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Batavia takes 3rd at Elgin tourney

The Batavia boys basketball team wanted to attack the basket Saturday night against Las Vegas Centennial.

Batavia was able to do just that against the athletic Centennial and get to the rim or kick the ball out for 3-pointers. Batavia hit nine 3-pointers as it beat Centennial, 75-65, in the third-place game of the 38th annual Elgin Holiday Tourament.

“We executed. We followed what our coach wanted,” Batavia senior Jake Pollack said. “We wanted to get as many drives as we could to weaken the defense. That’s what we did.”

Pollack scored 11 points in the first quarter, getting two old-fashion 3-point plays and hitting a 3-pointer. Micah Coffey hit four 3-pointers in the first half.

The game was tied 38-38 at halftime and Batavia (6-8) led 52-50 with 2:45 reamining in the third quarter. Mike Rueffer had a pair of 3-pointers and Mike Carlson had two inside buckets as Batavia scored the final 10 points of the quarter to take a 62-50 lead.

Pollack extended the run to 13-0 and the lead to 65-50 with a 3-pointer 22 seconds into the fourth. Centennial (11-3) wouldn’t get closer than eight the rest of the game.

“It’s a great win against a great team,” Batavia coach Jim Nazos said. “Coming out of here in third place is a big momentum boost going into the new year.”

Pollack led all scorers with 25 points. He also had seven rebounds, all on the offensive end. Carlson had 13 points and Coffey had 12. Rueffer added 11, all in the second half. Zach Strittmatter finished with eight points and eight rebounds.

Batavia also went 14-for-17 from the free-throw line.

“I think that’s probably Batavia’s best outing of the year,” Centennial coach Todd Allen said. “They hit a lot of open shots. We weren’t in it, but give them credit. They did what they had to do.

Marcus Allen had 24 points to lead Centennial. Malcolm Allen had 23.

Images: Batavia vs. Las Vegas Centennial, boys basketball

  Las Vegas Centennial’s Austin Turley, 24, threads his way through Batavia forward Luke Horton (52) and guard Jake Pollack (3) during the third place basketball game of the 38th Annual Elgin Boys Holiday Basketball Tournament Saturday, December 29, 2012 in Elgin. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.comBatavia guard Jake Pollack (3) knocks a rebound from the hands of Las Vegas Centennial's Austin Turley, 24, during the third place basketball game of the 38th Annual Elgin Boys Holiday Basketball Tournament Saturday, December 29, 2012 in Elgin.
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