Freshman forward Brody Bruns saw his role become larger and larger as the Rochelle Hub varsity basketball team progressed through the 2023-24 season.
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ROCHELLE — Freshman forward Brody Bruns saw his role become larger and larger as the Rochelle Hub varsity basketball team progressed through the 2023-24 season. Bruns worked his way off the bench and into the starting lineup, helping the Hubs win 11 games and reach the championship round of the IHSA 3A Regional at Rockford Boylan earlier this winter.
Bruns finished the season as Rochelle’s leading rebounder, averaging 8.6 boards per game and taking home the Hub basketball program’s Hoffman Award with 283 rebounds in 33 games. The 6-foot-5 forward added 10.6 points per game and was third on the team in scoring by the end of the season with 349 points. The freshman’s efforts weren’t unnoticed, as he was named a First-Team All-Conference honoree by the Interstate 8 coaches for the 2023-24 season.
“It’s a great accomplishment and my coaches pushed me the whole year to be the best player I could be, so I owe it to them,” Bruns said. “My parents pushed me as well so I owe it to them as well. Coach [Tim] Thompson told me that we would see how the beginning of the season went, but I was on the varsity team from day one and my role on the team got bigger and bigger.”
Bruns led the Rochelle team in blocks as well, totaling 33 for the season. The freshman added 40 assists and 32 steals for the Hubs, who finished 11-22 overall and will have several young players, including Bruns, eligible to return next winter. As Bruns prepares for his sophomore season next year, he said his goals are to make an even greater impact on both ends.
“I think my all-around game got better,” Bruns said. “I thought my driving and finishing got better and parts of my defense got better. My hope is to be one of our leading scorers next year and to be a lockdown defender. Our goals are to win a regional championship and hopefully more. The older guys showed me what the culture on the team was like and they showed me what to do.”
Bruns was one of two Rochelle players who received Interstate 8 recognition this season. Senior Eli Luxton was named an Honorable Mention after taking home First Team honors during his junior season. Luxton averaged 14.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists on offense while adding a team-best 1.8 steals per game on defense. The senior guard finished his varsity career with 1,027 points and was also honored for eclipsing 1,000 points at the team’s awards banquet.
