Boys basketball: Pomis, Hersey knock off Fremd in second overtime to win sectional title
Charlie Pomis and Hersey refused to go home a loser to Fremd again.
Pomis drilled a 3-pointer at the end of the first overtime Friday night. Hersey then exploded in the second overtime as Hersey toppled Fremd 73-66 before 2,600 fans Friday at the Class 4A boys basketball sectional at Fremd.
It was the first sectional title for Hersey since 1995 and the fifth in school history.
Hersey (22-7) will play DePaul College Prep (31-3) at 8 p.m. Monday at Now Arena in Hoffman Estates. Three-time defending state champion DePaul College Prep, which has won 26 playoff games in a row, beat Evanston 55-42 Friday at the Loyola sectional.
It was the third meeting this season between Mid-Suburban League rivals Fremd and Hersey, with Fremd winning the previous two meetings. The last time the two teams met just three weeks ago, Fremd won a four-overtime classic.
“All three games have been some of the most competitive games I have ever been in in 24 years of coaching,” said Hersey coach Bob Widlowski, who spent 22 of those years as the coach at Fremd before retiring from teaching,
“They hit some big shots. And then Charlie hit that shot tying us and sending it to a second overtime. The Huskies were very fortunate to get out of here with a win.”
This time overtime belonged to the Huskies.
With 9.7 seconds left in the first overtime and Fremd leading by 3, Hersey had the ball but turned it over. Fremd then was called for a charge on the ensuing inbounds play, giving the ball back to Hersey.
Pomis launched a long 3-point attempt with three seconds left. The ball bounced off the back of the rim and then off a couple of players, and went right back to Pomis. Without hesitation, Pomis fired up a perfect shot to send the game to a second overtime tied at 62.
“It was crazy,” said Pomis, who finished with 31 points and 8 rebounds.
“I missed the first one and then it came right back to me. I saw there were two seconds left and I had to shoot it. Honestly, it was one of the best balls I ever shot.”
After Jordan Williams knocked down two free throws in the second overtime to give Fremd the lead, Hersey took over.
Jake Nawrot, who had been quiet most of the night, scored two baskets inside to give the Huskies the lead for good.
“I couldn’t let my lack of scoring get to me mentally,” said Nawrot, who finished with 12 points, six of which came in overtime.
“I just kept going. We had guys like Charlie and the rest of the guys making amazing plays and stepping up.”
Tristan Trotter, playing his best game of the season, then drilled four consecutive free throws. Pomis then hit two more free throws as the Huskies went on a 10-0 run to put the game away.
“I found my role in the paint and got open for some clutch threes” said Trotter, who finished with 17 points and six rebounds. “I was also able to make some big free throws for us. I made my first shot, which was 3-pointer and that gave me lots of confidence.”
Fremd (28-3), appeared to be in command late in regulation.
Led by another huge night by Williams (31 points, 7 rebounds), Fremd rallied from a 31-28 deficit early in the quarter. With Williams leading the way, the Vikings went on a 15-5 run to lead 43-36.
Fremd continued to lead and appeared to have things in control. The Vikings pulled ahead 53-46 with 2:25 to play on a basket by Rafael Pinto (15 points) on a feed from Tommy Moffett (10 points).
Hersey forced three Fremd turnovers down the stretch. The Huskies made a furious run and tied the game at 54-54 as Pomis sent the game into overtime with a basket with 19 seconds left in regulation.
In overtime Fremd, which was looking to win its first sectional since 2017, trailed 58-56. The Vikings then got a 3-pointer from Moffett and free throws by Chase Nelson and Moffet to pull ahead 62-59 with 13.9 seconds left before Pomis’ heroics sent it into a second overtime.
“We had a lot of great accomplishments with this group,” Fremd coach Mike Brown said. “And more importantly, the group was a bunch of great kids who were easy to coach and they really cared about each other. We showed a lot of grit and resiliency throughout the year.”