Roberts, Hersey bounce back with win over Schaumburg
Hersey senior Ethan Roberts is making a solid case to be considered among the best boys basketball players in the Mid-Suburban League.
In a league full of college-bound players, Roberts is putting his name near the top of the class due to his impactful play and overall worth to the Huskies' success this season.
Even though he played sparse minutes Saturday, Roberts scored 5 points and added 6 rebounds to spark the Huskies to a 45-30 rout over Schaumburg in MSL crossover play.
Griffin Ginder had 15 points and Ben Randall netted 12 points to help the Huskies (5-2) bounce back from Friday night's loss to Rolling Meadows. Vaurice Patterson Jr. and Cameron Nicks both had 7 points for the Saxons (2-4).
Meanwhile, Roberts said he's motivated to lead the Huskies to a memorable season, and to put his name among the best in the area.
"I don't pay much attention to it, but when I'm on the court, I feel that I'm the best but that's just me competing and my mindset," Roberts said. "It's fun competing against great players and battling against them."
Roberts, who has offers from Army, Navy, Southern Indiana and Grand Valley State, admitted he believes his name is getting overlooked, but mainly because of COVID-19 hurting his recruiting.
"I feel like I'm flying under the radar, but hopefully I can showcase these games to see where it gets me," Roberts said.
Throughout the two-week season, Roberts gained a in-depth scouting report of the top players in the MSL.
On Feb. 12, the 6-foot-5 Roberts watched Buffalo Grove junior star Kam Craft score 40 points against the Huskies - though Roberts won the scoring duel with 42 points.
On Friday, Roberts witnessed Rolling Meadows star guard Max Christie, a Michigan State recruit, put on a dazzling show with a 33-point effort in a comeback victory over the Huskies.
Roberts missed an opportunity to compete against Schaumburg senior center Chris Hodges, a Wisconsin recruit, in Saturday's game. Hodges opted to sit out the season.
Still, Roberts credits his fast rise to his lengthy workouts and gaining 20 pounds in the offseason.
"I think I'm more versatile than last year," Roberts said. "I can play the one through three (positions). I've matured a lot, and learned a lot from last season. I didn't have a great season, and was adjusting. This year I feel is my breakout season."
Hersey coach Austin Scott said Roberts is an undervalued player in the conference.
"Ethan has enormous potential as a basketball player," Scott said. "He's a great kid, and works very hard. Anytime you see a very good player, you see the highlights and great plays. I see the hours of work he puts into the details. He's a very disciplined and tough kid."
Roberts caused a minor stir, when he crumpled to the ground with a left ankle injury with 22 seconds left in the third quarter. He did not return to the play, as the Huskies played their reserves for the final quarter.
The blowout victory led to some memorable moments late for the Huskies, with Ryan Gudaitis scoring on a reverse layup and Drew Zagorski causing an uproar in the stands with a thundering, two-handed dunk for the Huskies' final points.
"We wanted to bounce back strong after last night and not let that loss break us," Scott said.