BG gets much-needed comeback

After losing three straight at the Elgin Holiday tournament, a comeback win could sure go a long way for the Buffalo Grove boys basketball team.

That's exactly what the Bison (10-4) got Tuesday night with a 50-48 victory in a rematch of the last two Mid-Suburban League title games against two-time defending champion Conant squad in crossover action in Hoffman Estates.

After trailing by as much as nine in the third quarter, BG coach Ryan O'Connor found his team down a point with 37 seconds left in the game and used his final timeout to put together a play.

That play ended up falling apart, but with 10 seconds left, senior guard Dan Wichmann drove a heavily congested lane and dished the ball to senior Matt Newman, who was flanking the basket. Newman (12 points) made the layup to give the Bison the lead and, ultimately, the win.

"That was all kids," O'Connor said of the final play. "We ran a play and it was a bust. The kids stepped up."

Conant (10-3) still had time to run a play, but a half-court 3-point attempt was well off the mark, and the Bison added a point at the free-throw line to finish off the Cougars.

"I don't actually remember much about the play," an overwhelmed Newman said after the game. "We had a lot to prove. Playing the way we did, I think it speaks immensely about us. We needed this win. We were proving this to ourselves more than anything."

In an intensely physical game that included 38 total personal fouls, including seven for charging, free throws were at a premium. The Bison, after having missed all 5 of their attempts in the first half, were 10-for-14 in the second.

"We didn't let them frustrate us," junior forward Mike Cornely said. "We just played our game."

Cornely led BG with 16 points and 5 rebounds. He shot a seemingly effortless 7-for-7 from the floor. The Cougars were led by David Trinco (12 points, 8 rebounds) and Tim Gilhooly (11 points).

"When we work hard we get positive results," O'Connor said. "I think this win opened the guys' eyes that we need to keep getting after it in practice if we want to keep our foot in the conference race."