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Burlington Central ends Elgin's win streak at 9

Good basketball teams don't need to be reminded how good they are.

So Burlington Central's 60-56 victory over red-hot Elgin on Saturday stands as a reminder to others why the Rockets are 14-2.

Class 3A Burlington Central snapped Class 4A Elgin's 9-game winning streak in the last of six games on Day 1 of its inaugural Martin Luther King Holiday Tournament.

Senior Ryan Fitzgerald scored 6 of his game-high 23 points in the final 1:10 to lift the Rockets to a 60-56 victory, their fourth straight.

"They've been playing great basketball as of late," Central coach Brett Porto said of the Maroons, who on Friday night pulled off an emotional overtime win against Geneva. "Our kids knew that, too, and our kids wanted to show that we're a very good team. I think tonight says a lot about how we can compete with other teams."

Elgin big man Courtese Cooper (6-foot-7) fouled out with 1:51 left and the Rockets showed no mercy. With the game tied 54-54, the 6-foot-6 Fitzgerald took an entry pass from sophomore Zach Schutta and scored on a short attempt from the low block to put his team ahead with 1:10 remaining.

Seniors Desmond Douglas and Lavion Baldwin each missed shots at the other end for Elgin (14-5). Central regained possession and Fitzgerald was fouled with 25 seconds left. He canned 2 super-bonus free throws to make it a 4-point game.

The Maroons trimmed their deficit back to 2 on a pair of free throws from Keshawn Baldwin, but Fitzgerald put the game on ice with 2 more free throws with 8.8 seconds left.

"Elgin gave us a great fight. It was a great game," Fitzgerald said. "Down the stretch we were hitting free throws, getting good stops and it all started falling into place for us. We both had like 13 wins going into it, so a lot of stuff on the line in this game."

The Maroons wilted late in their third game in less than a day.

"Tough to play three games in 21 hours," Elgin coach Mike Sitter said. "It wasn't physical - we didn't have legs on our jumpers; everything was short - it was more mental. We lost our focus. We lost our energy."

Central was the only squad to finish 2-0 on the first day of the six-team tournament, which concludes Monday. The Rockets opened the competition at 9 a.m. with a sluggish if effective 58-47 win over McHenry, led by Schutta's career-high 27 points.

Elgin finished Saturday's action 1-1. The Maroons won a noon showdown against District U-46 rival South Elgin 80-68. Elgin led 42-26 at the half behind 12 first-half points from Lavion Baldwin and 10 from Cooper. Baldwin finished with 25 points, Douglas scored 20 and Reggie Cole added 17 points. Matty Smith led the Storm with 15 points.

"They're athletic and very streaky and we're athletic and very streaky," Sitter said. "I think whoever got the big lead first was going to win that game and it just so happened to be us. It also helped that their big guy, (6-foot-9 senior Tyler) Hankins, wasn't playing."

South Elgin (10-8) bounced back to beat Marengo 64-51. The Storm jumped to a 34-9 lead after one quarter by making eight 3-pointers. Smith sank four of them and Justin Howard drilled three from long range.

"We started off hot in the first quarter and let them back into it in the third and fourth quarters," said Smith, who finished with 21 points. "But we persevered, stuck with it pulled it out."

In other action, Marengo defeated Maine West 64-51 and McHenry defeated Maine West 58-51.

Marengo, McHenry, South Elgin and Elgin are all 1-1 heading into Monday's 6-game finale. Maine West is 0-2.

The Rockets hope to take the title with 2 more wins on Monday. They face Maine West at 9 a.m. and South Elgin at 4:30 p.m.

"Another two quality teams," Porto said. "We'll get some rest and get back after it and, hopefully, we can continue playing well."

Images: Burlington Central vs. Elgin, boys basketball

  Elgin's Timothy Wolf lends a hand to Burlington Central's Luke McCurdy as he goes to the hoop during boys basketball Saturday during the Inaugural Boys Basketball MLK Tournament. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  Elgin's Courtese Cooper puts a hand into the shot of Burlington Central's Luke McCurdy during boys basketball Saturday during the Inaugural Boys Basketball MLK Tournament. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  Elgin's Reggie Cole splits a host of Burlington Central players on the way to the hoop during boys basketball Saturday during the Inaugural Boys Basketball MLK Tournament. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  Elgin's Lavion Baldwin looks to pass to his teammate Keshawn Baldwin over Burlington Central's Ta Vontae Harris during boys basketball Saturday during the Inaugural Boys Basketball MLK Tournament. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
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