Neuqua finishes 2007 with victory
They aren't taking home the big trophy this year -- but the Neuqua Valley Wildcats can still enjoy their last bus ride back from Elgin.
The Wildcats, champions of the Elgin Holiday Tournament last year, beat Rockford Auburn 53-51 for fifth place on Saturday.
In a nip-and-tuck affair that featured 8 lead changes and 7 ties, Neuqua's Derek Raridon broke the last deadlock with a layup with nine seconds left.
"Going 3-1 here is a lot better than 2-2," said Neuqua's Dan Pawelski, who scored a game-high 20 points and assisted Raridon's final basket. "No matter if it's for fifth place or ninth place, it's nice to go into the rest of the year with a win."
Darnell Van Vleet's 3-pointer with 3:16 to play drew Auburn even at 51-51. Auburn held the ball with less than a minute left, but Neuqua knocked a pass away and Brad Keeler came up with a steal.
With nine seconds left Nolan Brown inbounded to Pawelski in the right corner, and Pawelski found Raridon underneath for the go-ahead score.
Van Vleet missed a 3-pointer in the final seconds, then misfired on a desperation jumper as time expired.
"It's a screen under the hoop for me to get open," Raridon said of the winning play. "We kept running it and it was open."
Neuqua (11-3), looking listless at times early on playing in a half-empty gym with the 5 p.m. start, went scoreless the final 3:04 of the first half and trailed 26-22 at the break.
Then the Wildcats found an extra spring in their step.
Pawelski put back a miss on Neuqua's first possession of the third quarter, and T.J. Jordan's steal and score tied the game. Pawelski's three-point play with 4:38 left in the quarter gave the Wildcats the lead back at 34-32. He scored 10 of his 20 points in the third quarter.
"The guards did a good job on our fastbreak offense getting up the floor," Pawelski said. "Our point guard moved the ball, and I had a height advantage."
Neuqua led 44-40 after the third quarter, scoring 4 times on offensive putbacks in the period.
"They needed to play better," Wildcats coach Todd Sutton said, "because they should be embarrassed with their effort in the first half. It was very lackluster."
Raridon finished with 11 points and 7 rebounds and Jordan 9 points and 9 rebounds. Van Vleet scored 14 for Auburn (8-5).
"With the gym dead silent, you have to find a way to get yourself motivated," Raridon said. "It was kind of a tough game to get into, but we needed to get the win."