Hersey 72, New Trier 59
Hersey plays on.
Despite having to go up against one of the top-ranked teams in the state, let alone the Evanston Class 4A Sectional.
Hersey plays on.
Despite playing a highly favored New Trier team Friday night in the finals of the Wheeling regional.
Hersey plays on, thanks to its fearless play and gutty decision to take the pressure to second-seeded New Trier, a team that thrives on taking the pressure to everyone else.
It was Hersey that thrived on it Friday night, hitting 11 3-pointers in 19 tries, including five by 6-foot-9 Luke Fabrizius (32 points) in a 72-59 upset over New Trier.
It moves the No. 7 Huskies (16-12) into the Evanston semifinals at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday night against No. 6 Maine East, which upset No. 3 Von Steuben 70-65.
"I have to give (assistant coach) Chad Freeman a lot of credit," said Hersey coach Steve Messer, in his first year back at his alma mater, after Freeman's halftime suggestion to make a modification in one of their offensive sets paid immediate dividends.
Fabrizius scored on a layup and then a wide-open 3 to start the third quarter, stuffing New Trier center Tim McCrary's shot between those buckets, as Hersey took charge in the second half.
Fabrizius scored again on a feed from Griffin Dwyer (13 points), Mike Compton hit a drive, Ryan Moran had a conventional, driving 3-point play, Fabrizius yet another deep 3 and Hersey had a 13-point lead by quarter's end after outscoring the Trevians 24-8 in the period.
"We kept the pressure on them defensively. We did it for four quarters," said a beaming Fabrizius after Hersey's first regional title since 1995. And on offense, "We attacked right after the half."
"That was the game plan. We had to commit to it," Messer said of keeping up the defensive pressure after not even getting it going until the fourth quarter in Wednesday's come-from-behind win over Wheeling.
"They were getting frustrated," Fabrizius said of New Trier (19-8) as Hersey continually pulled away. "We were getting our open looks."
"I'm so proud of him," Messer said of Fabrizius. "He's had such a tough go. He's been getting pounded every night."
Everyone helped him dish out the pounding Friday night. Off the bench, sophomore guard Steve Nelson helped maintain the defensive pressure while adding 12 points and Moran helped the Huskies out-rebound the Trevians 17-11 in the second half. Dwyer's outside shooting complemented Fabrizius' in keeping the Trevians lethal zone breathless.
How can the Huskies do at the sectional?
"We're going to see," said Messer. "Confidence is the No. 1 factor in high school sports. They all played confidently."