Rockford Boylan 66, Jacobs 63
Rockford Boylan simply didn't panic.
Trailing Jacobs by 17 points, 33-16 with 5:58 left in the second quarter, the Titans battled all the way back and eventually pulled out a 66-63 win over the stunned Golden Eagles in one semifinal of the Class 4A Jacobs Sectional Tuesday night.
"When we were down 33-16 I was thinking do I have my golf clubs clean," kidded Boylan coach Steve Goers. "We got caught up early in the emotion of the game. But we changed defenses in the second half and this group has so much heart and just wouldn't quit. As a staff we did a great job. This was a great high school basketball game. It was worth the price of admission."
The Titans (25-4) advance to Friday's sectional championship game to play the winner of tonight's tilt between Elgin and Rockton Hononegah. Game time is 7:30 p.m.
Jacobs (26-3) shot lights out for a little over a quarter. Making 10-of-14 shots (71 percent) from the floor in the first quarter, Jacobs opened up a 26-13 lead after 8 minutes. John Moran scored 7 points with 3 assists, Zack Peterson tallied 6 points and Eric Schmidt scored 5 off the bench as the Golden Eagles jumped on the Titans early.
Jacobs kept the momentum early in the second quarter and grabbed its biggest lead at 17 after a 3-point play by Moran.
Boylan came back with a 16-5 run of its own to end the half and cut the Jacobs deficit to 38-32 at intermission. Moran, who scored 15 points in the first half didn't score in the second half.
Goers went to a box-and-one defense late in the second quarter with Michael Edwards as the main defender on Moran. Moran, who was 6-of-8 from the field in the first half, missed his only 3 attempts of the second half, including a 3-pointer to tie as time was running out.
"I am always defending the top scorer from the other team," said Edwards. "My main job was when he (Moran) passed the ball to make sure he didn't get it back. "
Boylan, which trailed the entire game, took its first lead of the game at 63-61 on a layup by Zach Opheim off an assist by Edwards with 43 seconds left.
The Titans led 66-63 after 2 free throws by Austin Morman with 11.6 seconds left.
The Golden Eagles had one last chance to win, but Moran's 3 was too strong.
"I am happy with the kids," said Jacobs coach Jim Hinkle. "I am happy with the effort. I am just disappointed in the final score."
Opheim led the Titans with 18 points. Stephon Valentine scored 16 and Morman scored 11 of his 14 points in the second half.
Peterson led Jacobs with 19. Moran, a 4-year starter, ended his illustrious career with 15 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals. Krutwig added 14 for the Golden Eagles.