Dreamy finish for Topalis, Buffalo Grove against Hersey

With the game tied at 52, Hersey coach Mary Fendley called a time out to set up a play with 14.6 seconds left in the final quarter.

Meanwhile, Buffalo Grove junior Georgette Topalis listened to defensive instructions in her team's huddle.

Little did she know she would be listening to the largest roar of the night about 10 seconds later, thanks to her own little dream moment of a thrilling 55-52 girls basketball victory.

With about eight seconds left, Topalis made a steal near half-court and dramatically charged to the basket with a defender glued to her.

With the crowd noise hitting its highest decibel of the night, Topalis hit the biggest shot of her career.

Her layup, on which she was fouled, gave the Bison a 54-52 lead.

After her missed free throw, teammate Natalie Dimitrova hustled down the long rebound and was fouled.

Dimitrova made one of two free throws with 3.7 seconds.

Hersey had one final chance as Kelly Weyhrich's half-court shot just missed, hitting the backboard and the front of the rim, allowing BG to celebrate a victory over previously undefeated Hersey.

The Bison improved to 8-2 and 3-0 in the Mid-Suburban East where they are tied for first with Rolling Meadows (9-3, 3-0). Hersey stands at 10-1 and 2-1.

"Honestly, it was like a dream when the crowd starting cheering (when she made the steal)," Topalis said. "And it kept getting louder as I was going to the basket. I was like 'Wow, this is crazy'. It's something I will never forget."

Her teammates will not forget, either.

"I yelled, 'Go Georgette, run to the basket,' " said Bison senior guard Sammy Stejskal (7 points), who had a big 17-footer which gave her team a 51-50 lead with under a minute left.

After Stejskal's basket, Hersey missed a shot on its next possession and BG senior Amanda Kowalski (6 points) pulled down the rebound.

With his team in possession of the ball, BG coach Steve Kolodziej called for a timeout with 28.1 seconds left.

Hersey junior Claire Gritt (16 points), though, came up with a big play. She deflected a Bison pass to the hands of teammate Maggie Berigan (game-high 19 points), who was fouled.

Berigan made 2 free throws to give Hersey the lead back at 52-51 with 17.5 seconds left.

Stejskal's free throw with 15.8 seconds tied the game at 52-52, setting up Topalis' big moment.

"I was so happy when she made the layup," Stejskal said. "It was the best feeling of the season."

BG was feeling the pressure from Hersey's defense early when it fell behind 16-5, committing 5 turnovers along the way.

But the Bison got back to within 30-24 at half.

They fell behind 34-24 when Berigan and Carly Cooper hit buckets to start the third quarter.

But BG senior Maddie Welter (16 points) proceeded to bookend a 10-0 run with 3-pointers to tie the game at 34 with 3:55 left in the quarter.

"We had the double-digit lead in the third quarter but then we had so many turnovers," Fendley said. "Then in the last 14 seconds of the game, we had a foul, turnover and missed box out and all sudden the game is over.

"It's disappointing to lose, especially a conference game. But I guess if we learn from the loss, then it will help in the long run."

Also helping BG in the scoring department were Alyssa Floro (4 points) and Megan Gamber (3-pointer in the third quarter).

"We were able to get back in the game with transition and sharing the basketball," said Kolodziej, whose club has won six straight. "It's a great team win.

"Natalie (Dimitrova) rose to the challenge of defending Maggie (Berigan), who is a great post. Natali made her work for everything. I could not be more proud of her."

Kolodziej couldn't overlook the defensive work of Topalis, the offensive star at the end.

"She had 12 points but she did a great job defensively," Kolodziej said. "She is the kind of kid who responds to coaching and responds to challenges.

"At half, we challenged her to step up, be a vocal leader and get rebounds (nine for the game). And she did. She is not afraid of the big moment."

Even if she may not remember it.

"It was like a dream," she said. "I went up for the shot and don't even remember what happened. It was awesome.

"We just wanted to hold down their scorers. We knew we had to play good help-side defense and execute on offense. We pretty much did."

Especially on that final 'dream play' by Topalis.