Junis provides Rockets’ answer: Comets keep coming back, but can’t catch Rock Falls

STERLING – The nickname “The Answer” has already been claimed by Allen Iverson.

Jake Junis might take that moniker away from the current NBA free agent after Tuesday night’s performance.

The Rock Falls junior guard, complete with Iverson-esque arm sleeve, responded to every Newman run during a 72-50 Sauk Valley Shootout victory at Newman High School.

“Every time we made a bad play, had a turnover or let them score a few points, Jake answered it,” Rock Falls senior guard Dylan Austin said. “He’d hit a big shot, make a great pass, just whatever it took to give us the momentum back.”

Junis scored 32 points on 13-for-20 shooting, hitting five of his 10 3-point attempts. He also had nine rebounds and three assists.

“I was off in warm-ups,” Junis said with a smile, “and that’s when I know I’m going to be on during the game. I had to make up for Monday, when I couldn’t hit from the outside, and I just took better shots tonight – we all did.”

The Rockets (2-0) used a 17-0 first-quarter run to take a 21-9 lead they would never relinquish, but the Comets (1-1) didn’t go away quietly.

Sophomore Tim Wilson (21 points, 5 rebounds) took over for Newman, scoring two baskets before a Grant DeWitt putback and then two more after, then dishing to Brandon Quick to get the Comets within 28-20 late in the second period.

Junis answered, closing the first half with a floater in the lane and back-to-back 3-pointers in the final 2 minutes of the first half to put the Rockets back up 38-24 at the break.

“We’d work hard, get our confidence back and cut the lead to seven or eight, and Junis would drain it out of us,” Wilson said. “He can pretty much shoot from anywhere and make it, and he got going tonight.”

Newman opened the second half with four quick points, which were answered by a Brett Chappell 3-pointer, then cut the deficit to 47-38 after two DeWitt buckets and a Wilson 3.

Again Rock Falls responded, as Austin and Junis hit 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions. Then Junis closed the third quarter with a bank shot from the lane to push the margin back to 55-39.