and Zak Ward six for JCA.

“There were three or four of those,” Gura said of the charges Minooka’s defense created. “They were big plays.”

Hill, who along with Adrian Paige led the way in taking charges, did a lot of smiling and clapping. That’s him, enjoying the game.

“I knew a couple of their guys from when we were younger playing AAU ball,” Hill said. “It’s always nice to beat guys you know.

“I just love the game. I’m a pass-first point guard, and I’ll do whatever the team needs me to do. All I care about is the ‘W.’ ”

Despite Friday’s loss to Joliet Central, Hill said, “I still feel we have the best team in the conference, but we have to keep working hard to jell as a team.”