Huntley overcomes slow start to beat Streamwood

A slow start could be expected playing back-to-back games less than 16 hours apart.

The Huntley girls basketball team scored only 6 points, shot 17 percent and turned the ball over 8 times in the first quarter Saturday against Streamwood in Dundee-Crown Thanksgiving Tournament play.

The Red Raiders overcame the poor start and ran away from the Sabres for a 52-42 victory.

“We got off to a bit of a sluggish start,” Huntley coach Steve Raethz said. “It’s a grind going back-to-back, but we’ve talked about having mental toughness. In the second half, we really came out and did that.”

Streamwood (2-1), also playing back-to-back with little rest, led 11-6 after the first quarter despite committing 7 turnovers of its own.

The game was tied 25-25 until Sam Andrews hit a pair of free throws to give the Red Raiders (3-1) the lead with 20.5 seconds left in the first half.

The second half was dominated by Huntley’s Andrews sisters. Junior Sam Andrews scored 15 of her 20 points in the second half. Freshman Ali Andrews, who finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds, scored 10 points in the final two quarters. The only second-half points from the Red Raiders that were not scored by Sam or Ali Andrews was a layup from Haley Ream with 2:32 remaining in the game.

“We picked up our intensity and slowed things down,” Sam Andrews said. “We realized if we ran through our offense we can get our buckets.”

The Sabres were within 3, 39-36, after Hannah McGlone’s basket on the first possession of the fourth quarter. Huntley answered with an 8-0 run, 6 coming from Sam Andrews, to take a 47-36 lead with 5:40 remaining.

Streamwood wouldn’t get any closer than nine the rest of the game.

“We got into foul trouble. That hurt us a little bit,” said Sabres coach George Rosner, who was also without starter Brittany Delao. “In the second half, we were there right until the end of the third quarter and let them have the little run.”

Jessica Cerda led the Sabres with 13 points. Deja Moore finished with 12 points and 5 steals. McGlone had 11 points and 6 rebounds. Cerda and McGlone both fouled out.

The Andrews sisters combined for 41 points. Ream added 8 points for Huntley.