Vaca, Kaneland shoot past Chicago Marine
It's not that sharp-shooter Dylan Vaca isn't happy at Kaneland, but who could blame the junior if he wanted to start every season in Batavia's gym?
Last year Vaca opened the season with a team-high 19 points in a wild 81-74 overtime win over Batavia.
For an encore Monday, Vaca hit four 3-pointers and scored a game-high 24 points in a 66-42 win over Chicago Marine Leadership Academy at the 39th annual Ken Peddy Classic at Batavia.
Vaca scored 12 points in each half. The Knights led 26-20 at halftime and gradually pulled away in the second half.
"It was one of those games opening night you are so excited to get back out there," Vaca said. "It's been awhile since the summer playing AAU. it was just exciting to get back out there and play."
After graduating a senior class that played a ton of minutes, Vaca is an important cog in the Knights' new-look attack. A three-year varsity player, Vaca was off to a strong start last season before an injury took him out of the lineup.
"This year I'm looking to be a leader," Vaca said. "We're practically a new team with all the seniors who left. I thought we played real good for our first game."
Vaca was the only Knight in double figures but Kaneland (1-0) got plenty of other solid performances. Ten players scored including new point guard Mark Lilly who made 8 of 10 free throws and handled the Bulldogs' full-court pressure.
Center Jake Gomes returned from an injury-filled season a year ago to just miss a double-double with 9 points and 9 rebounds - against an opponent from Chicago the Knights had never seen.
"I didn't know much about them," Kaneland coach Brian Johnson said. "You just never know. All you can hope for is rebound well and play some decent defense. We handled their pressure. It's hard to show that pressure during practice and I thought we were solid with the basketball for the most part."
The Bulldogs (0-1) led briefly late in the first quarter and early in the second. Tanner Robertson drained a corner 3 at the first quarter buzzer to tie the score at 13.
Vaca continued with the long-range marksmanship with a 3 to put the Knights up 16-15 - and they never trailed again.
The Knights got into the bonus and had success at the line, making 9 of 10 free throws in the first half to help build a 6-point halftime lead.
"I was really happy with how we handled the free-throw line," Johnson said.
Vaca scored Kaneland's first 12 points of the second half - capped with a 4-point play - that put the Knights ahead 38-24. They led 43-32 after three quarters and by at least 9 throughout the fourth.
Brett Hansen gave the Knights their biggest lead at 26 with a late basket. The Bulldogs went five minutes without scoring after Dwayne Ward fouled out with 5:14 left, and Kaneland turned a 52-40 game into 66-40 with a 14-0 run.
"He's the captain. He's the rock of the team," Bulldogs coach Martin Hardwick said of Ward. "If he goes out we're kind of sunk."
Davis finished with 18 points, Vincente Brown had 15 - and the rest of the Bulldogs combined for 9 points. They made just 17 of 51 shots from the field and 6 of 17 free throws while the Knights shot much better at 17 for 41 and 23 for 34.
"They are a smaller school but they are physical down low," Vaca said. "They are athletic. It was good to see players like that and will probably help us further down this season."
"I thought some guys really stepped up," Johnson said. "All these guys are really coachable right now. You just hope we can build off it."
Kaneland also outrebounded the Bulldogs 39-26.
"Our free throws and a few turnovers and our heads and our attitudes, we were too concerned with everything except basketball," Hardwick said. "We were concerned with the referees instead of sticking to our game plan."