Glenbard East beats South Elgin at buzzer
Kenny Adams might not have been the first or second option for Glenbard East's final play Friday night.
But the sophomore turned out to be the best option.
Catching the basketball with 1.4 seconds on the clock, Adams drove the baseline and threw up a runner that rolled in as time expired to give the Rams a thrilling 54-53 victory over South Elgin in Lombard.
"My team, they believe in me," Adams said. "Coach (Scott Miller) put me in for a reason and I knew I had to step up. The first option wasn't open and I was in the corner wide open. I knew how much time was on the clock and I took what they gave me; they gave me the baseline. I got a little roll, home court."
Adams caught the game-winning pass from Michael Finley, who was inbounding the ball. The Storm had taken a 53-52 lead with 2.0 seconds left on a pair of free throws by sophomore Anthony Lynch. Glenbard East then threw the ball to midcourt before calling timeout.
"Whoever was open," Finley said, when asked about who he was primarily looking for. "But (Zach) Walsh was the main guy, he's been making big shots. He stumbled a little bit and I saw Kenny open. I trust all of my teammates. I'm proud of my sophomore."
Last-second heroics have become somewhat of a theme for the Rams (14-9, 5-1), who overcame a 23-point deficit to defeat South Elgin in overtime in the first matchup on Dec. 11. Glenbard East now has eight wins by two points or less, including an 59-57 decision against Downers Grove North on Tuesday.
"This group just finds ways to win," Miller said. "They play hard, they listen and they do what I want them to do."
It has been the opposite story for the Storm (11-12), which suffered its fifth loss by three points or fewer this winter.
"It's very disappointing," said senior guard Matthew Smith, who finished with 17 points. "It feels like these games, we are coming up just short. We just have to get over the hump and finish games."
Finley finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds, and Terrance Lakes chipped in with 15 points. Logan Atkins also checked into double figures with 11 points and Quinton McClundon hauled down 12 rebounds.
Glenbard East led 34-27 at halftime before an 11-3 third-quarter run gave the visitors a one-point advantage heading into the fourth.