Elgin not happy with win over IC
The Elgin boys basketball team edged visiting Immaculate Conception 41-40 Wednesday, but you'd never know it based on the reactions of the respective teams.
For Class 4A Elgin, winning its 20th game of the season on Senior Night against a high-caliber Class 2A team like the Suburban Christian Conference Gold champion Knights (22-3) should have been cause for celebration.
Instead, the sullen Maroons (20-3) left Chesbrough Field House scratching their heads after Kory Brown's free-throw with 2.4 seconds remaining saved the Maroons from a stunning upset.
"We have seniors who are finishing their careers and they should be looking to finish on a high note, not just get by and survive," Elgin coach Michael Sitter said. "I'm a little disappointed."
Though Immaculate Conception dropped its first road game of the season, slugging it out toe to toe with talented Elgin for 32 minutes only buoyed the Knights' collective confidence heading into next Wednesday's Class 2A regional semifinal at Westmont.
"We picked up this game late, and the reason I wanted to come here and play was so our kids would get this atmosphere," IC coach Darren Howard said. "We think we've got a legitimate shot to go downstate. This was a big test for us and we passed the test.
"I told the kids the whole time I thought that we could play with these guys, and we had a golden opportunity to win it."
IC trailed 32-26 with 5:30 to play, but the Knights used a 12-4 run to take a 38-36 lead. Senior Daniel Ribando tied the game 36-36 with a 3-pointer with 2:54 to play, and junior Adam Muellers' 2 free throws lifted the Knights to a 38-36 advantage with 1:56 left.
Elgin knotted the score with 2 bonus free throws by junior Arie Williams with 1:44 remaining.
After a turnover by IC and a missed breakaway layup by Elgin, the Knights regained possession with a chance to win the game. However, a 3-point attempt from the top of the arc by Demetrius Carr (10 points) with 58 seconds left wouldn't fall.
Elgin's Dennis Moore grabbed the rebound and sank 2 bonus free throws to give the Maroons the lead, but the Knights weren't done. Muellers spotted senior center Brian Harvey cutting in the paint and fed him for a high-percentage basket with 16 seconds to play.
Elgin immediately inbounded the ball and raced up court. Though Brown had scored only 5 points to that juncture, the Maroons put the ball in his hands. The 6-foot-4 senior drove the lane, drew the foul and sank the front end of the bonus for the final margin.
"They overplayed on him a little, so he penetrated the hoop and three guys collapsed on him," Sitter said. "He did a good job of getting to the free-throw line. He's been shooting about 80 percent lately, so that's the guy we wanted to have at the line late in the game."
Brown's second free throw rimmed out, but the Knights were whistled for a double dribble before they could launch a desperation heave at the buzzer. Elgin inbounded and the buzzer sounded to end the game.
Despite the loss, Harvey an the Knights left Chesbrough smiling.
"We played really good defense, we kept penetrating, we set really good screens and kept getting rollbacks," said Harvey, who scored 8 of his team-high 13 points during an 11-0 third-quarter run. "We were pounding it inside, taking smart shots. They're a Class 4A team, so this gives us a lot of confidence down the stretch and heading into the playoffs."
Elgin knows more work needs to be done to regain its midseason form.
"We can't have close games like this late in the season," said Moore, who led Elgin with 16 points. "We're trying to get everything going. We just have to work hard in practice and make sure that we come out Friday ready to play because we need to step it up."
Elgin continues play within the UEC River Division Friday at Streamwood.
IC hosts its regular-season finale against Walther Lutheran Friday.