Burlington Central nips South Elgin to win MLK title
It was either a miraculous comeback or a last-minute collapse depending on your rooting interests.
South Elgin had Burlington Central's boys basketball team on the ropes Monday, but missed Storm free throws provided the host Rockets with the opening they needed to rally for a 71-70 win and the championship of their inaugural Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Tournament.
South Elgin (11-9) missed 5 free throws in the game's final 41 seconds, including a pair with 9.3 seconds left that would have given it a 3-point lead.
Instead, Central (16-2) grabbed the rebound, called timeout with 6.6 seconds left and set up a play to win it.
The Rockets inbounded at midcourt to Ethan Mayfield, who drove the left side of the lane and drew a foul from Central Michigan-bound guard Matty Smith with 2 seconds left.
Mayfield swished the first free throw to tie the game, and he rattled home the second to put his team ahead.
Once a desperation shot by the Storm missed the mark, the Rockets celebrated in front of their bench after finishing the tournament 4-0.
"We just kept battling the whole time," said Central all-tournament pick Ryan Fitzgerald. "We knew coming down the stretch we had to foul, they had to miss. It all fell into place for us. We knocked down our shots. It just all worked out. It was a great game and we both played really well. You can't ask for a better championship game than that."
The holiday tournament title is Central's second this season. The Rockets prevailed at Thanksgiving at Sycamore.
"The result is great," said Central coach Brett Porto, whose team also defeated Maine West on Monday, 56-37. "Anytime you're in a tournament you hope for good things. And a championship in our first-ever (Martin Luther King Jr.) tournament was wonderful."
The Storm led 68-64 with 41 seconds left when sophomore Anthony Lynch missed the front end of the bonus. Mayfield was fouled at the other end and sank a pair of free throws to draw the Rockets within 68-66.
Lynch split 2 free throws with 18.5 seconds left to put the Storm ahead 69-66, but Fitzgerald countered with an inside bucket and was fouled for an old-fashioned three-point play, tying the game at 69-69 with 11 seconds remaining.
The Rockets immediately fouled South Elgin senior Quintin McClundon and he missed both free throws with 9.3 seconds on the clock. That gave Mayfield the chance to play hero at the line after he drew a foul.
"I made two (free throws) earlier so I was like, 'It's the same two,' " Mayfield said. "I made the first one so that was big. Then I put the next one up and it was good."
Sophomore Zach Schutta helped the Rockets erase a fourth-quarter deficit by sinking 3 consecutive 3-pointers, but Smith answered with consecutive driving layups to keep South Elgin in control until the final minute. Both finished with 14 points.
The Storm shot 17 of 24 from the free throw line overall, but 5 of those misses came in the final minute.
"We beat ourselves and that's all there is to it," South Elgin coach Jim Cook said. "If we would have taken care of it when we were supposed to defensively and if we took care of it with our free throws, we would have been fine. That's how it is."
Despite the loss, South Elgin's first-year coach said he believes in his team.
"These guys are good," Cook said. "I keep telling them over and over again, they're very good. I'll go to battle with them anytime."
Marengo finished the tournament in second place. The Indians defeated Elgin 70-51 in an early game on Monday and later topped McHenry 56-48.
South Elgin won its early game against McHenry on Monday, 55-31. Smith led the Storm with 14 and Logan Atkins added 12 points.