Trefilek, Rams stun Mustangs in OT

Back in sixth grade, Glenbard East senior guard Ben Trefilek hit a game-winning shot, the type of play that he easily recalls years later.

But Saturday night at Downers Grove South, Trefilek hit a number of big shots, including the one at the end of overtime that will be remembered for a long, long time.

Trefilek drained a 3-pointer at the top of the key with one second left in overtime that lifted the Rams to a 73-71 nonconference win over a Mustangs team that led most of the night and had a 3-point edge with 2:16 left in OT.

Trefilek's game-winner capped a wild finish that saw Glenbard East's Derak Stanback steal an inbounds pass under the Rams' basket and convert for a 70-69 lead with less than 30 seconds left. The Mustangs' Malcolm Herron, who scored a game-high 24 points, answered with a leaning, off-balance 12-footer that rolled in and looked like it might be a game-winner before Trefilek's buzzer-beating 3.

"We just kept fighting and we made some shots," said Trefilek, who finished with 16 points after hitting a trio of 3-pointers after halftime. "It felt amazing to shoot that (winner). Last year this team had a lot of amazing finishes, and it feels like we're getting some of that this year."

Rams coach Scott Miller was all smiles after the thrilling victory Saturday capped a two-win weekend that started with Friday's DuPage Valley Conference victory over Wheaton Warrenville South.

"It was the back end of a double weekend for both of us, but they had the upper hand because they jumped on us early and had the lead," said Miller, whose team trailed 19-10 early on and still faced 9-point deficits at the end of the second and third quarters. "We made three runs at them and I kind of thought maybe they didn't have enough left in them. But they stepped up and made some big plays."

With Herron scoring 15 points through two quarters and Billy Dillon, Julius Staisiunas and Bledar Dervishi each tallying 7, the Mustangs (5-3) led 36-27 at the half. After playing the hosts even in the third quarter (16-16), Glenbard East trailed 52-43 heading into the final quarter.

Trailing 61-56 with 1:34 left in regulation, Stanback completed a three-point play and moments later hit a 3-pointer for a 62-61 lead. When Jack Merrithey added two foul shots with 34.4 seconds, it looked like the Rams (6-2) would actually win in regulation, but Andrius Simulis hit a 3 to send the game into OT.

When Herron scored the first bucket in the extra session and Dervishi added a free throw for a 67-64 lead, the Mustangs had regained momentum. But a Stanback basket and a pair of free throws from sophomore Lee Skinner set the stage for a wild finish that included clutch baskets from Downers South's Herron and then the Rams' Trefilek.

"The steal at the end kind of put a dagger in it," Herron said of Stanback's key play that proceeded Herron's clutch shot that temporarily gave his team a 71-70 lead. "I thought it was (the winner), but then he somehow made that shot for them."