The proliferation of buzzer-beaters from halfcourt and beyond this season has not escaped Ridgewood junior Zac Rzewnicki‘s attention.
They seem to be on SportsCenter almost every day, from reigning NBA MVP Steph Curry all the way down to grade-school basketball.
“The UConn one (on Friday afternoon),” Rzewnicki said, “my teammates and I were talking about it on the way to the game.”
Rzewnicki said seeing it happen so routinely gave him the confidence he could join the club if given the opportunity. He made the most of it Friday night, banking in a halfcourt shot to give Ridgewood a 55-54 upset of St. Patrick on its home floor. The Rebels claimed the first sectional title in program history.
He knew he could make the shot, but he had no way to prepare for the emotions that ensued.
“It was crazy,” Rzewnicki said. “It was the most people that have ever been at our school, the first maximum-capacity event we’ve ever had.
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“It was unreal. I can’t even describe it, especially when everybody mobs you. I can’t even put it into words. I don’t think I’ve ever felt like that about anything in my life.”
Just 5-8 through 13 games and 10-11 on Feb. 11, Ridgewood (18-12) upset top-seeded North Chicago before Rzewnicki (20 points, 13 rebounds) shot down No. 2-seeded St. Patrick to set up a date with defending Class 3A champion St. Joseph in the supersectionals Tuesday at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates.
“It is March Madness, anything can happen in this month,” said Rzewnicki, a 6-foot-4 guard who averages about 18.5 points and 10 rebounds. “I think if you believe in it, it is going to happen. All week we were saying St. Pat’s is a neighborhood rival and they can recruit. All week I thought if I had the opportunity, I can do this. We had to show we are just as good as those Catholic schools.”
Back to Normal: Simeon was ranked No. 1 last year when it entered enemy territory for the Class 4A supersectionals and was upset by Normal before a large pro-Normal crowd at Illinois State.
The Wolverines will return to Redbird Arena as the No. 1 team in 4A, but this time the crowd likely won’t be so partisan because their opponent has an equally long ride to Normal. And when they get there, they’ll encounter a friendly face.
East Moline United’s sectional championship run featured junior Traveon Buchanan, a transfer from Simeon.
In addition to averaging more than 20 points, four assists and two steals per game, Buchanan went for 30 points and 10 rebounds in United’s 55-54 victory against Rock Island in the sectional semifinals and scored 26 points in its 50-48 victory against Alton in Friday’s sectional final.
“It is going to be fun to see him,” Simeon coach Robert Smith said. “He has been playing well. They have been playing well.”
Class reunion: The Class 3A semifinals could feature three of last year’s four semifinalists and a state-final rematch.
In addition to No. 10 St. Joseph, No. 2 Morgan Park and Belleville Althoff — ranked No. 1 in 3A by the Associated Press — are a win away from returning to Peoria.
St. Joseph beat Althoff 67-63 in last year’s final. They would meet in the semifinals if both teams win Tuesday night. While 6-11 senior Nick Rakocevic is St. Joseph’s only key returning player, Althoff has all five starters back.
Morgan Park will play unranked Lincoln-Way West (20-9) on Tuesday, with the winner to meet the Peoria Manual-Springfield Southeast winner in Friday’s semifinals.
End of a drought?: Conant is a win away from making program history and ending a long dry spell for the Mid-Suburban League.
If the Cougars (23-6) can upset Rockford Auburn (24-6) in the Class 4A Sears Centre Supersectional in Hoffman Estates on Tuesday, they will not only reach the state semifinals for the first time but become the first MSL school to advance Downstate since class expansion in 2008.
Schaumburg’s 2001 Class AA title is the only state championship won by an MSL school. The Saxons are also the last MSL school to reach the Elite Eight — in 2006.
Conant’s only other Elite Eight appearance under longtime coach Tom McCormack came in 1994. The Cougars outlasted Lake Zurich 59-48 in overtime Friday.
Mike Helfgot is a freelance reporter for the baiduhai.