The last of Cameron Krutwig’s 18 rebounds had a chance to win it for Jacobs.
The last of Luke Schoffstall’s four points proved to be the difference in the latest heartstopping win for Fremd.
Schoffstall did not score in regulation, but he scored all of his team’s points in overtime. The last two were the tying and winning free throws with 17.2 seconds left as the Vikings remained undefeated with a 36-35 win in the Class 4A Hoffman Estates Supersectional at a jam-packed Sears Centre.
“We’ve been in these situations multiple times this year and Luke came up big when we needed him,” said Kyle Sliwa, who led Fremd with 13 points. “We never get down in tight situations.”
The Vikings (31-0) qualified for the state tournament for the first time since 1993. They will play Young in Friday’s 5:30 p.m. semifinal at Carver Arena in Peoria.
Fremd fouled three times on the Golden Eagles’ final possession to wind down the clock. Finally, a long 3-pointer came up short, but Krutwig tipped it behind his head off the side of the rim.
“I thought that was going in,” Krutwig said. “We practice those situations all the time in practice but we just couldn’t get the job done in the end.”
The game between two teams that entered with a combined 60-1 record was tight throughout. After halftime, the biggest lead was three points, held by Jacobs (30-2) twice in the third quarter.
The final tie in regulation was forged by two free throws from Fremd’s Bryce Hopkins with 1 minute, 32 seconds remaining. The Vikings (31-0) held the ball for more than two minutes on their opening overtime possession and regained possession after a Jacobs turnover shortly thereafter.
Schoffstall’s layup with 58 seconds left earned Fremd a 34-32 lead, but Jacobs’ Cooper Schwartz answered with a 3-pointer with 24 seconds to go, setting up Schoffstall’s winning free throws.
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune.
Player of the game: Luke Schoffstall, Fremd, 4 points (all in OT), tying & winning free throws.
Key performers: Fremd — Kyle Sliwa, 13 points. Jacobs — Cameron Krutwig, 14 points, 18 rebounds.
