Boys drop game to McFarland
By Dan Truttschel
Correspondent
When it came to crunch time last week, the East Troy High School boys basketball team found itself within striking distance of Rock Valley Conference leader McFarland.
A couple critical miscues ended the Trojans’ hopes, however.
East Troy missed five straight free throws and was off the mark on two wide-open two-foot shots – and that was the difference in a 71-66 loss.
The loss dropped the Trojans to 4-4 overall and 4-2 in the RVC. McFarland continues to lead the standings at 6-0, followed by Evansville at 5-1, East Troy and Whitewater and Jefferson at 3-3. Edgerton is last at 1-5.
While the loss was disappointing, there were positives, East Troy coach Darryl Rayfield said.
“All of (the mistakes) happened when we were either up one, tied or down one,” he said. “Can’t win on the road in championship-type games doing that. It just puts us in a tough spot now. We have to probably win out now in the league.
“(But) the kids are playing better defensively for sure. It kept us in the game. I believe we have a lot left in us. That’s the good news. (Being) young is now over. We are certainly not looking back.”
McFarland held a slim 38-35 halftime lead and outscored the Trojans by two points in the final 18 minutes.
Statistically, the teams were as close as the score would indicate. East Troy was 20-of-26 from the free-throw line and made seven 3-pointers, while McFarland was 21-of-31 from the charity stripe and had eight 3-pointers.
Jon Ciriacks, the Trojans’ leading scorer at 22.6 points a game, led the way with 23, including three 3-pointers. Freshman A.J. Vukovich, who is second at 17.6 per game, added 16 points with two 3-pointers.
Both continue to put together stellar seasons, Rayfield said.
“Jon Ciriacks is playing as well as anybody around,” he said. “And it can be attributed to his daily work every day in the offseason. He carried it over to the season.
“He consistently keeps getting work in. There are guys who play a lot and spend time in the gym, (but) he leaves soaking wet and has a plan.”
The 6-foot-4 Vukovich is playing beyond his years, Rayfield said.
“People forget he is a ninth-grader,” he said. “He’s a very self-motivated, young athlete. I love how he carries himself. He will be a good one.
“Games are a little faster now, but he’s adjusting well. Expectations are very high, but everyone has to settle down on him. He plays hard and it is an adjustment playing against older kids.”
Jared Brehm added 10 points for the Trojans in the loss, while Nick Bourdo chipped in with seven.
