Fewer players equals fewer wins
By John Baracani
After hovering around the .500 mark for much of the first half of the season, the IVCC men's basketball team hit a snag, due to the loss of several key players due to injury or otherwise, which sent them into a downward spiral.
After starting off the conference portion of their schedule at 4-1, the Apaches looked to be a force to be reckoned with in the Arrowhead Conference. But after a loss to a Sauk Valley team with whom they shared the conference lead on January 25, the team went on to lose it's next five contests, virtually eliminating their chances for a conference title.
Coach Mike Riley said the team was playing well until the injuries and academic problems cut the roster down to just eight players, and later to seven, and that the team did their best in the tough situation.
"Everyone stepped up their game and played well, knowing that we were low on numbers," he said.
"The wear and tear of the competitive schedule and not having the numbers got to us. We have a tough schedule, every game we have to bring our 'A' game or we're in trouble."
After losing on the road to Highland and Black Hawk, the Apaches came back home, dropping games against Black Hawk East, Joliet, and Kishwaukee.
Riley was encouraged by his team's performance in the Kishwaukee game, given the way the team had been playing to that point.
"I thought we did a lot better. We did a lot of pressing, that seemed to create more turnovers. That is what we wanted," he said.
After trailing much of the game, IVCC came back to get the score to within two points. Free throws put the game away for the visiting Kishwaukee, who went on to a 89-75 victory, despite the strong play of Charlie Eckhoff, Roosevelt Shegog, Eric Hayward and Craig Olson. the Apaches fell 89-75.
The Apaches played their final home game of the regular season on February 10 against Carl Sandburg, hoping to end a seven game winless string.
Riley expected his team to come out and play hard and be aggressive, as well as to play better on defense against the struggling Sandburg squad who his team beat on January 18, for it's last victory before the losing streak.
"I feel like if we can end this losing streak we can turn this thing around," he said. "A win would give us some confidence."
Riley's Apaches stormed right out of the gate, taking a 17-6 lead, a lead they never relinquished, despite a couple comeback efforts by Sandburg. The 81-58 triumph improved IVCC's overall record to 11-17 and 5-6 in conference at press time.
"We played a lot better offensively and defensively," Riley said. "We created lots of turnovers and that gave us some more scoring opportunities."
With the team's roster now built back up to 11 players and coming off the heels of it's first victory in eight tries, IVCC finishes the regular season with road contests on February 15 and February 17 against Du Page and Sauk Valley, respectively, games that Riley believes his team can come out and win.
"I feel like we can win (against Du Page). They only beat us by five points (on January 22)," he said. "We just need one or two guys to step up and not make mistakes."
"(The Sauk Valley game) is going to be a big game for the conference," said Riley. "They are still in first place, so this game could mean a lot as far as telling who wins the conference."
"I think we have a good rivalry with them. I expect to go in there and play well like we did last year."
After the conclusion of the regular season, regionals begin on February 22. A seeding meeting determining team positions in the tournament was to be held after press time.