Kuitim Heald breaks Brian Vance’s scoring record in Rock Falls regional win

MANLIUS — When Rock Falls needs a bucket, Kuitim Heald can provide it.

The Rockets' senior scored a game-high 22 points to lead Rock Falls to a 58-38 win over Oregon in Wednesday night’s Class 2A Bureau Valley Regional semifinal matchup.

Rock Falls will face Riverdale at 7 p.m. Friday in the final after the Rams beat the host Storm 68-59.

Heald’s performance helped break the Rock Falls single-season scoring record of 644 points by Brian Vance in the 1997-98 season. Heald is at 649 and counting. Vance hit the game-winning shot in the Class A state championship his senior year in 1999.

“Since he came in as a freshman, we knew he was a shooter,” Rock Falls coach Zach Sandrock said of Heald. “Now, he can score at all three levels. He can really create even when he’s getting double teamed or he’s being face guarded. He’s a heck of a scorer.”

Heald had 15 points in the first half as the Rockets led Oregon 31-24 at halftime. Looking to avenge a two-point loss to the Hawks earlier this season, Heald and company finished strong with a 22-8 advantage in the fourth quarter.

“He doesn’t care who’s scoring, he just wants to win the game,” Sandrock said of Heald. “He picks it up and he takes over when it’s needed or when it’s there for him. He’s patient at times and gets all involved.

“He lets the game come to him.”

After going scoreless in the third quarter, Heald had seven points in the fourth quarter. The Rockets held Oregon (18-15) to 14 points in the second half.

“Bringing the energy on the offensive and defensive side,” Heald said of what keyed the second half. “We’ve scouted them since we’ve lost to them. It was just good to get back at them.”

After Rock Falls led 20-10 after the first quarter, Oregon made it a seven-point game at halftime as both teams continued to hit shots. The game got more physical as it went on with a 6-5 third quarter going Oregon’s way.

“It’s always a fight with them every year,” Heald said. “We look forward to playing Oregon and they look forward to playing us. It’s just a good feeling, especially when you win. Especially in postseason.”

Sandrock said Heald works hard in the weight room as well as the court.

“He’s always perfecting his craft,” he said. “There’s very few high school kids that work as hard as him and we’ve been lucky this year to not only have him do that but a lot of others too.”

Ryken Howard’s two-handed dunk after a Rock Falls steal put the Rockets up 12 down the stretch. He finished with six points, Austin Castaneda had seven and Neo Menendez and Cole Mulnix each scored eight.

Oregon was led by Benito Olalde’s 12 points while Cooper Johnson and Jackson Caposey each had nine.

Oregon’s shots just did not fall in the second half, especially inside.

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Oregon’s Benito Olalde and Rock Falls’ Austin Castaneda reach for a ball Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, at the Class 2A Regional semifinal at Bureau Valley High School. (Alex T. Paschal)

“We did it to ourselves. We missed way too many layups down the stretch,” Oregon coach Jarrett Reynolds said. “We had the momentum and you felt it. And then we just kept missing layups.”

Oregon switched to playing a man defense, but Rock Falls still capitalized.

“They did a good job of just buying some easy buckets down the stretch after pushing the ball,” Reynolds said. “I thought Ryken and Timmy (Heald) did a good job controlling the game down the stretch. They’re tough players to guard.”

The future still looks bright for Oregon.

“The guys put in a lot of work. They distribute the ball well,” Reynolds said. “It’s the most unselfish team you’re going to find. Especially with the juniors we have coming up. They’ve been playing together since they were young and it’s going to be a really fun time next year.”