Mead leads Hoffman in battle of unbeatens

South Elgin and Hoffman Estates played as if zero was at stake in their nonconference boys basketball game Saturday night.

Maintaining a record with zero losses, that is.

That led to postseason-type drama and intensity between two teams looking to prove their 7-0 starts were no fluke.

Senior Luke Mead also was no fluke as he scored a career-high 30 points to lead host Hoffman to a 54-53 win in its first of many big tests this season.

"We both knew it was a huge game even though it's not in the conference," Mead said after scoring 16 of Hoffman's final 21 points in the last 10:25. "For us to get a win here is huge to prove to everyone else we're the real deal."

Mead shot 9-for-15 from the field, 9-for-13 on free throws and 3-for-6 on 3-pointers and had 6 rebounds as Hoffman (8-0) continued its best start since the 2003-04 Elite Eight team won its first 10.

"It means a lot, and that we don't take any games off," said senior Chris Hall, who had 10 points and 9 rebounds and put Hoffman ahead to stay with 2 free throws with 1:33 left. "They're a pretty good team and we're a pretty good team."

The third-year South Elgin (7-1) program proved that when it rallied from a 42-33 deficit after three quarters. Jeffrey Lewis (16 points, 7 rebounds) scored twice and Alex Sanchez hit a 3 to cap a 9-point run in the first 2:17 of the fourth.

The second of consecutive running right-handers by Jordan Dobler resulted in a 3-point play and a 49-46 lead with 2:25 to play.

"A great game," said Storm coach Chaz Taft. "We've got to learn from this and understand we did some good things and there are things we need to learn from."

Mead answered by weaving through the lane for a drive at 2:09. After a Storm missed layup, Hall was fouled and went to the line in a 1-and-1 situation with 1:33 left.

Hall missed 4 of his first 6 free throws and was shooting 54 percent for the season but calmly hit both for a 50-49 lead.

"I would have been scared out of my mind," Hall laughed of a year ago when he shot just 39 percent. "(Teammate) Joe Valadez told me it was just like practice."

Tom Dombrowski then turned a midcourt interception into a Mead layup.

"Tom's a real smart player," Mead said. "He's just a hustle guy."

South Elgin was just 2-for-5 on free throws as Lewis split a pair at 0:15 to cut the deficit to 52-50. Mead hit a pair four seconds later as Hoffman finished 14-for-22.

All a 3 by Sanchez with three seconds left could do was set the final score as South Elgin was out of timeouts.

"The bottom line is it was a really good show of senior leadership," Hoffman coach Bill Wandro said of Mead, Hall, Dombrowski and Kemill Long. "They all had solid games."