Even with two big puzzle pieces gone, Hinckley-Big Rock hoping chemistry, strong summer lead to winter success

HINCKLEY – Hinckley-Big Rock will return most of its rotation next season, losing only two starters from last year’s Little 10 and regional champion team to graduation.

Those two players combined to average 38.4 points, 16.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game.

As the Royals undertake their summer season, they’re figuring out where the numbers put up by 6-foot-6 forward Martin Ledbetter and 6-5 guard Max Hintzsche are going to go.

“We’re losing two of the best kids I’ve ever coached since I’ve been here,” H-BR coach Seth Sanderson said. “But we’re also bringing back 11 kids that played last year and seven that were in the rotation. ... I’m excited to have experience coming back because it’s always nice to have at the high school level.”

Without the size of Ledbetter and Hintzsche, the Royals are planning on being much faster-paced this year to make up for the 21.4 points and 12.1 rebounds per game Ledbetter averaged, as well as the 17 and 4.3, respectively, put in by Hintzsche.

The duo also each averaged 2.9 assists per game.

“We’ve been playing a long time together so we know how each of us kind of rolls,” said 6-0 forward Luke Badal, who averaged 8.4 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. “It’s going to be hard to replicate Martin and Max’s effect on our team, but I think we have as good a chance to run back things like we did last year.”

Hintzsche was the primary ball handler last year, a role Austin Roop is expected to take over.

The 6-0 guard said he really likes how fast the defense is playing this year.

“Last year we were more of an offense-minded team,” Roop said. “This year I think more defense, you know. We’ll get you sped up, force turnovers, fight for loose balls, just every man doing their job.”

Badal said he also likes the pace at which the Royals are playing so far this summer.

He said the chemistry of the club makes the defense even better.

“We have great guys on this team, and we know what each other’s strengths and weaknesses are,” Badal said. “We’ve got our guys who can hit the 3s or attack the rim. Just a great group all together. We know what each other can do and what we’re capable of and pushing each other to our limits.”

The Royals went 26-9 last year, winning the Little 10 tournament with a title-game victory over Indian Creek. They also split the regular-season title with Newark.

They won the Class 1A Marquette Regional and fell to Aurora Christian 57-54 in a wild championship game at the Somonauk Sectional. The regional title was their first since 2012. They haven’t won back-to-back regionals since 2000-2001 and their last sectional title was in 1984.

Even with two strong players gone, Sanderson said the experience and chemistry on the team was already strong and only growing during the summer.

“You can tell this early in the summer that experience carries over from last year into this year,” Sanderson said. “Those guys have had a nice start to the year for us. Luke’s done a really nice job scoring. Austin handled the ball for us last year but with Max gone he’s kind of shifted into that primary ball handler much more. And I thought Jacob was a borderline all-conference kid last year, kind of a best-athlete defender type of thing.”