School is back in session, and so is conference play for boys basketball as Metea Valley hopes to ring in the new year with a win over Naperville Central. The Redhawks are coming off a 2-2 performance in the Chuck Dayton Holiday tournament. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Both teams start a game of runs early
The action starts with a game of runs as Anthony Hildreth finds Tre Watkins who throws it down to put the Mustangs in front 6-0.
The Redhawks get a turnover and activate their own run. Casey Cooperkawa dishes out to TJ Hillman who fakes out his defender and connects on the trifecta.
The threes are working early on for Central. It’s Evan Moss open in the corner and bingo. That caps off a 12-0 run which has the Redhawks up 12-6.
The Mustangs cut into it with Watkins floating this shot in to beat the buzzer after some help from the glass.
Metea turns it on in the second with Hildreth passing to Tyler Miller and this triple falls in his favor.
The two switch it up a few possessions later with Miller finding Hildreth in the painted area and he lays in for a 14-0 Mustang run resulting in a 22-14 lead.
Despite the run, the Redhawks get a favor with Cooper Page lobbing to Alex Liabo who gets the shot to go at the horn. A clutch bucket as Central trails 25-20 at the half.
Khalil Jones and Tre Watkins start the second half strong
A minute into the third quarter, Khalil Jones gets the steal and floors it the other way leading to a floater that finds the bucket for Metea.
Then Jones drives and kicks out to Watkins who shoots for three and is nothing but net. It’s 32-24 Mustangs.
Redhawks use the second half as a new opportunity. Hillman can’t finish the floater but there’s former offensive lineman Connor Sands showing he can get buckets too.
The Hawks get a huge defensive turnover and Nate Abrahamson throws the baseball pass to Hillman who takes the three on the wing and book it. The Redhawks are down by one after the huge three by Hillman.
Naperville Central goes on late run to steal it
Time ticking down in the third and here comes Cooper Page to the rescue. His three ball is good and Central takes a 41-40 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Redhawks continue their aggressive run with Hillman who drives into the lane and scoops it in for a 22-point outing and Central is suddenly running away up 48-40.
Metea is not quite out of it thanks to Dominic Smith who scores with the foul. Mustangs are down 48-43 after the three-point play with a few minutes left on the clock.
However, the Redhawks remain on the point in the second half and here’s Daniel Nussbaum for three and kaboom. A 44-29 second half run gives Naperville Central its first conference win in over two years as the Hawks take down Metea Valley 64-54.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page!
