CL Central nips Jacobs
As the song says, "One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do," and it was a number of significant meaning for the Jacobs boys basketball team Wednesday night.
In the Consolation A semifinal of their own holiday classic against Crystal Lake Central, Jacobs may have won the turnover edge 19-18 as well as the free throw edge 8-7. But in the most important column, Central edged out Jacobs 50-49 to advance to the Consolation A championship after Mike Peterson's long-distance game-winning attempt clanked out.
Jacobs (6-4) will play St. Charles North today at noon for third place in the Consolation A bracket.
"We probably had one more mistake or one more turnover than they did," Jacobs coach Jim Hinkle said. "They made one fewer mistake than we did. So they win."
Central (10-2) took a 39-38 lead into the final quarter and from the onset, the lead would seesaw until the final the 2 minutes, when Central made its final charge.
Jon Nemcek's basket with 1:45 remaining and Matt Gleixner's right corner jumper gave the Tigers a 3-point lead heading into the final minute of play. Gleixner had a team-high 15 points, while Joe Pijanowski and Alex Polk scored 10 each for Central.
After both teams exchanged free throws, Nick Hofman (who just happens to wear No. 1) drilled a 3-pointer from the left wing to tie it at 49 with 28 seconds left. Hofman led the Eagles with 20 points on 7 for 19 shooting.
The Tigers let the clock run down and in the final 6 seconds left it to Jake Chrystal at the free throw line, who was fouled going to the hoop with 3.3 seconds remaining. After missing his first foul shot, Chrystal converted on the second, giving Central a 50-49 lead.
"After that first free throw, it felt great, the form felt great," Chrystal said. "I knew I had to just trust my form. I watched the second one go in and it felt great."
Jacobs' last play was designed for Hofman, who was supposed to come off a pick and hit the game-winner. Jacobs had a bit of trouble getting it down court as Hofman couldn't get free. He saw the ball go to Peterson, who got a great look outside in the left wing.
"We were just going to do a pick and roll, if they put two on (Peterson), he was going to kick it to me," Hofman said. "If they both jumped on me, he was going to pull it. So whoever was open was going to take the shot."
It was a physical game throughout, as no lead got greater than 6 points. Turnovers flooded the game early, as the teams would end up combining for 37, most of Jacobs' turnovers coming in the second half (10), when the Eagles also looked like they'd run away with it in the third quarter when they hit 7 of 11 from the field giving them a 5-point lead on Jon Kowalski's basket with under 3 minutes left.
"We came out (of halftime) and the offense starting clicking a little bit," Hinkle said. "It was short-lived for either team. Nobody got into stretches were they were hitting."
Both teams were even on the boards at 22, while Jacobs shot just 38 percent opposed to Central's 50.