By Dan Truttschel
Correspondent
Things haven’t always worked out for the East Troy High School boys basketball team when it has traveled to Jefferson.
It’s just one game, but maybe the Trojans finally put those fears to rest last Thursday night.
East Troy jumped out to a 31-18 first-half lead and never looked back in a dominating 71-53 Rock Valley Conference victory. The win improved the Trojans to 12-6 overall and 11-2 in the RVC heading into a home game against Edgerton Tuesday night.
Results of that contest were unavailable by press time.
“We played our best game we have ever played at Jefferson High School,” East Troy coach Darryl Rayfield said. “It has been a very difficult place for us to play in the past.
“It is always a physical and intensely competitive game versus Jefferson.”
East Troy, which added 40 points in the second half, finished the night with 15 assists, a statistic that pleased Rayfield.
“That means we are sharing the ball,” he said. “We seem to be playing better defensively, and everyone is doing things together.
“I actually really enjoyed watching this team play like that. The thing about athletics is when teams enjoy playing together, there seems to be nothing better than to be a part of it.”
Rayfield added he has sensed a positive reaction to his team’s tough loss to McFarland last week, a setback that likely clinched the RVC North Division title for the Spartans.
McFarland leads the Trojans by two games heading into the last full week of the regular season.
“The tough loss against McFarland just seemed to bring this group even closer,” he said. “I was wondering which road it would take us down, and to the credit of the kids, they came back even stronger.”
Joseph Ciriacks and Connor Mitchell led a balanced scoring attack with 14 points apiece, followed by Will Iloncaie with 12 and Jake Remsza with 11.
East Troy played without senior Matt Kaminski, who has been sidelined because of illness, Rayfield said.
His return will be vitally important for the Trojans down the stretch.
“I’m sure with his return and the chance for us to get deeper playing others it can only help us,” Rayfield said. “With his energy and senior leadership missing, it is even more important that we rally together until he gets back to full strength.”
Following the Edgerton contest, the Trojans host Evansville Friday night at 7:15 p.m. East Troy edged Evansville 59-57 back in early January.
Rayfield knows the Evansville contest will be a challenge.
“They play well together and try to make it a half-court, grind-it-out game with a lot of screening and pack defense,” he said. “They are efficient, and they are looking to play (well) in the tournament and make a deep run.
“We will have to continue to play well this week. With seedings coming for the tournament, it is crucial.”
