Glenbard North stuns Lake Park on Hernandez dagger in OT
Turnabout was fair play for Glenbard North’s basketball team Tuesday night.
Earlier this month, the Panthers lost a 44-42 double-overtime decision to Lake Park on Camden Cerese’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer from the top of the key.
This time, Glenbard North (21-11) stunned the top-seeded Lancers (29-4), 37-36, in the Addison Trail Class 4A sectional semifinals on a 3-pointer by senior forward JJ Hernandez with four-tenths of a second remaining in overtime.
Hernandez, who finished with a team-leading 16 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocked shots, received a pass from sophomore teammate Josh Abushanab, turned and rattled in the game-winning shot, sending the Panthers to Friday’s 7 p.m. sectional championship against Wednesday’s Batavia-York winner.
“Coach (Kevin Tonn) wanted the ball in my hands,” said Hernandez. “To be honest, I didn’t know if he wanted me to shoot a 2 or a 3 (pointer). I just caught the ball, turned around and shot it — and it went in.
“It felt good coming off my hand, but it didn’t even feel real when it went in.”
Last December, the Panthers wasted a late lead in a 49-45 loss to the DuKane Conference champion Lancers.
“We were due for a little payback on them,” said Tonn. “We lost two really tough ones — one in double overtime and one in regulation at our place. Credit to our kids for responding.”
Trailing 36-34 in the 4-minute extra session, the Panthers received another chance after Hernandez forced a steal with 7.4 seconds remaining.
During the subsequent timeout, Tonn drew up a play — and Hernandez delivered.
“Players make plays,” said Tonn, “and we have a great player in JJ Hernandez. He made a great shot. They’re (the Lancers) such a good defensive team — there’s little that they don’t foil on a drawn-up play. I’m glad we got him the ball and it happened the way it did.”
It was an agonizing way to lose for the Lancers, who matched their single-season school record for victories this season.
“We knew where the ball was going,” said Lancers coach Billy Pitcher. “Give him (Hernandez) credit. He made a heck of a shot. That was an incredible shot — we were all over him. He’s so athletic that he can jump up and rise over anybody we have, and pretty much anybody in the state, and make that shot.
“He had a phenomenal game tonight — threes, drives, a couple big blocks — he was incredible.”
Lake Park, led by Cerese (16 points, 3 steals) and Tommy Rochford (15 points), held a 34-28 lead with 4:52 left in regulation following Rochford’s layup.
But the Panthers, playing without injured all-conference forward Jalen Crues (broken wrist), answered with 3-pointers from Jack Schager (6 points) and Abushanab (11 points, 3 rebounds) — the latter coming with 42 seconds remaining to force overtime.
Fifty-six seconds into the extra session, the game was suspended due to a tornado warning, as all players and spectators took cover in the high school.
Following the hourlong delay, the Lancers took a 36-34 lead on Cerese’s inside bucket with 1:02 left, setting the stage for a frenetic final minute.
“That was weirdest thing that I’ve ever been a part of as far as a varsity basketball game,” said Tonn. “We talked a little and tried to stay loose. We found a way.”
Dennasio LaGioia added 6 points for the Lancers, who saw their 16-game winning streak snapped at the worst time.
“I thought this was the team that was going to get downstate,” said Pitcher. “We believed it with our seniors and our experience.
“I just told them that I’m sorry we couldn’t do enough as a staff to put them in a better position to win today. It’s not going to sink in for a while.”