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Elgin Academy's Robinson benefits from move

A change of scenery changed the direction of senior Dee Robinson's life.

Robinson, who on Tuesday became the 12th player in Elgin Academy history to score 1,000 points, was living in Joliet three years ago. The guard was lost in the shuffle among several talented athletes at Joliet West High School, he said.

Elgin Academy basketball coach and athletic director Dewayne Robinson felt his younger half-brother would benefit from a clean slate both on and off the court, so he vouched for Dee's admission to the Elgin private school based on his academic and athletic promise.

"I felt if he stayed in the area he was in, there was a good chance things wouldn't turn out well for him," Dewayne Robinson said. "I knew he was a good kid with a good heart. He just needed to be in the right situation to bring it out of him. Sometimes that's what it takes. You might have good intentions but don't have the surroundings to bring it out."

Dee moved in with his father in South Elgin as a sophomore before the 2013-14 school year and he began playing basketball for his older brother. The results have been positive on multiple fronts. He has since scored 1,017 points and has drawn interest from Division-III programs.

"Dewayne saw more in me than Joliet West did," Dee said. "So he put his neck out there about how I'll do great things and how well I'd succeed at Elgin Academy. He's the reason I'm here and he's the only reason I have 1,000 points. I'm very lucky to have him as my coach and in my life."

Dee's grade-point average is approaching 3.0.

"It was a struggle for him at first, but it's gratifying to see how life has turned around now that he's being pushed in school academically and outside the classroom athletically," Dewayne said. "He was like a needle in a haystack at Joliet West. Up here he stood out and was forced to be a leader before he even thought about being a leader. Now he gets the point. He's developed those leadership skills on and off the court."

The 5-foot-10 guard not only broke the 1,000-point barrier early in Tuesday's Independent School League game, he finished with 22 points to move into ninth place on Elgin Academy's all-time scoring list. However, the Hilltoppers (3-8, 1-6) dropped a 44-36 decision to Morgan Park Academy.

"It's an honor, but I just want to win so I feel my job isn't done," Dee said. "It's a great achievement, but I want to do more to help my team and, hopefully, get a regional championship."

Lutze passes 1,000: Aurora Christian senior R.D. Lutze eclipsed the 1,000-point plateau in a 76-42 win over Faith Lutheran in Tuesday's Northeastern Athletic Conference game.

The three-year varsity standout from Lisbon, Ill. needed 19 points to reach the milestone at home. Eagles coach Pat McNamara wondered if that total would be possible considering the attention Faith Lutheran's defense paid his leading scorer early in the game.

"They went to a box-and-one and in the back of my mind I'm thinking R.D. might have to go on the road and get (1,000) in our next game," McNamara said. "Then he got hot and scored 10 quick points and the guys just started feeding him."

Lutze, an Illinois-Springfield baseball recruit, ended up scoring 21 of his game-high 22 points in the first half. He leapfrogged past 1,000 on a deep 3-pointer, completing a journey that began as a freshman call-up in 2013, when he scored his first 2 varsity points late in a playoff game against Somonauk.

"It means a lot to me," said Lutze, 18. "When I was a freshman I set the goal of playing varsity as a sophomore, and I said (scoring 1,000 points) was something I wanted to accomplish in my three years of varsity basketball. Fortunately, I've been able to do that because I've been lucky to have teammates who get me the ball. Without them I wouldn't have come close to this."

Lutze was assisted on his milestone shot by longtime friend and teammate, Pat McNamara, Jr.

"I don't think I could have scripted it any better," Lutze said. "Pat and I have been best friends since fifth grade and we've been playing together since fifth grade. There's no person I'd rather get that assist from than him."

It almost didn't work out that way. McNamara, Jr. was resting on the bench after the Eagles (15-4, 6-0) had taken a big second-quarter lead. As Lutze neared 1,000, McNamara, Jr. lobbied his dad to put him back in the game.

"Pat looked at me and said 'I've been feeding (Lutze) for eight years. I have to feed him this one,'" said McNamara, Sr.

Colleges eye Krutwig: Jacobs 6-foot-8 junior Cameron Krutwig has played under the watchful eyes of college scouts since he joined the varsity as a freshman, but his recruitment is picking up steam.

Not only was Wisconsin coach Greg Gard in attendance last Friday to see Krutwig rescue the Golden Eagles late in an overtime victory over Cary-Grove, he recently picked up his 12th Division-I offer from American University of the Patriot League.

American joins the ranks of Furman, Lehigh, Toledo, Alabama-Birmingham, Loyola, Northern Illinois, Southern Illinois, Illinois-Chicago, Vermont, Columbia and Brown.

Krutwig entered last weekend's back-to-back games averaging 16.5 points, 12.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game.

Against Cary-Grove on Friday, his three-point play sent the game to overtime, when he scored 6 of his 17 points to spark a 52-50 win. He also added 13 rebounds and 5 blocks.

Against Libertyville the following afternoon he registered 19 points, 17 rebounds and 5 blocks to pace a 61-50 win.

"He's a tremendous basketball player," Libertyville coach Brent Mork said of Krutwig. "He's probably the most unselfish, good big man I've ever seen. He's got great skill and we knew it. He's just a monster. We just couldn't contain him."

Hankins out: South Elgin 6-foot-9 senior center Tyler Hankins will miss the remainder of the basketball season and the entire upcoming baseball season due to a torn ACL.

Hankins suffered the knee injury going for a rebound in a 63-41 victory over West Aurora on Jan. 15.

"I jumped up to get a ball and I just came down weird," Hankins said. "I just remember a popping noise and a sharp pain right away. It went away in five minutes, but I was sore the next couple of days."

Results of a Jan. 18 MRI revealed the tear. Hankins said the first call he made upon learning the news was to the baseball staff at Central Michigan, where the left-hander is committed to pitch as a freshman in 2015-16.

"They, obviously, felt awful for me," Hankins said, "but they were just really supportive and told me they would keep in touch throughout the process.

"Obviously, I'm disappointed that I can't finish out the rest of my senior year in basketball or start the baseball season. I just have to keep a positive attitude and rehab all summer."

Hankins said he should be cleared to pitch again in early August if he recovers on schedule, which would allow him to participate in fall practice at CMU.

Rejman doing it all: Senior Dillon Rejman is helping Westminster Christian buck conventional wisdom.

The Warriors not only graduated four seniors from the six-man rotation that last year won a second consecutive regional title, the program lost IBCA hall-of-fame coach Bruce Firchau to retirement.

So how has new coach Andy Zielinski's team forged an 11-7 record through Tuesday? Through the leadership of Rejman coupled with a defense holding opponents to 47 points per game.

"We've been holding teams to under 50 points." said Rejman, an Illinois State Scholar with a 4.07 grade-point average. "If we can make our shots consistently, we'll be able to go far."

Despite drawing special attention from opposing defenses, the 6-foot-3 point guard entered the week averaging 12.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.5 steals with a 3.73-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

About the only statistical category in which Rejman, a returning Class 1A all-state special mention pick, doesn't lead the Warriors is 3-point shooting percentage. Entering play last weekend he was shooting 23.7 percent (18 of 76). As a junior he made 43.9 percent of his 3-point attempts (79 of 180).

"I think it goes back to how much load he's had to carry this year on his back," Zielinski said. "He's a point guard, he's rebounding - he's doing everything. That tires you out right away."

Rejman is closing in on 1,000 career points. He has 932 through Tuesday's 16-point performance in a 52-47 loss to Rockford Christian Life.

Dee Robinson
RD Lutze
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