Maybe now someone will give Rich Central some respect.
“We don’t care (about respect),” Rich Central coach Lee Boyko said. “We’re in the Sweet 16, and it’s a great feeling.”
Rich Central (22-7) held off SICA South rival Rich South 71-70 in a thrilling sectional final Friday night at Thornridge.
Lance Williams scored 24 points and D’Juan Surratt and B.J. Davis each added 16 as the 20th-ranked Olympians advanced to the Hinsdale Central supersectional Tuesday for the first time since 1986. Rich Central will face No. 2 Fenwick.
Davis hit seven of nine free throws in the final quarter as the Olympians hit 11 of 13 in the fourth and 15 of 21 for the game. Rich South, on the other hand, hit just 11 of 26.
But it was the two that Davis missed that almost cost the Olympians.
With 7 seconds left and Rich Central up 71-70, Davis missed both free throws after he was fouled by Deon Packer.
“I relaxed too much,” Davis said. “After I missed, I just tried to get the ball back.”
Rich South (22-7) rebounded the second Davis miss and attempted the game-winner but couldn’t get a shot off, losing the ball out of bounds. Rich Central then inbounded and ran out the clock.
“If he doesn’t make the first seven, it doesn’t get us to the last two,” Boyko said.
“It’s a tough game for someone to lose,” Rich South coach Fred Jacobeit said. “If we can’t go on, then I’m glad Rich Central can.”
Gibran Carter led Rich South with 19 points.
Bob Foltman.
Waukegan: No. 7 Zion-Benton (30-1) prevailed over Waukegan 49-47 in overtime in a gymnasium that was packed 45 minutes before tipoff. Quiande Moore (12 points) scored the game’s final basket with 1:03 left in overtime, and the top-seeded Zee-Bees held on for their first sectional title.
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“When I drove to the hoop, one of their players turned their back on me and that left me open for the dunk,” Moore said. “After that, all I thought about was the win.”
Rod Henry led the victors with 14 points. Kendon Edwards, whose buzzer-beating attempt in OT rimmed out, had 14 points in defeat. Waukegan (15-12), the No. 7 seed, forced overtime with a 6-1 run to end regulation play. A short jumper by Waukegan’s Dennis Shellie tied the game.
Zion-Benton will meet No. 10 Maine West in Tuesday’s Evanston supersectional.
East Aurora: Naperville North (25-3) beat West Aurora 69-57, setting a school record with its 11 straight victory and tying another with its 25th victory overall.
West Aurora’s Derrick Perry (13 points) hit a three-pointer at the halftime buzzer to bring the Blackhawks (21-8), last year’s Class AA state runner-up, within two points. West tied the game 42-42 late in the third quarter before Naperville North’s Chad Plotke ignited a 15-2 run with a three-pointer. Plotke scored 22, Henry Domercant 17 and Phil Torres 15 for Naperville North.
“I told Chad and Henry at halftime, `You’re our show. You have to step up,’ ” Naperville North coach Mark Lindo said. “And they really responded well,”
Andre Newson scored 18 for West Aurora.
Oswego: No. 6 Richards (28-1) won its first sectional title, defeating Brother Rice 60-51. Morgan Thompson and Demetris McDaniel each scored 18, and David Bridgewater added 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Bulldogs. Brother Rice (23-7), which was led by Pat Harvey’s 22 points, rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit and tied the game 43-43 with 4:36 left in the fourth quarter. But Richards, which faces Joliet Tuesday at East Aurora, went 6 for 6 from the free-throw line the rest of the way.
“They (Richards) are a good team,” Brother Rice coach Pat Richardson said. “They don’t have a weak player and they make their free throws. They kept their composure when we tied it.”
Peoria Richwoods: Peoria Manual (27-2), which has won four straight Class AA titles, used 24 points by Frankie Williams in its 57-45 victory over Peoria Central (21-6). Manual will play Quincy Tuesday in the Normal supersectional.
Springfield: J.D. Summers scored 18 points as Quincy (24-5) defeated Lincoln 55-53 in double overtime. Brian Cook totaled 21 points and 14 rebounds for Lincoln (25-3).
East Moline United: Galesburg (27-2) topped Moline 60-48 behind Joey Range’s 26 points and Rod Thompson’s 18 points and 12 rebounds. Moline (25-3) trailed 49-48 with more than 5 minutes left, but Galesburg scored the final 11 points, including nine by Range. Galesburg will meet Rockford Boylan on Tuesday at the Rockford Metro Centre.
Rockford Boylan: The host Titans (30-1) routed Rockford East 68-48 behind Joe Tulley’s 27 points. East finished 18-13.
Salem: Centralia edged Mt. Vernon 70-67 in overtime on Luke Sharp’s layup and free throw with 10 seconds remaining. Mt. Vernon attempted two three-pointers in the closing seconds, but both rimmed out. Sharp and Ty Moss each scored 20 to lead Centralia (26-5). Kent Williams had 27 points for Mt. Vernon (25-4).
“I’m a father too,” said Centralia coach Rick Moss, whose son is Ty Moss. “I have a kid who prayed every night. He wore his uniform to bed last night. That’s how much he wanted it.”
Centralia and East St. Louis Lincoln will meet in Tuesday’s Carbondale supersectional.
Collinsville: East St. Louis Lincoln (20-6) won its first sectional title since 1990 with a 60-55 overtime victory over host Collinsville. Terrence Slater scored 18 points for the Tigers. Kevin Edwards came off the bench to score six in overtime for Lincoln. Shawn Moore’s 16 points and 15 rebounds paced Collinsville (19-11).