Like a car in brutally cold weather, Huntley’s offense took time to heat up.

Fox Valley boys basketball statistics

Huntley came out hot early, but unfortunately for the Red Raiders, they cooled off in the second half and lost 78-65 to Fox Valley Conference rival Crystal Lake Central on Wednesday.

Frank Jakubicek was the offensive catalyst the Cary-Grove boys basketball team needed in Friday’s 47-46 home win over Huntley.

Dundee-Crown defeated Huntley in a Fox Valley Conference boys basketball game.

Huntley knew it had its hands full Wednesday hosting a Hampshire team that scored 75 and 81 points in a pair of wins last weekend. The Red Raiders showed they were up for the challenge, crashing the glass early, hustling to loose balls all night and slowing down the Whip-Purs’ high-powered attack for a 67-53 victory.

Cover high school sports for a living and you get the same question from the barber, from the dental hygienist, from the kid bagging groceries.

Huntley senior Nolan Engmann doesn’t play very often, and sometimes doesn’t play at all, while junior Ryan Sroka is a starter, but usually doesn’t have to do as much as he did on Friday night.

The boys basketball holiday tournament season starts with a flurry this weekend and hits with the full force of a winter storm the day after Christmas.

The pendulum swung Huntley’s way in a 53-47 matinee victory at Jacobs Saturday.

In convincing fashion, Huntley outscored the host Chargers 35-21 in the second half and cruised to a 56-39 road conference win in Carpentersville Saturday afternoon.

Grayslake North’s boys basketball team defeated Huntley 71-69 Monday night.