Tough end to Hersey's best finish at Pekin
Hersey was guaranteed of its best finish in the Pekin Insurance Holiday Tournament before Saturday's third-place game started.
And there were numerous times throughout the game it appeared the Huskies would end up third in their 15th trip to the downstate boys basketball tourney.
But Bartonville Limestone overcame a 7-point deficit in the final 4:58 to pull out a 52-50 victory over Hersey (11-5) at Dawson Hawkins Gym.
Hersey was led by repeat all-tourney pick Luke Fabrizius with 19 points, four 3-pointers and 5 rebounds. Griffin Dwyer added 10 points and Bobby Gehm chipped in 9 points.
The Huskies, whose best previous Pekin finish was fifth, scored the first 8 points of the game but ended the first quarter tied at 20-20. They scored the first 5 points of the second half to wipe out a 1-point deficit but went to the fourth quarter tied at 40-40.
Hersey led 49-42 but Limestone got within 3 points and took advantage of a pressure defense to take a 50-49 lead at 1:07 left. Hersey had a chance to score on an inbound pass with 1.1 seconds left but couldn't get off a shot.
Mt. Carmel won the tourney title 43-39 over Peoria Richwoods.
At Pontiac
PONTIAC -- It was not the way Bob Williams envisioned ending his year.
The long-time Schaumburg boys basketball coach experienced a first of his career during the consolation semifinal game against Curie: he was ejected from the contest.
Williams was assessed a technical foul in the second quarter, meaning he was confined to the bench for the remainder of the game.
In an admittedly reflexive moment early in the fourth quarter -- imploring three team members to corral a loose ball -- Williams was given a second bench technical.
Not only did the call negate a 3-on-none Schaumburg fastbreak, it forced him to leave the gym during the Saxons' 64-58 loss to the Condors at the Pontiac Holiday Tournament on Saturday morning.
"I've always had the utmost respect for officials," said Williams, who will have to miss next Saturday's Rock Falls Shootout game with Rock Island. "I wasn't profane. I wasn't demeaning. It wasn't personal in any way."
Schaumburg (9-5) had been attempting to climb out of an early hole the entire game against Curie.
The Condors (7-3) dominated the early action, building a double-digit lead by the end of the first quarter.
The Saxons finally rebounded with a strong second-quarter-closing run to trail 29-21 at halftime, and the backcourt came alive in the third quarter.
Second team all-tourney pick Cully Payne followed a 4-point play by Perrish Bell with another 3-pointer to forge the first of two ties late in the third quarter.
Payne also did the honors the second time with a slashing drive, but Currie scored the final 6 points of the quarter to lead 45-39 after three.
Williams was ejected 29 seconds later, and Curie used the bonus free throws and Saxons' run of turnovers to restore its double-digit lead with 4:48 remaining.
Payne and backcourt mate Brandon Bolger refused to give in, rallying the team in the final stages with a never-say-die attitude.
Bolger, who led the way for the Saxons with 21 points, scored 2 field goals three seconds apart with less than a minute to play.
Payne fouled out in the waning seconds, but his 19 points, 5 assists and 4 steals were instrumental in the Saxons' comeback attempt.
"We're doing better," said Payne. "We just need to do a better job of finishing. We really turned it back on (in the third quarter). It took a lot of energy, but that's no excuse for losing."
Donovan Foster had 25 points to lead all players for Curie, which went on to defeat Joliet 65-42 in the consolation championship.
"(Foster) is a heck of a player," Williams said.
-- Kevin McGavin
At Jacobs
Mack Darrow scored 24 points as Barrington (6-10) snapped a 4-game losing streak at the Jacobs Golden Eagle Classic with a 74-61 win over Marian Central.
Wade Lernihan and Charlie Douglas added 13 and 10 points respectively for the Broncos.
• Three players in double figures wasn't enough for Elk Grove (2-13) as it fell for the third straight time at Jacobs with a 66-53 loss to Woodstock.
Matt Martinski (13 points), Kevin McDonald (12 points) and Tim Furlong (10 points) led the way for the Grens.
At Grant
Deron Guyton's 26 points weren't enough as Leyden (2-11) lost 78-66 to Round Lake in the seventh-place game.