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Batavia blows out Kaneland

It appeared as though Kaneland had righted the ship after a disastrous opening against its former longtime conference rival.

But Batavia was even stingier after the intermission.

Wednesday evening at the Ken Peddy Windmill City Classic, the Bulldogs' boys basketball team rendered Kaneland completely ineffective on the offensive end.

Batavia held the Knights to single-digit outputs in three of the four quarters for a convincing 59-30 victory.

The game could not have begun any worse for Kaneland, which was playing its third game in as many days.

Committing 8 turnovers while missing their first 5 shots, Kaneland went more than seven minutes without scoring to open the game.

By the time Brett Hansen found the range for the Knights' lone 3-pointer of the game, Batavia (2-0) had already scored the first 16 `points.

Canaan Coffey hit his first two shots - both a 3-pointer and breakaway lay-in - as part of the game-opening run.

Batavia post Chasen Peez, who finished with 11 points to match Jacob Roberts' game-best tally - largely courtesy of three 3-pointers - was a force inside that Kaneland could not contain.

The senior also collected a game-high 8 rebounds.

Staring at an 18-3 deficit at the close of one, Kaneland finally found some offensive rhythm in the second quarter.

Scoring more points in the next eight minutes than in the other three quarters of the game combined, Kaneland took advantage of the Bulldogs' aggressive man defense by converting 9 free throws.

Mark Lilly, who led Kaneland with 7 points, scored in the waning seconds of the second quarter to bring the Knights within 29-20 at the break.

But the second half would be nightmarish as the Bulldogs never allowed any Kaneland runs; the latter was also done in again by too many turnovers.

"We didn't make the dumb fouls (in the second half) that we did in the second quarter," Batavia coach Jim Nazos said. "Our ball pressure was good."

Both teams struggled offensively in the third quarter.

Mitchel Groen scored the Knights' lone field goal of the quarter for Kaneland, but Batavia was unable to create much separation of its own.

Kaneland limited Batavia to 9 points in the quarter, but it must have felt like a scoring epidemic for the Bulldogs after holding the Knights to 3 points in the quarter.

Batavia left no doubt about the outcome in the fourth quarter.

Roberts and Tyler Lovestrand hit 3-pointers on consecutive possessions, extending the Bulldogs' cushion to 50-27 in the process.

  Batavia's Chasen Peez, right, and Kaneland's Jacob Gomes tip off to begin the game during a varsity boys basketball game at the 39th Annual Windmill City Classic in Batavia on Wednesday night. Patrick Kunzer/pkunzer@dailyherald.com
  Batavia's Canaan Coffey, right, guards Kaneland's Tanner Robertsen, left, during a varsity boys basketball game at the 39th Annual Windmill City Classic in Batavia on Wednesday night. Patrick Kunzer/pkunzer@dailyherald.com
  Kaneland's Dylan Vaca, front, moves the ball past Batavia's Jacob Roberts during a varsity boys basketball game at the 39th Annual Windmill City Classic in Batavia on Wednesday night. Patrick Kunzer/pkunzer@dailyherald.com
  Batavia's Carter Eberhardt, center, and Kaneland's Tanner Robertsen, left, pursue a loose ball during a varsity boys basketball game at the 39th Annual Windmill City Classic in Batavia on Wednesday night. Patrick Kunzer/pkunzer@dailyherald.com
  Batavia's Carter Eberhardt moves to the hoop past Kaneland's Tanner Robertsen, left, during a varsity boys basketball game at the 39th Annual Windmill City Classic in Batavia on Wednesday night. Patrick Kunzer/pkunzer@dailyherald.com
  Kaneland's Connor Fedderly takes the ball to the hoop against Batavia during a varsity boys basketball game at the 39th Annual Windmill City Classic in Batavia on Wednesday night. Patrick Kunzer/pkunzer@dailyherald.com
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