Metea Valley ousted in OT

Metea Valley’s boys basketball team experienced the thrill of the state playoffs for the first time on Monday.

The disappointment, too, as the Mustangs lost 51-48 in overtime to Bolingbrook, host of this Class 4A regional quarterfinal.

Kenny Obendorf, whose 3-pointer from the right wing sent the game into overtime tied 44-44, had a shot under heavy pressure go in and out from nearly the same spot. Bolingbrook’s LaTree Russell grabbed the rebound as time expired.

“I could have sworn the shot was in when it left my hand,” said Obendorf, who had 5 points at halftime but surged to a game-high 21.

“Obviously, we needed a 3 and I was able to get it off. Just in and out, you know?” he said.

No. 12 seed Metea Valley (15-13) trailed Bolingbrook 40-33 after three quarters and was down 42-33 with 4 minutes, 51 seconds left in regulation.

The Mustangs went on an 8-0 run to get within 42-41 on Raysean Parker’s drive with 2:53 left.

No. 22 Bolingbrook (9-17) went up 44-41 on Dan Fisher’s lay-in, but Obendorf responded with his 3 at 1:07. The Raiders had a shot at the end, but Metea’s Shiv Desai rejected it, his third blocked shot.

In overtime Parker scored twice for a 48-46 Metea lead, but the 6-foot-6 Russell grabbed an offensive rebound and was fouled as he put it back in. Russell, who scored 18 points with 15 rebounds, 3 blocks and 4 steals, made the free throw for a 49-48 lead.

Parker drove again but his shot didn’t fall, and in the last 30 seconds Bolingbrook sandwiched a Metea turnover with 2 free throws for the final margin.

“Whenever you can beat a team that’s supposed to beat you, you’ve got to feel good about it,” said Bolingbrook coach Rob Brost, who gets No. 5 seed Neuqua Valley on Wednesday.

Metea, which averaged 64.3 points entering the playoffs, did not feel good about its offense. The Mustangs led 8-7 after a quarter but trailed 26-17 at halftime, shooting 5 of 22 in that time.

Obendorf, Desai, Ryan Solomon and Sean Davis helped force 13 Bolingbrook turnovers after halftime and 7 in the fourth quarter to get back into it.

“We didn’t want to go home, we wanted to get the ‘W,’” said Parker, who scored 16 points.

Proud of the team regardless, Metea coach Bob Vozza will take solace in returning an entire group he said “exceeded expectations.”

“I think we hit some grooves during the season where we were playing awfully well,” he said, “and the last two weeks we played our best basketball.”