Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Junior guard Georgette Topalis only made one basket during Buffalo Grove’s thrilling 35-33 Mid-Suburban East win over the rival Hersey girls basketball team on Friday, Jan. 22, but it had enormous implications.

Hersey’s Claire Gritt sank the front end of a one-and-one free-throw situation to tie the game with 18.4 seconds left. But when she missed the second free throw, Buffalo Grove senior Sammy Stejskal (seven points, five rebounds, five assists) ripped down the rebound.

Without hesitation, Stejskal raced to the other end the court, creating a two-on-one fast break. As Stejskal was about to shoot a contested jumper, Topalis stood by herself in the lane about 10 feet away, shouting at Stejskal. She was wide open.

“I was screaming at her really loud — she almost shot it,” Topalis said. “I was just standing there screaming. Then, she gave me the ball. Great sharing of the ball by Sammy.”

Topalis then banked a layup off the glass and in for the game-winner with 12.2 seconds to go. She was also fouled hard on the play, and though she missed the three-point play attempt moments later, it didn’t matter.

Bison coach Steve Kolodziej had two fouls to give during those final 12.2 seconds and used them, which left Hersey with less than four seconds to attempt a hurried desperation three at the buzzer. It fell short.

“Coach using those fouls at the end was huge, just huge,” Stejskal said. “In those final seconds during Hersey’s final timeout, coach immediately told us to take a pair of fouls, but to be careful not to let anyone shoot when we did. Great strategy by him and the rest of our assistant coaches.”

The victory put the Bison (18-4, 6-0) two games ahead of the Huskies (4-2), and in the driver’s seat in the division title race. It was the second time this season Topalis made a game-winning basket against Hersey.

Against the Huskies on Dec. 18 last year, Topalis stole the ball near midcourt with eight seconds to play, then made a layup that gave her team a two-point lead — and eventually a 55-52 win.

“The reason why [Topalis] is in that spot is because she plays her heart out, and gives a maximum effort.” Kolodziej said. “Kids get rewarded when they do that. They find a way to be in the right place at the right time.”

Hersey had plenty of opportunities to take control, but couldn’t. Buffalo Grove shot 5-for-10 from the field in the first half, but was just 5-for-20 in the second half. The Huskies (15-for-50 from the field) took 20 more shots than the Bison, thanks to their 18 offensive rebounds.

Hersey coach Mary Fendley conceded Buffalo Grove will likely win the division title now.

“I can see them maybe losing one game out of the remaining four they have in the division, but not two. They’re too talented,” Fendley said. “I didn’t think we’d lose tonight after holding a team as good as Buffalo Grove to 35 points. I didn’t think we’d have a bad first and second quarter shooting the ball, either, but then that turned into a bad third and fourth quarter offensively for us. The chances were there. We just didn’t get it done. We couldn’t finish.”

Tim Froehlig is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.

Twitter: @TFroehlig