LASALLE — Rochelle varsity boys basketball coach Tim Thompson wasn’t pleased with how the Hubs performed on defense during their conference game against LaSalle-Peru on Saturday.

Thompson said he thought Rochelle’s speed and size on the perimeter was comparable to the lineup sent out by the Cavaliers, but the game quickly turned as the second half progressed. LaSalle-Peru outscored Rochelle 37-19 over the final two quarters, and the Cavaliers won 72-48 over the Hubs to drop the purple and white to 3-7 overall. The loss also extends Rochelle’s losing streak to a season-long five games.

“I thought we matched up with them well,” Thompson said. “But it was pretty obvious from the get-go that they were readier to play than we were. Our defense wasn’t very good at all and their finishing around the rim was fantastic. We didn’t guard very well at all, and at times it was like a layup drill for them.”

LaSalle-Peru converted 27 field goals inside the 3-point line to only five by Rochelle. The Hubs stayed close in the first half behind the 3-point shot, as the Hubs finished 37 percent from beyond the arc. Sophomore Garrett Burdin made five 3-pointers in the game, finishing with a team-high 17 points.

“Garrett’s a great shooter and he’ll be a great shooter throughout the rest of his high school career,” Thompson said. “There are certain things we talk about in practice that he’s looking to fix on the offensive and defensive end. It’s great to see him have confidence in his shot because a lot of his game is predicated by that shot.”

LaSalle-Peru led 22-14 after the first quarter, but the Hubs edged the Cavaliers 15-13 in the second quarter to trail by only six points (35-29) at halftime. LaSalle-Peru outscored Rochelle 20-13 in the third quarter before cruising to victory behind a 17-6 run in the fourth quarter. The Cavaliers finished the night shooting 52 percent from the floor.

“I thought that the kids wanted to be there and I thought they wanted to compete,” Thompson said. “But the communication defensively and their ability to stay in front of guys simply wasn’t there… You aren’t going to win games when you play that way.”

Rochelle committed 21 turnovers in the loss compared to only 12 by the Cavaliers.  Senior Kaleb Ackland scored nine points on 3-of-5 shooting from the 3-point line, while juniors Seth Gould and Ben Hickey each totaled six points. Junior Landan Martin added eight points on 2-of-5 shooting from 3-point land. Gould recorded a team-high two blocks and three steals on defense for the Hubs.