Jack Hatton, a soccer scoring standout, turns up the defense for Geneva. ‘New year, new us. We’re ready to go.’

For Geneva’s Jack Hatton, the first half of the soccer standout’s junior season in basketball has had its share of hard knocks — both figuratively and literally.

The same could be said for Hatton’s team. First, the 6-foot-2 guard suffered a concussion that sidelined him for a week and cost him nearly two full games for the Vikings.

Then senior center Tommy Diamond, the lone returning starter from a 25-10 sectional qualifier, was lost for the season after needing shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum.

Hatton, the sixth man last winter, suddenly became the most experienced returnee.

“It was kind of a rough start,” Hatton said. “But I think after the Christmas tournament, we’ve started to click a little bit. A lot of people are kind of getting their confidence.

“Now, it’s a new year, new us. We’re ready to go.”

It appeared so Thursday in a DuKane Conference matinee against St. Charles East.

Led by Hatton’s defense, the host Vikings built a 13-point halftime lead that got whittled down to two points in the third quarter, but they pulled away for a 60-49 victory.

Hatton, whose focus in the fall is on offense as a forward in soccer, got the ball rolling with three of his four steals in the first quarter. He finished with 12 points and three rebounds for Geneva (7-9, 1-5).

Luke Matan, a 6-5 forward and only senior playing significant minutes for the Vikings, scored a career-high 20 points. Gabe Jensen, a 5-10 point guard and one of three sophomores who play big minutes for Geneva, added 16 points.

Brad Monkemeyer, a 6-4 junior forward, came off the bench to score 11 points and lead the rally for young St. Charles East (4-13, 0-7). Six juniors and just one senior played for the Saints.

“I know they’re banged up,” Geneva coach Scott Hennig said. “Our conference is so good this year. It was a gauntlet when we opened up with Batavia, Glenbard North, Wheaton South and Lake Park. Nothing against the two St. Charles schools, but those teams are very good.

“We’re starting two sophomores, so we’ve got a lot of young kids, but this league is very old. Lake Park starts five seniors and I think Batavia starts four. There’s a lot to be said about experience, and you get experience by playing games. We have to keep getting better.”

Most of Matan’s playing time last season came in JV games, but he has taken a leadership role and is drawing NCAA Division III recruiting interest after playing AAU.

“He’s a basketball-only kid who puts a lot of time in — a program kid,” Hennig said. “He’s been with us four years and he’s just worked.

“He’s gotten stronger, he’s gotten tougher, and he’s just gotten a lot better.”

Matan said he wants to be a veteran leader “in any way I can, whether it’s hustling, getting points, getting rebounds.”

The same is true for Hatton, coming off a strong showing in the 96th annual Chuck Dayton Holiday Classic in DeKalb, where the Vikings went 2-2.

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Hatton averaged 12.8 points and 3.5 rebounds in 29.8 minutes. He also had seven assists and five steals and shot 50% on 3-pointers in the four games.

“He’s so valuable at the top of our (1-2-2) press defensively,” Hennig said. “He’s a soccer kid, but he’s got really good instincts. He moves his feet well. Laterally, he’s very gifted.”

Hatton played club soccer earlier in his career but limits offseason workouts to summer camps with his two Geneva teams.

“It’s good to get a break every once in a while,” he said. “I have to be more of a leader this season. I’m trying to help the younger guys get situated in their spots and learn.”

He does his best work at the top of that press.

“At that one role, you’re in a good spot for a skip (pass) and all you have to do is look at their eyes,” he said. “It’s kind of easy to pick it off.”

In other words, something to be said for experience.