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Batavia wins in 2 OTs; Kaneland takes tourney title

Canaan Coffey capped a memorable day for his family Saturday night.

The Batavia sophomore guard had not scored a point after hitting his opening shot of the Bulldogs’ game against Englewood — until it truly mattered.

Taking advantage of an Englewood player who unwisely went for a steal with his team up by 3 points, Coffey drained a 3-pointer from the beyond the top of the key.

It could have been a true Hollywood story had he converted the free throw after being fouled in the process.

But the dramatic field goal enabled Batavia to reach overtime in the final game of the Bulldogs’ Ken Peddy Windmill City Classic.

In the first extra session, the teams’ mutually squandered possessions took another turn when Englewood guard Ashton Hilliard forced another extra session.

The senior had a chance to engineer an all-time game-winner in the second OT, but his desperation shot from just inside the timeline bounced harmlessly off the backboard to preserve the Bulldogs’ 76-74 victory.

Micah Coffey, the starting quarterback for the Bulldogs’ Class 6A state championship team — which was honored at halftime in a special ceremony — will join the team next week along with Tucker Knox.

The other two teams in the tournament, Kaneland and St. Francis, also entered final-day play with identical 1-1 records.

But the Knights’ comfortable 66-48 win over St. Francis, coupled with their win over Batavia on Wednesday, gave the top team prize to Kaneland.

The Bulldogs were trailing 63-60 — following an 8-point unanswered Englewood run — when Coffey tied the game.

“My teammates trusted me,” Coffey said. “Even though I wasn’t playing very well, I just kept taking the shots. I had the open look and took the shot.”

The double-overtime outcome symbolized a contest that was repeatedly characterized by one team seeming ready to take command, only to see its opponent counterattack with effectiveness.

Seven players finished in double figures for the two teams.

Tournament MVP Shartone Moore was brilliant all evening for Englewood with his 27 points and command of the paint.

Hilliard matched his senior teammate for game-high honors.

But Batavia post Chasen Peez had 25 points, and Jeremy Schoessling was equally effective with 18 points.

Danny Pieczynski and Mark Schmidt had a dozen points each for Batavia, who went to overtime in all three games of the tournament.

“I think we are going to be a team that gets better (as the season progresses),” Batavia coach Jim Nazos said. “We’re a team that’s looking for consistency.”

Kaneland had a 9-point run to break the only tie of the game against St. Francis.

Dylan Vaca made sure the Spartans never threatened after the Knights (2-1) opened up a double-digit lead at halftime.

The sophomore sharpshooter hit three 3-pointers in the third quarter; he had 12 of his game-high 21 points in the quarter.

“I was open and shot them,” Vaca said. “I was coming off screens and was open. We didn’t make the same mistakes we did (on Friday against Englewood in losing a late lead).”

St. Francis made only 4 of its 20 second-half field-goal attempts.

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