South Beloit rolls past Alden-Hebron in physical, evenly matched contest on Wednesday night

South Beloit’s balanced attack carried the SOBOs past Alden-Hebron, 68-41, Wednesday night at South Beloit High School in a game that showcased inside scoring and timely perimeter shooting.

Mason Beavers led the SOBOs with 19 points, using a mix of driving moves and shots from the land of three to keep South Beloit in front. Coltan Porter Jr. added 18, attacking the rim, while Nico Noble chipped in 11 and Landen Reed contributed 9 as South Beloit spread the scoring across its rotation.

Alden-Hebron’s offense was powered by A. Carreno, who poured in 26 points, frequently creating his own shot and drawing fouls. The Giants received additional contributions from H. Nelson (6), N. Heber (5), and F. Carreno (4), but struggled to find consistent help beyond their leading scorer.

South Beloit jumped out with early physicality, controlling the glass and forcing Alden-Hebron into contested perimeter attempts. Beavers’ presence created opportunities for Porter Jr. to operate in transition.

In the second half, South Beloit continued with disciplined ball movement; Noble and Reed hit key jumpers that kept the home team ahead. In the fourth, South Beloit’s defense stiffened, forcing back-to-back turnovers to extend the lead.

Turnovers and free-throw shooting proved decisive. The Giants finished with a respectable offensive output but lacked the secondary scoring punch to overcome South Beloit’s balanced attack.

Scoring South Beloit: Mason Beavers 19; Coltan Porter Jr. 18; Nico Noble 11; Landen Reed 9; Payton Winterland 6; Jaycee Schober 3; Jorge Marquez 2.

Scoring Alden-Hebron: A. Carreno 26; H. Nelson 6; N. Heber 5; F. Carreno 4.

South Beloit’s depth showed up on both ends. Bench minutes were productive, and the SOBOs’ ability to rotate defenders without a drop-off allowed them to match Alden-Hebron’s pressure. Payton Winterland’s energy on the floor, while not reflected in a large scoring total, helped tilt the possession advantage toward the home team.

Alden-Hebron, meanwhile, will take positives from Carreno’s performance. He repeatedly created separation and finished through contact, giving the Giants a reliable scoring option. The challenge for Alden-Hebron moving forward will be finding consistent secondary scoring and tightening late-game free-throw execution.

South Beloit now turns its attention to the South Beloit Martin Luther King Tournament. The SOBOs open tournament play Saturday, January 17, at 9 a.m. against North Boone on the South Beloit campus. The matchup will test South Beloit’s ability to sustain balanced scoring against a team that typically defends with length and physicality.

For South Beloit, the takeaway from Wednesday’s win is straightforward: when the scoring is shared and the defense closes in, the SOBOs are difficult to beat. For Alden-Hebron, the message is equally clear — build around Carreno’s scoring while developing reliable support to complement his production.

South Beloit will look to carry the momentum of a balanced offensive night and a late defensive stand into Saturday’s opener.