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Nicks pick up another thrilling win for Lake Zurich

The Nicks have the knack.

Lake Zurich's terrific tandem tantalized again Saturday morning, then delivered of course, providing buzzer-beating heroics to lift the Bears to a 42-40 win over Maine East in the opening game of Lake Zurich's fourth annual Martin Luther King Classic. That made it three times since last season that Nick Meyer and Nick Penny have teamed up to score a last-second, game-winning basket.

At the Pekin tournament this season, Meyer delivered a pass to Penny to beat the final buzzer.

At Pekin last season, Meyer drained a 3-pointer at the final buzzer after a Penny pass.

"He makes it every time," Penny said after the Bears improved to 14-4.

On the most-recent game-winner, Lake Zurich inbounded the ball with 7.7 seconds left and the score tied at 40-40. Penny had the ball on the right wing, and when the defense collapsed on him, he found Meyer on the baseline left. Meyer scored as time expired.

"We saw that they were really extending up," Bears coach Billy Pitcher said of the Blue Demons. "We had gotten a couple (of baskets) on the weak side like that before, with Meyer sneaking behind the defense."

"Meyer's a real athletic kid," Penny said. "We knew if we could get him any advantage for a jump ball, especially with time winding down where they're not going to get a steal and take it down the court, that would be good. It's kind of a risky play, but it worked throughout the whole game."

Michael Bens led Lake Zurich with a season-high 17 points, sinking five 3-pointers to match the total made by Maine East's Ashoor Doushow (game-high 20 points). Meyer finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Penny had 11 points and 6 boards. And while starter Brett Hensley didn't score, he still contributed to the Bears' fourth straight win.

"Brett Hensley set just phenomenal screens all second half to free up that baseline," Pitcher said.

Bens' 3-pointer with 2:10 left in the fourth quarter put the Bears ahead 40-37, before Maine East answered with a 3-pointer from Dzenan Celjo to tie the score. Bens finished 5 of 9 from three-point range.

"He can really stroke it," Pitcher said. "He works on his game nonstop. He's always the first guy in, shooting on the gun. It's good for him to have a breakout game like that. He deserves it."

Maine East knocked down 10 3-pointers. Doushow, a 6-foot-4 senior, sank all five of his 3s in the first half and had 17 points at halftime.

The Blue Demons led 33-24 late in the third quarter before Penny scored in the lane and Meyer dropped in a putback. Lake Zurich started switching defensively in the fourth quarter, while Doushow fouled out with 4:06 left.

"They play so quick," Pitcher said of the Blue Demons. "They just bounce it hard, kick it to the next guy, and everybody's ready to shoot. They really do a good job with that dribble-drive."

Images: Lake Zurich vs. Maine East boys basketball

  Lake Zurich's Tim Spears, second from left, and Nick Penny get between Maine East's Wilson Noriega, left, and Dzenan Celjo as they try for a rebound during the Lake Zurich Martin Luther King tournament Saturday. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
  Lake Zurich's Andrew Gilbertson, left, looks for an open teammate to pass to while being guarded by Maine East's Wilson Noriega, middle, and Sonny Lukovic during the Lake Zurich Martin Luther King tournament Saturday. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
  Lake Zurich's Nick Penny, right, gets fouled by Maine East's Ashoor Doushow on a move to the basket during the Lake Zurich Martin Luther King tournament Saturday. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
  Lake Zurich's Brett Hensley, right, closely guards Maine East's Wilson Noriega during the Lake Zurich Martin Luther King tournament Saturday. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
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