Junior Cayden Moore scored 29 points during the Rochelle Hub varsity basketball team’s victory over Dundee-Crown on Wednesday. (Photo by Russell Hodges)
Junior guard scores team-high 29 points in 82-70 victory
SYCAMORE — Junior guard Cayden Moore entered attack mode on Wednesday evening, when the Rochelle Hub varsity basketball team tipped off the Strombom Tournament at Sycamore High School with an opening-round matchup against the Dundee-Crown Chargers.
Attacking the basket off the dribble and scoring on offensive rebounds, Moore recorded a team-high 29 points to lead the Hubs over the Chargers 82-70. Rochelle (1-0, 0-0 Interstate 8) saw four players reach double figures in the victory, with junior Elijah Harley scoring 13 points while sophomore Brode Metzger earned himself an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double. Freshman Brody Bruns followed with 12 points to aid the Rochelle offense in his varsity debut.
“We’ve been working really hard and pushing each other during practice,” Moore said. “I’m proud of how we played tonight. We grabbed a lot of offensive rebounds and my teammates trusted me to go up strong. My coaches have pushed me to go up strong and my teammates were looking out for me by getting me the ball… We’ve talked about our goals for this season and winning a regional is a must for this team. We’re pushing really hard for that goal.”
Dundee-Crown held the early lead on Wednesday, capitalizing on good floor spacing and dribble penetration to convert a series of 3-point shots. Metzger ignited the Rochelle offense in the first quarter, where the sophomore forward scored eight of his 11 points and provided the Hubs with a punch on the glass. The Chargers held a 22-16 lead entering the second quarter, where Moore made four shots and reached the free-throw line on multiple aggressive drives.
“We’ve been putting a lot of work in over the offseason,” Harley said. “Cayden played really well tonight and we had a lot of players do some good things. I thought we played pretty well, but it’s essential for us to stay together and stay humble. We did a pretty good job of that. We’re hoping to have a winning record and our goal as a team is to win a regional championship.”
Sophomore Van Gerber drilled Rochelle’s first 3-pointer of the game late in the second quarter, helping the Hubs retake control of the game and enter the locker room with a 38-34 halftime advantage. Gerber converted a team-high three triples in the game, nailing his second and third 3-pointers in the third quarter to keep the Rochelle offense rolling. A fast-paced third quarter saw Dundee-Crown slip ahead 56-54, with the Chargers taking advantage of Hub turnovers.
With a first-round win on the line, Rochelle saw its lone freshman Bruns step up with a series of huge shots throughout the second half. After scoring four points in the third quarter, the 6-foot-5 forward put home three close-range shots and added a pair of free-throws to help the Hubs clinch their victory on Wednesday. Senior Eli Luxton contributed four points, 10 rebounds and nine assists for the Hubs, who will return to action on Friday at 6 p.m. against Sterling.
