Kyle Sliwa said a 3-pointer was not the plan as Fremd faced a three-point deficit with the clock winding down and the Vikings’ perfect record in the balance.
Sliwa’s four-point play with 12.2 seconds left was the difference as No. 8 Fremd rallied for a dramatic 42-41 victory over No. 10 Conant in a Mid-Suburban League classic Friday night in Palatine.
“The play wasn’t designed for that,” Sliwa said. “We were more looking for a screen-roll to get to the basket and get another quick shot, but we broke it off and I was open so I took the shot.”
Sliwa scored 15 points, and Ryan Martin had primary responsibility in holding Conant star Jimmy Sotos to two. The Vikings (17-0, 6-0 MSL West) beat the Cougars (15-4, 4-2) for the second time to put themselves in the driver’s seat for the conference title and the top seed in the Class 4A Elk Grove Sectional.
“It’s a shot I shoot in warmups, shot fake and a step-back, but I never used it in a game before,” Sliwa said. “They were closing out hard after I hit a few. Once I saw him jump I knew I was going to shoot it.”
Fremd is rarely in a hurry to shoot, but a three-point deficit in the final minute isn’t the time for patience.
Conant led by three twice in the final 50 seconds. Fremd cut it to one by forcing a turnover that led to a Brian Dompke layup before 6-foot-9 junior Ryan Davis extended Conant’s lead to 41-38 with 26.8 seconds left.
It was not immediately clear whether a foul was called on Sliwa’s clutch shot because the referee did not clearly signal one. Sliwa eventually made it to the foul line to make the free throw that ended up as the winning point.
Conant did not seem to agree with the call.
“There were some things going on out there that were outside our control,” Conant coach Tom McCormack said. “I thought the kids battled, their kids battled. I thought our kids did a great job controlling what we could control.”
Mike Helfgot is a freelance reporter for the baiduhai.
Player of the game: Kyle Sliwa, Fremd, 15 points, 4 3-pointers.
Key performers: Conant — Ryan Davis, 13 points, 8 rebounds; Michael Downing, 15 points. Fremd — Luke Schoffstall, 11 points.