Elgin notches win over Huntley
Eric Sedlack and Tanner Bednar showed why Elgin is capable of being more than just the Arie Williams show.
Williams did score a game-high 22 points in Saturday night’s nonconference boys basketball game at Huntley. But the career-highs of 19 points from Sedlack and 10 from Bednar helped the Maroons hold on for a 60-55 victory as they snapped a three-game losing streak.
“We were on a three-game skid and the past three games we’ve just been carried by Arie,” said Bednar, a 5-foot-11 senior whose previous high was 7 points. “We took a lot of pressure off Arie ... and obviously that led to a win tonight. That’s the key to success.”
Sedlack did the heavy lifting early with 15 first-half points as the Maroons (6-6) built a lead as large as 25-11. The 6-foot-5 senior hit his first 7 shots from the field before his lone miss, was 4-for-5 from the free-throw line and had seven of his team’s 26-19 rebound advantage.
Sedlack also preserved the win when he deflected a pass in the lane as Huntley (4-4) looked for a tying 3-pointer. Williams sealed the victory by hitting both free throws in a 1-and-1 situation with 4.9 seconds left.
“I thought I was more aggressive attacking the rim and hitting open shots,” Sedlack said after matching his previous high of 11 points in the first seven minutes.
“He got a bunch of open shots ... and to his credit he knocked them down,” said Huntley coach Marty Manning. “Part of it was our defense, but he was impressive.”
Williams missed 9 of his first 12 shots but connected on 6 of his last 9 as he scored 16 points in the final 10:21. His pullup 16-footer put Elgin ahead to stay at 43-41 with 1:07 left in the third.
But the play of Sedlack and Bednar was a welcome sight for the Maroons. A pullup jumper and baseline drive by Bednar put them ahead 51-46 with 4:47 left.
A drive by Jake Wagner (10 points) got Huntley within 53-52, but Bednar’s offensive rebound led to 2 free throws by Sedlack at 2:42. Sedlack then blocked a drive by Bryce Only (12 points, 6 rebounds), Bednar rebounded a missed 3 and Williams made a spin move and connected behind the arc to put Elgin up 58-52 at 1:57.
“We need to find scoring other than Arie,” said Elgin coach Mike Sitter. “Eric had a huge game for us and it was nice to see him break through. He’s got all the physical tools — he’s athletic, his arms are long and he’s strong. He’s done it in spurts but this was by far his best game of the year for four quarters.
“(Bednar) is a very athletic kid, also. He got beat up (in practice) by a good basketball team last year and that proves that getting beat up like that can help you.”
Wagner hit Huntley’s eighth 3 to cut the deficit to 58-55 at 1:43. But Elgin overcame a turnover and Williams missed 1-and-1 when Sedlack made his defensive play as the Red Raiders looked to make an inbound backdoor pass with seven seconds left and kick the ball back out for a shot at a tying 3.
“I was in the middle of the lane and I saw (the pass) from the corner of my eye,” Sedlack said.
“We needed a win,” Bednar said of the boost the Maroons will take into their own holiday tournament which starts Wednesday.
Zach Gorney added 11 points for Huntley as it makes its first trip Wednesday to the rugged State Farm Holiday Classic in Bloomington.
“What’s been our biggest struggle is our inconsistency,” Manning said. “Tonight was our worst defensive game by far. One constant we’ve had going for us is pretty good defense, but tonight it was gone in the first half.”