Buffalo Grove 56, Hersey 49
A healthy Paul Timko got the chance to dance this year.
A healthy Chris Timberg got his shot at taking the 3-pointers he hit last year.
And Buffalo Grove's boys basketball team gets another crack at defending Mid-Suburban League champion Conant in Wednesday's title game.
BG never trailed after the first 4½ minutes and clinched a share of its second straight MSL East title with Friday night's 56-49 victory over Hersey at Ken Carter Gymnasium in Arlington Heights.
"We're a hard team to catch up to once we get the lead," said senior Mike Ricciardi, who had 10 points and 8 rebounds in BG's fifth shared or solo East title since 2002.
BG (18-6, 8-2) reversed a 53-44 loss to Hersey (14-11, 6-4) a month ago and held the point-differential tiebreaker edge in its split with Prospect (16-9, 8-2).
That had Timko, who missed most of last year because of injury, showcasing some celebratory moves after the postgame meeting in Hersey's dance room.
"We were dancing last year at Rolling Meadows and I told 'Char' (Ricciardi), 'bring your stereo system to the game,'" Timko said after scoring 10 points. "They were all dancing last year, but it was bittersweet (for me)."
This season looked as if it might have a bitter end for Timberg, an all-conference pick last year who missed the first 18 games with a fractured bone in his foot.
After tying the single-game school record with seven 3s last Sunday, Timberg came off the bench to hit his first 3 tries behind the arc off Brian DeSimone (9 points, 5 assists) feeds to put BG ahead to stay in the first quarter.
"It just feels like all the waiting time and time on the bench paid off," Timberg said after scoring 16 points on 5-for-9 shooting beyond the arc. "Three weeks before I got cleared I looked at the X-ray and it still didn't look good. I was even having doubts if I'd be able to play this season.
"It's definitely nice and definitely a surprise. With how well 'Bri' drives to the basket, you've got to be ready to shoot out there."
Griffin Dwyer had a game-high 18 points and hit three 3s for Hersey, which started 5-0 in the East, and junior Kyle Mengarelli had a career-high 13 points.
But the Huskies were just 6-for-16 on free throws, committed 17 turnovers and 6-foot-9 Luke Fabrizius came off the bench to score just 4 points on 2-for-13 shooting.
"I think it helped him get over the hump," said Hersey coach Steve Messer after Fabrizius had 6 of his 8 rebounds in the second half. "He's been struggling but it helps coming off the bench and coming in fresh."
BG coach Ryan O'Connor liked the work of Ricciardi and junior James Hurley (7 points) on Fabrizius. The undersized Bison were only outrebounded 31-27 and forced 17 turnovers.
"Everything we talked about all week we executed," Timko said as BG led 51-41 with 1:43 left.
Hersey had a chance to get within two but missed a chance off a rebound with 37 seconds left and BG sealed it by hitting 5-of-6 free throws.
"Whenever they made a little run kids stepped up and made plays," O'Connor said. "That's how you win championships."