Bartlett wins in OT as DiCanio reaches 1,000
It would have been easy for the Bartlett boys basketball team to retreat into its shell after junior Jason Hasenberg missed 2 free throws, either one of which would have won Tuesday's nonconference game at Lake Park with no time left on the fourth-quarter clock.
Instead, the Hawks doubled down on their determination and found a way to outlast the DuPage Valley Conference leaders 60-58 in overtime in Roselle on Tuesday.
"It was disappointing that I missed them, but going to overtime we still had it," Hasenberg said. "We're fighters. I knew the team (had) my back."
Bartlett took a 59-56 lead with 44 seconds left in the extra period when Hasenberg split 2 free throws on the heels of 3-pointers by senior Ryan DiCanio and Robby Jimenez.
Lake Park senior guard Marcus McDaniel responded with a drive to the hole for 2 of his game-high 18 points to pull Lake Park (19-5) within 59-58 with 35 seconds to play.
DiCanio then sank the second of 2 free throws with 17.6 seconds left - giving him 15 points on the night and 1,000 for his three-year varsity career - to put Bartlett (18-7) ahead by a basket, setting the stage for one last Lake Park try.
With time ticking away, McDaniel dribbled to his right but was cut off by Bartlett senior guard Mike Ourth. McDaniel reversed direction, picked up his dribble at the left edge of the free-throw line and tried and up-and-under move under a leaping Ourth. His shot rimmed in and out and the rebound landed in the hands of Bartlett's Tyler Pauletti as time expired.
"The better team won," Lake Park coach Josh Virostko said. "We didn't have a good week of practice. We've got a lot of dissension on the team as far as guys worrying about who's getting attention, and Bartlett came in and took advantage of that. Bartlett came in and executed and took care of business and that's what got the job done.
"You have to be able to handle success as well as failure. Right now our kids, when we have success, are not dealing with it well and that showed up tonight."
Lake Park led 31-25 at the half and 43-37 after three quarters, but the Lancers did not score again in regulation after McDaniel drove for a layup with 2:25 left for a 49-45 lead. Bartlett tied the game via a pair of Tyler Pauletti free throws with 44 seconds remaining, which followed 2 free throws from Hasenberg.
Each team had a chance to win the game on its final possession in regulation. Lake Park senior guard Stefan Meccia tried to drive the lane but was forced to dump off to a cutting McDaniel, whose shot in traffic missed the rim and went out of bounds with 1.7 seconds showing on the clock.
Tyler Pauletti threw the ensuing inbounds pass three quarter of the length of the court to Hasenberg ala "the Shot" by Christian Laettner vs. Kentucky in the 1992 NCAA East Regional final. Hasenberg came down with the ball and was fouled by one of the three Lancers who immediately collapsed upon him.
Hasenberg missed both shots, separated by a Lake Park timeout, but the Hawks found a way to win anyway.
"Great game all around," Bartlett coach Jim Wolfsmith said. "I thought our kids really did a good job on the road against a really good team persevering for the W."
Pauletti led Bartlett with 16 points while Hasenberg added 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Meccia finished with 16 points for Lake Park, which was outrebounded 28-23.