High school boys basketball: Jefferson hands Cary-Grove setback at Hinkle Holiday Classic

ALGONQUIN – Cary-Grove still can make the championship bracket in Jacobs’ Hinkle Holiday Classic, but the Trojans now need some help.

C-G could have earned a spot in the championship bracket with a victory over Jefferson on Wednesday, but things slipped away early in the second half.

Guard George Williams scored 12 of the J-Hawks’ first 14 points of the second half as they defeated C-G, 73-65, in their Pool IV game at the Eagles’ Nest. The Trojans (9-4, 1-1 Pool IV) now need to beat Marian Central, hit their free throws and hope South Elgin beats Jefferson to force a three-way tie for the pool. The three-way tiebreaker is free-throw percentage.

Jefferson (10-4, 2-0) hit 11 3-pointers in the game. Williams hit three 3s and converted a three-point play in the first four minutes of the third quarter. The J-Hawks outscored C-G, 21-12, in the quarter.

“We’re just not the best version of ourselves right now,” Trojans coach Adam McCloud said. “We have to treat tomorrow (against Marian Central) as an opportunity to get better. I just want to see a better version of ourselves.”

The Trojans trailed, 30-28, at halftime, but Jefferson jumped out quickly behind Williams, who finished with five 3s and 20 points.

“We got out-toughed,” Trojans guard Beau Frericks said. “Their press disrupted our flow, and we have to play more as a team. We didn’t figure out our [defensive] assignments enough, we let guys get away from us. We have to play harder in the paint and not let them get offensive rebounds.”

On one possession in the third quarter, the J-Hawks got three offensive rebounds and finished with Williams hitting a 3.

“They’re so athletic, both on the offensive and defensive side,” C-G forward L.J. Waco said. “Whenever they go for a layup, I felt like we’d have our best defense on it and they’d still make it.”

Frericks led all players with 24 points. Waco came off the bench for 10 points and eight rebounds, and Frank Jakubicek added 10 points and five rebounds.

Latrell Graham scored 15 points for Jefferson, and Lajuan Morris added 13. C-G had a decisive height advantage on Jefferson, which has Morris at 6-foot-3 as its tallest player.

“When you have that height advantage and can’t get it inside, it’s just frustrating,” McCloud said. “We didn’t do a good enough job sharing the basketball and getting the ball into our bigs.”

Neither C-G nor Jefferson have been to the Hinkle championship bracket in recent years.

“It’s definitely on our mind; that was a goal coming in,” J-Hawks coach John Rossato said. “We have a great team, but South Elgin, they’re tough. The kids are up for it, and we’ll see how it goes.”

Rossato said Williams, a 5-7 junior, has not been shooting enough.

“Coach told me we needed a leader to step up,” Williams said. “It was time for me to do that. We shared the ball and had good team chemistry. It’s the same deal [against South Elgin]; we have to come out strong and punch them first.”

C-G beat South Elgin, 70-62, in the first round. If South Elgin beats Jefferson, the pool winner will be decided by free-throw percentage. C-G (75.0) holds that advantage over South Elgin (62.1) and Jefferson (52.8) after two games.

STAR OF THE GAME

Beau Frericks, Cary-Grove, jr. G

Frericks hit 8-of-12 field goals and was 6 of 6 from the free-throw line for 24 points to lead the Trojans.

THE NUMBER

11: The 3-pointers that Jefferson made in the game, five in the first half, six in the second.

AND ANOTHER THING...

Jefferson likes shooting in the Eagles’ Nest. The J-Hawks made 12 3s in their 77-48 win against Dundee-Crown in a Class 4A Jacobs Sectional semifinal last season. Guard George Williams had five of the 3s on Wednesday.

Jefferson 73, Cary-Grove 65

JEFFERSON (73): Graham 6 0-0 15, Williams 7 1-1 20, Morris 5 3-5 13, Robinson 1 4-6 6, Haire 1 1-2 3, Moss 1 4-6 6, Jordan 0 1-2 1, Newble 1 0-0 2, Bankole 2 0-0 6. Totals: 24 14-22 73.

CARY-GROVE (65): Frericks 8 6-6 24, Cunningham 2 2-2 7, Rice 0 0-0 0, Aulert 1 0-0 2, Jakubicek 4 2-3 10, Weaver 2 1-2 5, Waco 4 2-4 10, West 2 1-1 5, Sowa 0 0-0 0, Szydlo 1 0-0 2. Totals: 23 13-17 65.

Jefferson 16 14 21 22 – 73

Cary-Grove 16 12 12 25 – 65

3-point goals: Jefferson 11 (Williams 5, Graham 3, Bankole 2, Haire), Cary-Grove 3 (Frericks 2, Cunningham). Total fouls: Jefferson 17, Cary-Grove 18.