Glenbard North drops Lake Park in overtime
Lake Park kept leaving the door of opportunity open, so finally James Fleming and his Glenbard North teammates barged right on in.
Despite trailing by 8 points at the half and by 7 points midway through the fourth quarter, the visiting Panthers (2-3) sent the game into overtime with Fleming's last-second shot in regulation and then went on to win 58-55.
Fleming led all scorers with 22 points, but it was after he fouled out that forward Reggie Davis drew a crowd and then set up Brandon Metoyer with a critical layup in the Panthers victory that snapped a three-game skid and sends them into Friday's home opener on a high note.
"We knew this was a game we had to win after we had lost three straight," said Fleming, who banked home a jumper from the top of the key as time expired to send the contest into overtime tied at 48-48. "On that last shot I felt I got fouled, but at least it went in."
The Lancers (3-5), who led 28-20 at the half and 44-37 midway through the final quarter, missed the front end of two late 1-and-1 situations and then split a pair of free throws to take a 48-46 lead with 4.9 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
That proved to be just enough time for Fleming's heroics, then Metoyer dropped in his only basket of the night in overtime for a 55-54 Panthers lead with 16 seconds left in OT and it proved to be the game winner.
"It felt awesome," Metoyer said. "I was wide open and Reggie (Davis) made a great pass. What was better was James' shot, but we showed that we have more players who can make plays."
Sophomore Dominique Spencer made plenty of plays for the Lancers, finishing with 15 points, 10 rebounds and a steal, and center Antonio Pietanza added 12 points and 8 boards for the tough-luck Lancers.
"He's a good player and if you miss enough free throws and give him enough opportunities, he'll find a way to beat you," Lake Park coach Josh Virostko said of Fleming. "We gave him an opportunity and he seized it."
The game was tied at 34-34 after three quarters before the Lancers appeared to take control in the fourth quarter thanks in part to two baskets from Nick Zanghi and 6 points from Spencer.
But Fleming dropped in a big 3-pointer in the quarter and then the even bigger game-tying buzzer-beater. Davis finished with 11 points, 6 rebounds and one very big assist for Glenbard North, while Anthony Keener had 8 points, including three foul shots in the overtime.