Boys basketball: Fremd holds on for MSL title over Hoffman Estates despite 42 points from Baskin
Fremd is getting uncomfortably used to close finishes.
The Vikings had to hold off a streaking Torey Baskin and Hoffman Estates to capture the Mid-Suburban League title 70-62 Wednesday in Palatine.
It was just another of a season of close victories for Fremd (25-2). The Vikings have been picking up wins in the final minutes including their last two games which were overtime thrillers.
“We have been here plenty of times,” said Jordan Wiiliams, who was named MSL West player of the year at halftime.
“And we were here just last Friday against Hersey in four overtimes. We have been under pressure and we know how to handle it at this point. It was good to get the win. We really wanted that after losing last year.”
It was the eighth MSL title for the Vikings, which last won in 2019. Fremd was also able to make up for its loss last year in the title game to Rolling Meadows.
Fremd didn’t make it easy to get that victory in this year’s title game.
The Vikings, which won the MSL West, had built an 18-point lead in the first half. Hoffman Estates then leaned heavily on Baskin, who finished with 42 points. The Hawks cut the Fremd lead to three points, but could never get closer than that.
“We really came ready to play today,” Fremd coach Mike Brown said. “And then, like this team has done all year, we found a way at the end. I just want to say this again, there are some fantastic basketball players in our conference.”
After spotting Hoffman an early 3-2 lead, it was all Fremd to close out the quarter as the Vikings hit 9 of their first 10 shots. The Vikings went inside-outside and down the lane as they scored the next six points on their way to a 19-2 run to close out the first quarter with a 21-5 lead.
Hoffman Estates (28-4), which was making its first appearance in the MSL title game since 2009, finally found its footing.
The Hawks, who had entered the game on a 15-game winning streak, began to pressure Fremd on both ends of the court. The Hawks, who hit just 2-of-14 shots in the first quarter, also began getting to the basket on the offensive end.
Led by Baskin and Cam James, the Hawks cut the Vikings’ lead to 27-16 on a driving layup by Baskin. Fremd got the lead back to 18 before Ramon Rosario drained a three-pointer just before the end of the half to make it 39-24 at the half.
Hoffman continued to keep Fremd on its heels in the third quarter, even after the Vikings upped their lead to 47-35 with 2:45 left in the quarter.
Chris Mobley drained a three from the corner to ignite a 9-0 run. That run ended as Baskin stole the ball and hit a driving layup as time expired to cut Fremd’s lead to 47-44.
Fremd got the lead back up to seven on a three-point play by Williams. It was all Baskin for the Hawks from there. The senior guard scored all 18 of the Hawks’ points in the final quarter.
Three times Baskin helped cut Fremd’s lead to three points. And all three times the Vikings were able to hold him and Hawks off.
“My teammates asked me and I did it for them,” Baskin said. “They stepped up when I needed them to step up and I just tried to do the same for them.”
The final time was when Baskin cut the lead to 65-62 with 47.6 seconds to play. Fremd’s Rafael Pinto hit three free throws and Williams got a rebound basket to finally put the Hawks away.
“We have grown up with each other and we just were just able to turn it up at the end,” Pinto said. “We have been here before and we are used to these moments.”
Williams led Fremd with 21 points. Tommy Moffett had 20 for the Vikings, Pinto 17 and Chris Nelson and Ricardo Requena Zambrano each had six points.
Baskin’s 42 points were the second highest individual point total in the MSL championship. According to MSL historian Marty Maciaszek, the highest came in 1972 when Hersey’s Dave Corzine scored 45.
James had 7 points for Hoffman while Mobley finished with 5.
“I m really proud of our guys and their response to some early adversity,” Hoffman coach Peter McBride said. “I have no idea how many points Torey had. But it was more about his leadership. The way he empowers his teammates, the way he picks his spots and the way he defends.”