We came into the season with tempered expectations since we knew that we were so young. We were young and we played a tough schedule.”

Tim Thompson

ROCHELLE — Despite entering the postseason with a losing record, the Rochelle Hub varsity basketball team came within a few points of winning its second IHSA 3A Regional title in three years, knocking off a 20-win Woodstock squad and nearly upsetting a 21-win Freeport team. With their best basketball coming at the end of the season, head coach Tim Thompson will look for his young players to continue making strides as the team transitions into the offseason.

Rochelle finished with an 11-22 overall record and a 3-7 record in the Interstate 8 this season. The Hubs secured conference wins over Sycamore, Morris and LaSalle-Peru while notching wins over Princeton, Belvidere, Dundee-Crown, Richmond-Burton and Stillman Valley during the regular season. Rochelle endured a tough schedule during the winter, conceding losses to multiple regional champions including Kaneland, Byron, DeKalb and Rockford Christian.

“We came into the season with tempered expectations since we knew that we were so young,” Thompson said. “We were young and we played a tough schedule. I thought we would be able to compete in the conference and find ways to win games eventually. I think we underestimated how tough our schedule was. We played numerous teams that were senior heavy and got off to quick starts. I thought we were playing better basketball in late January and early February.”

The Hubs will lose three seniors from the 2023-24 roster including three-year varsity player Eli Luxton, who was a First-Team All-Conference honoree last season and eclipsed the 1,000-point scoring mark for his career this season. Senior guards Jack Tracey and Austin Raleigh, who were both second-year varsity players, will also depart along with guard Cayden Moore.

“I thought the kids matured as the season went on,” Thompson said. “They settled into their roles and became better teammates. I thought we struggled defensively the entire year of stopping straight-line drives and playing solid help defense. We must get better at this going forward to expect to consistently win games. I do think for most of the season we scored plenty of points to give ourselves a chance to win, so I was encouraged with our offensive production.”

Several Hubs will be eligible to return next season. Those individuals include junior guards Elijah Harley and Carson Lewis, who were each second-year varsity players this winter. Two sophomores including guard Van Gerber and forward Brode Metzger, along with freshman forward and first-year starter Brody Bruns, will also be eligible to come back next season.

“Carson and Elijah will automatically step into leadership roles for us,” Thompson said. “We will need to lean on them offensively and set a tone on defense. Brody had a great year for us as a freshman and we need him to continue to improve his perimeter game as well as playing with his back to the basket… We will expect more from Van on the ball and off the ball and he will need to add an offensive punch for us. We will need physicality and toughness out of Brode.”