Thornridge coach Mike Flaherty may have figured it wasn’t meant to be after the Falcons, trailing by one point, turned the ball over with 11 seconds left Friday and Shepard was at the free-throw line with a chance to ice the game.
“We have lost so many close games like this where we haven’t gotten the breaks,” Flaherty said. “But we’ve been in so many of these types of games that we were hoping maybe it would even itself out.”
The bounces–and a little execution–in the waning seconds went the host’s way this night as Thornridge used a pair of free clutch free throws by Paris Brown and a game-winning layup by Jonathan Bell with 1.2 seconds left to upset No. 10 Shepard 41-39 in the SICA East.
“We didn’t want to go to overtime against them,” said Bell, who scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. “I acted like I was going to set a pick, but I flashed to the basket instead. We just kept our heads in the game and played great defense in the end.”
The teams fought through five ties and one lead change before Shepard (17-4, 3-4) regained the advantage at 38-37 on a tough inside basket by Jon Cleveland with 13 seconds to go. Then, Shepard’s pressure forced the Falcons’ Gregory Benson to step out of bounds on the ensuing inbounds play.
It took Shepard three tries to get the ball in play and, three Astros timeouts and one missed free throw later, Reggie George (13 points) hit a free throw to make it 39-37 Shepard with 7.4 seconds left.
Thornridge (13-7, 5-2) quickly inbounded, and Brown drove the lane and was fouled. Brown’s two free throws made it 39-39 with 1.8 seconds left. Thornridge then received its lucky bounce.
Mike Neuhaus’ inbounds pass hit the gym ceiling at midcourt, giving the ball back to Thornridge under the Astros’ basket. That’s where Bell streaked in from the left side, received Deanta Hollins’ pass and hit the winning basket.
Henry Del Valle.
Up next for Shepard: Tuesday at home vs. Bremen.
1. Joliet
Branden Dillard scored 15 points as the Steelmen (21-1, 8-0) rolled past Lincoln-Way Central 72-41 in the SICA West. See story, Back Page.
Up next: Tuesday at Lincoln-Way East.
3. New Trier
Ted Rosinski scored 19 points and Brett Sortal added 15 points as the Trevians (17-3, 7-0) downed Waukegan 80-63 in the Central Suburban South.
Up next: Saturday at home vs. No. 6 Farragut.
4. West Aurora
Shaun Pruitt scored 16 points and Dameon Mason pitched in with 10 points and eight rebounds as the Warriors (18-2, 9-1) downed Glenbard East 59-40 in the DuPage Valley.
Up next: Friday at home vs. Naperville North.
5. Proviso East
Dee Brown scored 25 points and Shannon Brown had 24 as the Pirates rolled to a 74-30 win over Leyden in the West Suburban Gold. Shannon Brown scored 10 points in the second quarter as Proviso East (15-2, 8-0) went on a 25-0 run.
Up next: Saturday at home vs. York.
11. Thornton Fractional North
Chris Hobson scored 18 of his game-high 26 points in the fourth quarter as Eisenhower (13-7, 6-2) ripped T.F. North 75-54 in the SICA Central. Eisenhower outscored the Meteors 32-18 in the final quarter.
Patrick Peoples added 14 points and 12 rebounds and Montez Lewis contributed 14 points for Eisenhower. Tom Piotrowski had 13 points to lead T.F. North (16-3, 6-1).
Up next: Tuesday at home vs. Thornton Fractional South.
12. Hillcrest
Dennis Higgins scored 15 of his team-leading 24 points as the Hawks (16-5, 7-1) defeated Oak Forest 99-78 in the SICA Central. Oak Forest led 59-57 in the third quarter before Hillcrest scored 20 consecutive points to blow the game open.
Steve Mason added 23 points and Shelby Jordan pitched in with 17 points for the Hawks, while Mark Henninger led Oak Forest (5-15, 2-6) with 24 points.
Up next: Tuesday at Eisenhower.
13. Schaumburg
Tony Young tallied 27 points and Brandon Reichel had 21 points and 10 rebounds as the Saxons (16-4, 6-2) defeated Hoffman Estates 81-68 in the Mid-Suburban West. Brian Mead’s 18 points led Hoffman Estates (11-11, 3-5).
Up next: Saturday at Peoria Central.
14. Brother Rice
Call it mystique, bad luck or charm. But Leo’s 74-60 Catholic South overtime victory over No. 14 Brother Rice was another chapter in an ongoing saga of futility for visiting teams at the tiny gym at 79th and Sangamon.
The Crusaders (17-4, 9-1), looking to wrap up their second straight South title and seventh in the last nine years, found themselves trailing by as much as 12 in the first half before they appeared to take control in the final minutes.
Down 51-44 heading into the fourth quarter, Brother Rice opened the quarter on an 11-2 run, with Rick Harrigan (22 points) bombing in two three-pointers, to take its first lead at 55-53 with 3 minutes 9 seconds remaining. The Crusaders still led 57-55 with 18 seconds to go but missed the front end of a one-and-one, and Leo came away with the rebound.
With fouls to give, Brother Rice fouled four times to fritter away the seconds. Finally, a runner by Curshawn Pullen (17 points) with three seconds remaining rolled around the rim, and Chris Burras (27 points, 13 rebounds) tipped in the ball at the buzzer, sending the game into overtime. In vain, Brother Rice players, fans and coaches screamed for offensive goaltending.
Despite trailing 60-57 in the opening minute of the overtime, the Lions (14-9, 7-4) went on a 13-0 run to put the game away and leave the Crusaders winless in their last nine trips to the Leo gym.
“It didn’t make any difference [if the rebound was goaltending],” Burras said. “I did what I had to do for my team. And as long as it went in before the horn sounded, that’s all that matters.”
“We thought it was goaltending–I thought it looked obvious,” said Brother Rice coach Pat Richardson. “But if we make our free throw late and foul at the right time, we’re not in this situation.”
Phil English.
Up next: Tuesday at home vs. Nazareth.
15. Thornwood
Melvin Buckley scored 18 points and Anthony Williams added 17 as the Thunderbirds (16-4, 7-0) defeated Thornton 47-37 in the SICA East.
Up next: Saturday at home vs. Champaign Centennial.
18. Waubonsie Valley
Derrick Clanton scored 15 points and Sean Blalock added 12 points as the Warriors (18-1, 8-1) routed St. Charles North 61-36 in the Upstate Eight.
Up next: Saturday at Streamwood.
19. Homewood-Flossmoor
Brian Nussbaum’s free throw with four seconds left gave the Vikings (14-7, 3-4) a 52-51 victory over Bloom in SICA East play. Adam Dauksas had 17 points and five rebounds to lead H-F, while Troy Watson scored 11 points and Nussbaum finished with 10 points.
Joe Chapman had 18 points and Antonio Cool added 17 points to lead Bloom (13-8, 2-5), which led 45-42 with 3:40 left.
Up next: Tuesday at home vs. Kankakee.
20. Riverside-Brookfield
Tim Brasic scored 23 points and Brandon Davis added 22 points as the Bulldogs (19-2, 12-0) cruised to a 73-51 victory over Westmont in the Suburban Prairie White. Dave Winston led Westmont (10-11, 6-7) with 12 points.
Up next: Friday at Yorkville.
