Redhawks: 'We're for real'
A Naperville invasion is expected to hit Oswego on Friday night.
Naperville Central held on Wednesday night to defeat a persistent Bolingbrook team 68-61 to advance to Friday's Class 4A Oswego East sectional championship game against south Naperville school Neuqua Valley.
"It's going to be a huge game," Redhawks senior Drew Crawford said. "Two great teams are going to go at it. The whole community is going to be out, I know that. Their school really supports them. Our school really supports us, they were out here tonight. It's going to be huge."
As usual, the Northwestern-bound Crawford had a huge game, scoring 23 points to go with 12 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks, but he had to watch the final 1 minute and 39 seconds on the bench. He fouled out with the second-seeded Redhawks (27-2) leading by 6 on a call that left the Redhawks faithful howling mad.
"That was tough initially just because I wanted to be in the game," Crawford said. "After that I was calm because I knew my team had my back and they were going to finish the game out strong."
Third-seeded Bolingbrook (20-7) failed to take advantage, missing both free throws on that call and finishing just 15 of 29 at the free-throw line.
"We made a good run at them, but the bottom line is they're a very good team and they're very well-coached," Raiders coach Robert Brost said. "You miss (14) free throws like we missed, you're not going to win too many games against a team like this."
With Crawford on the bench, the remaining Redhawks were a group that kept their composure against the Bolingbrook press and made their free throws, going 8 of 10 the rest of the game, 25 of 33 for the game.
"I thought Drew was outstanding like he always is, but we came to play," Naperville Central coach Pete Kramer said. "We came to prove to people that, you know what? We're for real. We're not just the Drew Crawford show."
It was Bolingbrook's show at the game's start. The Raiders ran out to a 9-0 lead before Crawford took matters into his own hands with a lay-in.
"Our intensity was good at the beginning of the game, but whenever you play a team of this caliber, it's not ever going to be easy," Brost said. "We know that they're very good, and Drew, in my opinion, is one of the best players in the state if not the best player in the state, so whenever you have that combination and those guys shooting 3s like they do, it's a tough out."
Once the Redhawks found their scoring touch, they came back quickly. A David Mallett 3-pointer tied the game at 16 to finish the first-quarter scoring. The Redhawks took their first lead at 20-19 on a Crawford basket, and the margin reached 10 early in the third quarter. Bolingbrook kept attacking the basket and drawing fouls, but inconsistent foul shooting kept the Raiders from getting closer than 3 points.
"We just needed a play here or there to come our way, and we needed to hit our free throws," Brost said.
Senior guard Diamond Taylor, who will play at Wisconsin next year, led Bolingbrook with 23 points, getting 13 of them in the fourth quarter. He was the only Raider in double figures.
Point guard Danny Ondik made 11 free throws and finished with 17 points for the Redhawks. Junior center Matt Neufeld added 12 points, and Mallett's three 3-pointers gave him 9 points.
CLASS 4A OSWEGO EAST SECTIONAL SEMIFINAL
naperville central 68, bolingbrook 61
Bolingbrook - Snyder 2 1-4 6, Taylor 8 6-14 23, Greene 4 0-1 8, Walker 3 0-0 7, Burns 3 2-2 9, Cox 1 4-6 6, Weatherall 0 2-2 2. Totals 21 15-29 61.
Naperville Central - Crawford 6 10-13 23, Linne 1 2-2 5, Mallett 3 0-0 9, Ondik 2 11-14 17, Neufeld 6 0-0 12, Pomeroy 0 0-0 0, Rickert 0 1-2 1, Cephus 0 1-2 1. Totals 18 25-33 68.
Bolingbrook 16 6 14 25 -61
Naperville Central 16 13 13 26 -68
3-point baskets: B: Snyder, Taylor, Walker, Burns. NC: Mallett 3, Ondik 2, Crawford, Linne.
Fouled out: B: Snyder, Cox, Weatherall. NC: Crawford.