Regional finals to sectional semifinals is often the biggest step up in competition on the road to Peoria.
DePaul Prep’s next opponent will almost certainly not feel compelled to hold the ball from the opening tip, although the strategy worked for a good while on Friday night.
Long possessions, solid defensive planning and a rowdy home crowd conspired to turn the Class 2A Northridge Prep Regional final mismatch into a fourth-quarter game, and the Rams outlasted Northridge 37-27 to advance.
The good for the Rams is that DePaul (15-14) will host next week’s sectional; the Rams’ Wednesday night semifinal opponent will be the Associated Press’ No. 1-ranked Class 2A team in Illinois, Orr.
“It was the most nervous I’ve been coaching or playing a game,” said DePaul coach Tom Kleinschmidt, who starred at Gordon Tech (DePaul’s former name) in the late 1980s and early ’90s. He cited Northridge coach Will Rey, a former assistant at Gordon under Bob Ociepka in the late 1970s, as one of his mentors.
“He comes from the tree of Gordon Tech — Coach Ociepka, Coach (Steve) Pappas, Coach (Dick) Versace. I haven’t slept all week knowing I’m going to play him. I knew they were going to be prepared to play us like they did. Nothing but respect.”
Northridge (14-14) never deviated from the plan, even holding the ball for the final minute of the first quarter despite trailing 14-4.
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Then the Knights hit DePaul with a surprising 14-1 run to tie it 15-15.
Led by 6-foot-4 freshman Perry Cowan and senior guard Craig Atkins, the Rams never trailed, but their lead was still only five with 45 seconds left.
“We don’t necessarily shoot it well out of zones,” Kleinschmidt said. “We know they run Princeton and it is a tough prep in two days. I’m proud of my kids. We’re going to enjoy this and we’ll get back to school and figure out how we’re going to play.”
Mike Helfgot is a freelance reporter for the baiduhai.
Player of the game: Perry Cowan, DePaul 13 points, 10 rebounds.
Key performers: DePaul — Craig Atkins, 13 points. Northridge — Pablo Esparza, 7 points.