ROCHELLE — Oregon standout Trey Woolsey can score the basketball, but the Rochelle defense did enough to limit his chances when the Hubs faced the Hawks on Thursday.

Rochelle quieted Woolsey in the first half, holding him to 12 points and forcing him into more perimeter shots than close-range layups. Despite getting loose in the third quarter, Woolsey and his game-high 27 points would not fold the Hubs, who absorbed a 15-8 run in the quarter and held off the Hawks for a 65-55 win. Rochelle (8-9) has won four straight games.

“I was proud of our guys,” head coach Tim Thompson said. “He was going to score in the upper 20s no matter what we did because he was going to get enough shots. I thought he struggled from the perimeter early… I knew if we could get our defense set, we could at least try on him. When he got going in transition, it was because of our missed shots.”

The Hubs started the game with a 9-1 run that featured baskets from four different players including a 3-pointer from sophomore Ryan Simmons. Senior guards Seth Gould and Landan Martin combined for 12 points in the first quarter, helping Rochelle build a 17-11 lead.

The Hubs increased their distance in the second quarter behind two triples and a layup from junior guard Garrett Burdin, who scored all 10 of his points in the first half. With his team leading 31-23 entering the third quarter, senior guard Austin Brown attacked the basket on three straight plays, scoring seven points including an old-fashioned 3-point play that gave Rochelle its largest advantage of the game at 38-25.

“Austin’s scoring was a huge lift for us,” Thompson said. “He was going north-south and attacking the front foot of the defender. We knew he could get to the basket and we knew they weren’t providing much help-side defense for him. He was big in that third quarter.”

Oregon took a timeout to stop the game, and when action resumed, Woolsey kicked into high gear, scoring 11 quick points on four layups and a triple to run his total up to 23 for the night. A pair of post-up scores from sophomore forward Zach Sanford helped Rochelle stomach the Oregon surge and remain ahead 46-40 entering the fourth quarter.

Martin and Brown teamed up for 14 of their team’s 16 points in the final quarter, and both players ended the game in double figures. Martin led the Hubs with 20 points, while Brown scored 15 points, with 13 of those coming in the second half. Both players made the bulk of their free-throw attempts down the stretch to seal the home victory.

“I thought our defense was really nice in the first half,” Thompson said. “We made shots difficult for Woolsey and I know they struggled shooting the ball, but we were in the proper guarding positions throughout the first half. Austin had a really nice game, and I thought Zach had a really nice game. It’s really been a collective effort.”

Ottawa

Senior guard Seth Gould's return couldn't have come at a better time for the Rochelle boys basketball team. Gould scored 14 points off the bench this past Friday evening, helping the Hubs dominate the second half against the Ottawa Pirates and walk away from the prestigious Kingman Gym with a 70-62 victory.

“That gym is an amazing place to play,” said Gould, who’s missed the last several weeks with a hand injury. “I knew I had to come out and give a great effort. It was a difficult adjustment coming off the bench, but it’s helped me get back in shape so I don’t tire out too quickly. I felt energized and more dynamic than I was as a starter.”

The Pirates led 39-30 at halftime before Rochelle flipped the game around in the second half, outscoring Ottawa 40-23 and 20-11 during the fourth quarter. The Hubs overcame a tremendous scoring performance from Ottawa standout Myles Tucker, who led all players with 36 points on 15 made field goals in the game.

“We went into the locker room and we told each other that we aren’t losing this game,” Gould said. “We needed the game and we were all focused. We played really hard in the second half and we played as a team. I feel like I can get our team some more rebounds once I get my full legs back… It felt amazing to get back out there. I’m tired of sitting on the bench.”

Senior guard Landan Martin remained hot for Rochelle, following his 34-point performance against Morris with a 22-point effort and eight rebounds on Friday. Senior point guard Austin Brown finished with 19 points for the Hubs, and Garrett Burdin grabbed seven rebounds in the Rochelle victory. Sophomore Ryan Simmons sunk two triples for six points.