Fireworks in home finale

Feb. 22, 2008

The saying goes "all good things must come to an end," and for Batavia basketball fans, that's just what happened in a 62-47 win over Kaneland Friday night.

Nick Fruendt put an exclamation point -- make that two exclamation points -- on his Batavia home career, a four-year run that started with a bang as a freshman and has been filled with highlight after highlight ever since.

None of those moments were any better than Friday, when Fruendt scored 27 points, including two slam dunks that sent a packed house into a frenzy.

"All year all my friends nonstop have been, 'When are you going to dunk,'" Fruendt said. "It was cool."

Fruendt's first dunk came after a David Bryant steal in the first quarter. Bryant threw ahead to Fruendt for the breakaway slam.

Bryant also assisted on Fruendt's second dunk, this time in much more spectacular fashion. Bryant again stole the ball near half court, dribbled a few steps and tossed an alley-oop that Fruendt skied for and grabbed to dunk over a Kaneland defender.

"This (pass) was really high and I got up as well as I have all year and it was straight down," Fruendt said.

Fruendt was one of eight seniors honored before the game. The win gives Batavia (20-5, 12-2) the outright Western Sun Conference championship over DeKalb.

Fruendt scored his 27 points on 12-of-18 shooting from the field. He also grabbed 9 rebounds.

"Lot of emotion, I was playing with a lot of energy," Fruendt said. "There's so many memories here. I just wanted to leave it all there.

"I just tried to soak it all in. "It's kind of sad to tell you the truth. It's been a heck of a ride and it's not over yet. Last home game though, it was emotional."