Down late, Bulldogs rally to tip Wheaton N. on Bryant's 2 clutch 3s
Bloodied the night before, David Bryant saved his best for last Saturday.
Batavia's junior knocked down two 3-pointers in the final minute of the Elgin Holiday Tournament boys basketball championship game, giving the Bulldogs a dramatic 49-45 win over Wheaton North.
Bryant needed four stitches in his forehead after taking an elbow in the final two minutes of Friday's game with Buffalo Grove. He missed 14 of his first 16 shots against Wheaton North. But he didn't flinch.
"Coach told me to just keep shooting the ball. I knew they were on target," Bryant said. "I got a couple good looks at the end and hit 'em."
Batavia's championship was its second in three years at Elgin. But who could have expected the Bulldogs to do so without Nick Fruendt?
The Batavia star has missed the last seven games with mononucleosis. The Bulldogs (12-2) are 5-2 in his absence.
"Getting the victories without him is really good," Bryant said, "but it's definitely better with him. Hopefully, we'll get him back soon."
John Bagge's two free throws with 1:02 left gave Wheaton North (11-2) a 44-40 lead. At the other end Bryant drained a contested 3-pointer from the top of the key.
He stole an errant Wheaton North inbounds pass, then buried another 3-pointer from nearly the same spot to give Batavia a 46-44 lead with 19 seconds left.
Bagge missed a tough reverse layup at the other end, and Jordan Smith split 2 free throws for Batavia. Wheaton North was fouled before it could get off a 3-point shot to tie it in the final seconds.
"(Bryant) made two plays," Wheaton North coach Jim Nazos said. "Not many high school players can make those shots."
In a tight, low-scoring game with a postseason tenor, Batavia led 24-20 at the half. Wheaton North scored the first 7 points of the second half, taking a 27-24 lead on a driving layup by Dave Pilalis. The Falcons led 31-26 after a Tom Fitzpatrick score, but Batavia answered with three-point plays by Smith and Stewart Charles to grab a 32-31 advantage after three quarters.
No team led by more than four in the final quarter.
Bryant and Phil Albrecht both scored 14 points for Batavia. Smith, giving away 4-5 inches against Falcons big men Bagge and Fitzpatrick, had a yeoman effort of 13 points and 9 boards.
"I thought Smith really worked hard," Batavia coach Jim Roberts said. "Defensively, this may have been one of his best games."
Bagge, despite drawing close attention all night from Batavia's defenders, still managed 17 points and 14 rebounds. Fitzpatrick added 10 points and Pilalis 9.
"I think we'd both like to meet up some other time," said Nazos, asked of a possible rematch. The teams are in the same Class 4A East Aurora sectional. "It means we'd both got pretty far."