Losing the best player on a team can often spell disaster when it comes to making a long postseason run. But for the Sauk Valley men's basketball team, that scenario might actually help in its quest for a first Region IV title in a decade.

When the Skyhawks first lost 6-foot-7 senior center Daven Ottley to a sprained right wrist late in their Jan. 22 game at Black Hawk, things didn't look too good. Sauk Valley went on to blow a lead and lose that game in overtime, marking an inauspicious start to life without their best post scorer and rebounder.

But things would turn around quickly. Sauk won three of the five games Ottley missed, and since his return in the Feb. 12 rematch with Black Hawk, the Skyhawks (20-10) haven't lost.