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GEORGETOWN — The Elgin Wildcats varsity boys basketball team kept their away matchup with the East View Patriots Jan. 13 within reach but were ultimately outpaced 69-54.
Senior shooting guard Fredy Ndeberewa led all scorers with 19 points at East View High School, including eight in the opening quarter.
The Wildcats came out firing from beyond the arc, knocking down three 3-pointers in the first quarter for a slim 19-18 lead heading into the second. Elgin struggled to find another advantage and did not reach the basket for four minutes after the break.
East View capitalized on the momentum shift and tallied seven points during the drought for a 25-19 advantage.
Senior center Russell Larkins ended Elgin’s scoring lull with a free throw. He finished with six points on the night.
The Wildcats continued to settle for contested perimeter shots, shooting just 1 of 7 from 3-point range in the second quarter. On the defensive end, the roster had trouble securing rebounds, allowing East View to capitalize on multiple second-chance opportunities.
The Patriots outscored Elgin 20-6 in the period to take a commanding 38-25 lead into halftime.
Familiar issues persisted after the break as East View proved more opportunistic: winning loose balls, forcing turnovers and converting fast-break points. Elgin saw chances in transition but were unable to finish at the rim.
East View pushed itself to a 20-point lead by the end of the third quarter.
Despite the deficit, the Wildcats showed fight in the final minutes. Sophomore Josiah Johnson and Ndeberewa combined for seven points before East View responded with a 6-0 run. Senior guard Curtis Harris added nine to help slim the margin but the game ultimately slipped away.
The loss dropped Elgin to 9-13 overall and 1-3 in district play. The Wildcats played Hendrickson after press time Tuesday and will host Weiss at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23.
