The Minooka boys varsity basketball team began its first season under new head coach Kevin Cain in the Rock Island tournament over Thanksgiving break.

The Indians dropped all four games to arguably the toughest teams they will play all year.

The boys started the tournament with a game at North Central College against a tough St. Charles North team. North took the game 49-44, giving the Indians their first loss of the season.

Junior Trent Hudak lead the way for the Indians with 16 points, adding 4 rebounds.

“ I feel like we played a good game,” Hudak, guard, said. “We could have played a little better on defense, but other than that we were right there.”

Senior D’Anthony Thomas added 10 points off the bench for the Indians.

In game 2, the Indians struggled. Rock Island got out to a fast start and did not look back as they defeated the Indians 62-35. Thomas lead the Indians with 6 points off the bench, while junior Evan Stonich and senior Adrian Gutierrez each had 5.

In game 3, Hudak led the scoring for the Indians with 15 points, while adding 2 rebounds in the 49-43 loss to Phillips.

Senior Xavier Horde added 7 points, grabbing 5 rebounds, while adding 2 assists off the bench for Minooka. The Indians fell to 0-3 on the season with their toughest opponent next.

“Trent Hudak is a great kid and did have a great weekend,” Cain said when asked about the junior guard. “I love his mentality towards the game of basketball. He is not going to back down from anyone.”

In the final game of the weekend, the Indians took on the No. 27- ranked Bogan High School. Bogan got rolling early and cruised to a 67-32 win over Minooka, dropping the Indians to 0-4 on the weekend.

Thomas led scoring for the Indians with 12 off the bench, adding 1 assist. seniors Carlos Hernandez and Jaedon Johnson each added 7.

“I feel like my performance could have been better. Offensively, defensively, and as a leader,” Thomas said. “As a captain of this team it’s my job to keep the guys engaged and do things right in order to win”.

Thomas and the Indians look to do just that in their home opener against Plainfield South on Dec. 7 at Minooka’s South Campus.