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Glenbard East throws a late scare into Downers Grove South

No one expected to be holding their breath at the end of this one.

Downers Grove South's boys basketball team seemed in control with a 12-point fourth-quarter lead, but Glenbard East spent the rest of the game furiously trimming away.

The Rams ultimately had a final shot to send the nonconference matchup to overtime, but their 3-point attempt from the left corner banged off the rim to preserve host Downers South's 55-52 victory on Tuesday.

"At the end, I don't know, we just let them back in the game," said Downers South junior Justin Eagins, who hit four 3-pointers and led the Mustangs with 20 points. "I don't know if we just thought we were going to win or what, but we should have kept playing as a team like we did earlier in the game. We're really inconsistent right now, but once we learn to play a full game, I think we could be very good."

Six-foot-four Rams senior James Peterkin fueled the rally by scoring 13 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter, including 9 straight points to pull his team within 48-45 with 3:23 left.

His final points of the run came after Downers South (10-8) drained more than two minutes off the clock. The possession, ended, however, with a pair of missed free throws.

Even after the Mustangs pushed their lead back to 7 points, Peterkin and Korvante Davis scored to narrow the margin to 53-52 with 17 seconds left. That's when Eagins made two free throws to make it 55-52 with 9.1 seconds remaining.

"Effort-wise, we were there," said Rams coach Scott Miller. "Unfortunately we still have a couple of the defensive lapses. We have to figure that out, but we will. I think we did take some strides forward. Our kids don't quit."

Davis made three 3-pointers and scored 11 points for Glenbard East (7-10) while Kenny Adams added 8 points. Patrick Shaughnessy scored 12 points, Ali Issa 11 points and Wes Hooker 9 points for Downers South.

"It's a young team, and it's good that we finished this one out," said Downers South coach Kris Olson. "Trying to put teams away when we're in control is still something we're working on. We've been in a lot of close games and it's been a struggle to close them out."

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