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Henderson, Jacobs flying high

Jacobs took a difficult loss to Fox Valley Conference rival Huntley in its last game before the Golden Eagles' annual holiday tournament, but that hasn't slowed them down.

If anything, Jacobs is running at a much faster pace now.

Led by 22 points on 10-of-15 shooting from senior guard Jaden Henderson, Jacobs handed Marian Central a 69-43 loss Monday in the teams' second pool game of Jacobs' Hinkle Holiday Classic.

A win in their last pool game against South Elgin on Thursday guarantees the Eagles a spot in the championship bracket. Jacobs (8-3, 2-0 Pool I) missed the championship bracket last year after winning the 16-team tournament in 2016 and 2017. Cary-Grove won the tournament for the first time last year.

"We had a tough loss to Huntley. I'm still shook about that, but we just had to come out here, execute and do what we do in practice each day," Henderson said. "We knew we were going to come out here and outwork them."

Jacobs' 69 points Monday were a season high. Henderson scored 16 points by halftime and started the second half with an alley-oop dunk from junior Robert Pennel. The two had a similar play in the first half, but Henderson laid that one in.

"We practice those kinds of looks all the time," Pennel said. "He's such a good athlete. You throw it up there, and he makes it looks easy. He makes me look pretty good."

Pennel, too, had a big game for the Eagles, scoring 13 points and hitting three 3s. He hit his second 3 of the first half with about 30 seconds left to give Jacobs a 34-20 lead.

After a turnover by the Hurricanes (2-8, 0-1) to start the second half, Henderson and Pennel connected in the air.

"He does a little bit of everything," Jacobs coach Jimmy Roberts said of Henderson. "Today, against the zone, we put him off the ball, and he's kind of down on the base line, free to kind of go wherever he wants to go. He was very good at going to the rim today. I think he shot one 3."

Brock Lewis came off the bench for the Eagles and had 11 points, all in the second half. He made three 3s. Zach Leahy had eight points and two 3s, and Andrew Balkcom tossed in seven points.

Jake Giangrego had 14 points and four 3s for Marian, Ben Moscinski had 10 points, and Jake Shukis had five points. Marian was without one of its top players, senior Jakub Baranski, who left the game early in the first quarter with an ankle injury.

"Jacobs is the superior team in terms of talent," Hurricanes coach Charley Walsh said. "Every game we play, we can never have our 'B' or our 'C' game. We have to bring everything we have. They have high basketball IQ and they're extremely athletic. We're hoping to build to something like that."

The Hurricanes play Grayslake Central at noon Thursday in their third and final pool game. Jacobs faces South Elgin at 7:30 p.m.

Jacobs guard Jaden Henderson (22) eyes the ball as he guards Marian Central guard Ryan Saxelby (4) in the first quarter of a 20th Annual Hinkle Holiday Classic game at Jacobs High School on Monday, Dec. 23, 2019, in Algonquin, Ill. Jacobs won, 69-43. Daryl Quitalig / for Shaw Media
Jacobs forward Matthew Lodi (33) secures a loose ball contested by Marian Central guards Jake Giangrego (0) and Luke Giangrego (12) in the second quarter of a 20th Annual Hinkle Holiday Classic game at Jacobs High School on Monday, Dec. 23, 2019, in Algonquin, Ill. Jacobs won, 69-43. Daryl Quitalig / for Shaw Media
Jacobs forward Matthew Lodi goes up for a basket Monday. Daryl Quitalig / for Shaw Media
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