SVM basketball notebook: Eastland boys have best season in years; 4 locals reach 1,000 career points

February was an exciting month for Sauk Valley area basketball. Here are some of the highlights from the past month:

Eastland boys reach Sweet 16

The Eastland boys basketball team won its first regional title in a decade and finished 26-10 with an appearance in the Class 1A River Ridge Sectional championship game. The Cougars made a remarkable comeback late in the sectional title game against Pecatonica, trimming a 19-point deficit midway through the third quarter to four points with only three minutes left in the fourth, but the Indians did just enough to win 60-50.

Although the season-ending loss hurts, Eastland has plenty to be excited about next season. Forward Trevor Janssen was the only senior starter from the sectional final run this year, and most of the Cougars’ rotational players were sophomores and juniors.

Next season, Eastland will return a pair of first-team All-NUIC South picks, forward Parker Krogman and guard Adam Awender, and a second-team pick, guard Peyton Spears. Starting guard Tanner Stern should be back for his senior season as well, as should forward Zyacn Haverland and guard Braden Anderson, who provided solid minutes off the bench in 2023-24.

4 local players reach 1,000 career points

Last month was filled with career scoring milestones in the Sauk Valley area. At least four local players joined the 1,000-career-points club during the month of February.

Milledgeville senior guard Connor Nye reached the milestone Feb. 6 against Orangeville.

Rock Falls senior forward Claire Bickett earned the accolade in a Feb. 10 girls basketball regional quarterfinal against Bureau Valley.

Rock Falls junior guard Kuitim Heald surpassed 1,000 points for the boys team in a Feb. 21 regional semifinal against Morrison.

Dixon junior wing Darius Harrington achieved the feat Feb. 15 against Sherrard, while also setting the single-season school scoring record.

Sterling boys keep up the tradition

A 68-54 loss to La Salle-Peru in the Class 3A Sterling Regional final Feb. 23 wasn’t what the Sterling Golden Warriors were expecting on their home court.

But the Cavaliers hit their shots from the start and also doubled-up the Warriors in rebounds to lead from wire-to-wire and end Sterling’s season.

Still, it was another successful season for Sterling, as it finished 24-9 for the second straight year. The Warriors won their first regional since 2018 last season.

Coach Ryan Vasquez was proud of his team and had nothing but praise for his players.

“It hurts now, but the sun’s going to come up tomorrow, and these guys are going to realize how special this season was,” Vasquez said after the loss to end the season. “If you look at the past nine years, winning is what we do, and that’s the standard. The guys take pride in that, and they understand what it takes to win.

“And it doesn’t just happen from November through March. It’s a 12-month process, and we have a lot of guys who put in a ton of work, and it pays off.”

All that time and hard work, all that blood, sweat and tears the Warriors put in – and the time spent together – helps forge strong bonds.

Outside the 48-18 record, it’s helped form memories the players will never forget, especially seniors Andre Klaver, Lucas Austin, Carter Chance, Rowan Workman and Brecken Peterson.

“I think the wins and losses are secondary; the wins are cool, but the relationship that we have in the locker room that no one else sees, the struggles we go through and how we overcome them, I think that’s one of the biggest things,” Klaver said. “And then the coaches, they’re phenomenal, and I wouldn’t trade them for the world.”