ROCHELLE — Close games have been a theme for the Rochelle Hub varsity basketball team throughout the 2023-24 season. Entering Rochelle’s nonconference game against the Sandwich Indians on Friday evening, five of the team’s games have been decided by three points or less.

The Hubs found themselves locked in another one-possession battle on Friday, as a key injury on the Rochelle side turned the tide for the Indians, who fought back from a nine-point deficit in the second half to outlast the Hubs 61-60. It’s the fourth one-possession loss this season for the Hubs (5-11, 0-5 Interstate 8) who were without All-Conference senior guard Eli Luxton for most of the game. Luxton started the game, but departed in the second quarter with a shoulder injury.

“It was a big loss for us because Eli’s such a good offensive and defensive rebounder,” head coach Tim Thompson said. “He’s always playing around the rim and he’s able to get up a lot quicker than others. We just didn’t have that scoring punch or the ability to get rebounds down the stretch… We have to get back into practice tomorrow and we have to get better. All we’ve been doing is losing one, two or three-point games. We have to find ways to make more plays.”

Rochelle struggled defensive in the first quarter, as Sandwich built a 21-15 lead behind brothers Dom and Quinn Rome, who combined for 34 points on Friday evening. The 6-foot-5 forwards teamed up for 13 first-quarter points and carried the early scoring load for the Indians, who conceded their lead in the second quarter after a strong defensive response from the Hubs. Rochelle limited Sandwich to just eight points on four made field goals in the second quarter.

“We had a lot of fouls in the first quarter and the game really slowed down with them making a lot of free throws,” Thompson said. “We were discouraged with our defense, but I thought we played really well defensively in the second quarter. We were communicating well and we were making it tough on them. We tired them out and we were able to make a run in the third quarter.”

Junior guard Elijah Harley was the catalyst for the Hubs midway through the game, draining two 3-point shots and using his athleticism around the rim to finish layups and draw fouls from Sandwich defenders. Harley finished with a team-high 15 points for the Hubs, who took a 34-29 lead at halftime and led by as many as nine points halfway through the third quarter. 

“I think Elijah’s starting to shoot the ball better,” Thompson said. “He’s extremely gifted at getting to the rim and he’s really made strides this year. We’re harping on him to give defenders a little move and get to the rim because we know he can finish there and he’s getting fouls. I thought the game changed for us and we took our lead because he was starting to go to the rim more.”

But with the 6-foot-5 senior Luxton sidelined, Sandwich attacked the Rochelle defense on the interior, where Quinn Rome showcased superior footwork and post positioning with seven low-post field goals over the third and fourth quarters. Rome recorded a team-high 22 points for the Indians, who also saw senior guard Chance Lange emerge with a triple and several clutch free throws down the stretch. Lange went 8-for-8 on free throws and finished with 16 points.

Behind Lange and the Rome brothers, Sandwich claimed a 51-47 lead entering the fourth quarter, where sophomore Van Gerber and junior Carson Lewis each drilled 3-pointers to keep the Hubs within striking distance. Lewis totaled 14 points and a team-high four triples, while Gerber added 10 points and two triples for the Hubs, who brought the Indians within one point on a 3-point shot from Lewis as the buzzer expired at the end of the fourth quarter.

Freshman forward Brody Bruns added 10 points on five made field goals for the Hubs, who will return to the court with a home game against Sycamore on Tuesday evening at 7 p.m.