Chayse Gray, Hampshire make statement against Crystal Lake Central

CRYSTAL LAKE – Gray basketball shoes might be too dull for Chayse Gray.

“I have a yellow pair, a blue pair, a white pair and a black pair,” said Gray, Hampshire‘s senior point guard, who’s been displaying stylish sneaker combinations on the court since his freshman year. “I mix and match them all the time.”

Friday night, with his team needing to make a loud statement against a Crystal Lake Central team trying to sweep the season series against the Whip-Purs, Gray sported a yellow low-top on his left foot and what he described as a “white-ish blue” sneaker on his right foot.

Gray isn’t shy about making a statement, and his team needed to do likewise against the Tigers.

Hampshire did, winning 63-45 to improve to 10-17 overall and 5-9 in the Fox Valley Conference, while avenging its 43-40 loss on Jan. 10. It remains the lone FVC win for Central (6-21, 1-13), which has lost 10 straight since that game.

“Extremely different attitude [Friday night],” Gray said. ”We were really upset about that loss, especially since it was their first conference win. We don’t think we should have lost that game, so we came ready to play today.”

Gray’s contributions to the Whips’ win included seven points (one 3-pointer), six assists, four steals and three rebounds. He also took a charge.

“He’s a hound, man,” Hampshire coach Mike Featherly said. “He gets after it defensively. He’s always been that way. Every game that Chase plays he plays his hardest. Quiet kid, but he leads by example.”

Ryan Prowicz scored a game-high 22 points, including four 3-pointers, as the Whips picked up their fourth win in their past five FVC games. Cole Harkin added 10 points, two 3s, on 4-of-4 shooting from the floor.

Prowicz’s 11 second quarter points (three 3s, two free throws with 0.2 seconds left) had the visitors up 30-25 at halftime.

“One thing we talked about was trying to take away tendencies,” Featherly said. “First half, we didn’t do the best with that. But second half I think we did a better job. Offensively, I thought we were a little bit more patient too [second half]. We kind of rushed a little bit in the first half.”

A bright spot for Central was the play of 6-foot-9 senior center JJ Parrish, whose 18 points and three dunks (all with authority) represented season bests. Parrish also had six rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot.

“He was a menace – coming out party," Tigers coach Dan Oziminski said. “That was outstanding.”

Danny Spychala, who at 6 feet 7 makes up the other half of Central’s twin towers, had 13 points and seven rebounds. The Tigers couldn’t keep up with the Whips in the second half, however. They committed 18 turnovers for the game.

“We have our spurts,” Parrish said. “We need to put those spurts together and just become one as a team.”

The Tigers put together a 5-0 run that got them within 47-39 early in the fourth, but the Whips responded as Harkin hit a pull-up 10-footer. The junior guard then sank his second 3 of the game 67 seconds later to make it 52-41 with 5:12 left.

“Cole has got that knack for hitting a shot when we need it,” Featherly said.

Central played most of the game without starting guard Avery Lee after the junior rolled his left ankle one minute into the second quarter. Lee needed help as he limped off the court after a stoppage and did not return to the game.

“He’ll be fine,” Oziminski said. “He’s a tough kid. He’s a warrior. He’ll do what he needs to do to get it right, and he’ll get back in there. He’s a basketball junkie.”

Hampshire played its second game in a row with 6-2 senior forward Evan Wurtz, who fractured a bone in his right (shooting hand) palm against Vernon Hills on Feb. 1, Featherly said. Wurtz recently had a nine-point, nine-rebound effort against Cary-Grove.

“He had been playing well for us too,” Featherly said. “He battled a back injury [last] summer too. You feel for the kid.”