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Balanced Palatine eliminates Hersey

Perhaps Hersey boys basketball coach Steve Messer said it best.

"They (Palatine) have seven really good basketball players," said the Huskies coach. "They out-performed us tonight. We were playing catch up all night. We could never get a series of stops all night."

Messer's assessment came after Palatine defeated the Huskies 63-48 in the championship game of the Class 4A Cary-Grove regional Friday night in Cary.

The Pirates (23-8) advance to the Class 4A Barrington sectional to play Lake Park at 7 p.m. Wednesday. The Lancers defeated Grayslake North 54-50 in overtime to capture the Fremd regional crown.

Hersey, the Mid-Suburban East champ, ends the season at 18-10.

The Huskies couldn't contain the Pirates' 1-2 punch of Mike E. Williams and Chris Macahon, who combined for 38 points.

Williams muscled his way to 23 points and grabbed 13 rebounds while Macahon scored 15, which included 3 treys.

"Mike Williams played like a man-child tonight," said Palatine coach Eric Millstone. "He plays so aggressively and knows how to take the ball to the basket. Chris is our three-year starter and senior leader. He got us going early."

Williams, who made 10 of 13 shots from the floor, scored 14 in the first half.

"We knew Hersey is a good team," said Williams. "It was important we got off to a good start."

Macahon who scored 10 points in the first half, was 3 of 5 from 3-point range.

"We were really hyped for this game," said Macahon. "We know Hersey is a very good teams. Our defense was excellent. We fought through screens and were able to get out and guard their shooters."

The Pirates seized control of the game from the onset, scoring the first 10 points of the game.

Williams scored 2 baskets and Macahon, Matt Ulrich and RJ Smith each had buckets as Palatine led 10-0 with 5:25 left in the first quarter.

Hersey's first basket of the game came on a layup by Zak Cooper with 5:11 left to make the score 10-2.

The closest Hersey got in the first half was at 31-26 after a 3-pointer by Payton Haas with 2:46 left before half.

The Pirates responded by scoring the final 6 points of the half, which included a layup from Williams at the buzzer to give Palatine a 37-26 lead at intermission.

Palatine's biggest lead of the game was 46-29 after a 3 by Macahon with 4:59 left in the third quarter.

Haas led Hersey with 17 points and Joe Coffaro scored 12, with a pair of 3s.

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