A balanced attack on offense and a stout effort on defense led to a decisive win for the Rochelle Hub varsity basketball team on Monday afternoon.
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PECATONICA — A balanced attack on offense and a stout effort on defense led to a decisive win for the Rochelle Hub varsity basketball team on Monday afternoon, when the purple and white faced Belvidere in the opening consolation round of the Pecatonica MLK Tournament.
Senior guard Eli Luxton was one of nine Rochelle players to score on Monday, leading the Hubs with 15 points as Rochelle cruised over the Bucs 63-42. The Hubs smothered Belvidere during the second half, where Rochelle held the Bucs to just 16 points including five points on only two made field goals in the third quarter. Junior Carson Lewis totaled 10 points and knocked down two 3-pointers for the Hubs (7-12, 1-5 Interstate 8), who advanced to face Rockford Jefferson.
“We watched film this morning and we talked about what we needed to fix,” Luxton said. “We went out there and fixed it today. My teammates made good passes and we did a good job of running out on the fast break and scoring in the post. We know what we need to do better and I think we can fix our mistakes. We need to keep working on our defense and our press.”
The Hubs did most of their damage underneath the basket on Monday, taking a 21-13 after the first quarter as seven different players entered the scoring column. Freshman forward Brody Bruns converted a pair of mid-range jumpers in the opening quarter, while junior guard Elijah Harley put home two layups on successful baseline drives to the basket. Harley finished with eight points and Bruns added six points to aid the Rochelle offense in Monday’s victory.
Luxton emerged during the second quarter, scoring three baskets out of the low post for six of his 15 points in the game. The Hubs also saw Lewis and sophomore Van Gerber each drill 3-point shots from the elbow to extend the Rochelle lead. Despite Belvidere deploying 6-foot-7 center Colton Baird, Rochelle controlled the glass and gained several extra possessions on offense during the game. Those added shots allowed the Hubs to build a 40-26 lead at halftime.
The Bucs had no answers for Rochelle’s full-court pressure in the second half, as Belvidere struggled to inbound the ball and bring the ball up the floor. Those struggles led to several turnovers under the rim or in the back-court area, which enabled the Hubs to convert easy layups and balloon their lead well into double figures. With Lewis nailing another 3-pointer and Harley adding two more layups, Rochelle maintained a 55-31 lead after three quarters.
The Hubs iced the win in the fourth quarter, where junior guard Cayden Moore laid home a pair of shots to finish with eight points in his return from an injury. Junior guard Jack Tilton chipped in a close-range bucket and a pair of free throws in the fourth quarter to finish with four points off the bench. Gerber recorded seven points in the win, while senior guard Jack Tracey and sophomore forward Brode Metzger each totaled two points for the Hubs in the victory.
Jefferson
The Rochelle Hub varsity basketball team conclued the Pecatonica MLK Tournament with a fifth-place consolation game against Rockford Jefferson on Monday evening. Senior Eli Luxton dominated on the offensive end, scoring a team-high 28 points and making 11 field goals as the J-Hawks held off the Hubs 74-66.
Junior Carson Lewis finished with 12 points, while junior Elijah Harley added 11 points for the Hubs (7-13, 1-5 Interstate 8), who finished sixth in the tournament with the loss. Junior Cayden Moore recorded nine points and freshman Brody Bruns chipped in six points.
Scales Mound
The Rochelle Hub varsity basketball team tipped off the 2024 Pecatonica MLK Tournament with an opening-round matchup against Scales Mound on Saturday. Senior Eli Luxton scored 13 second-half points, while junior Cayden Moore added 13 points as the seventh-seeded Hubs fell to the second-seeded Hornets 73-51.
Freshman Brody Bruns scored 11 points and junior Carson Lewis chipped in seven points for the Hubs (6-12, 1-5 Interstate 8) in the loss. Scales Mound held a 40-20 lead at halftime as well as a 60-41 lead after three quarters of play.
