Blanzy steal, layup lifts Waubonsie Valley past Metea Valley
For 31 minutes and 47 seconds, the Metea Valley boys basketball team treated the ball as if it were a Faberge egg, with only one turnover to that point. But as the Mustangs inbounded the ball with a 54-53 lead and 13 seconds play in their DuPage Valley Conference tilt at cross-town rival Waubonsie Valley, they couldn't find the handle. This allowed Waubonsie's Blake Blanzy to swoop in, scoop up the loose ball near midcourt and race in for a layup that gave the Warriors a 55-54 victory.
"I was put in a situation to come in and play defense, the ball came out, I grabbed it and just went to the basket trying to make a play for my team," Blanzy said. "It was my opportunity and I just made the most of it."
"It was just a mishandling of the ball, that's what it came down to," was the view from Metea coach Matt Walpole. "It just happened at the wrong time."
Blanzy's game-winner, his only basket, helped to perfectly encapsulate a game that was a prime example of quality outweighing quantity. Metea (4-10, 2-4) attempted 23 more shots than the Warriors and grabbed 14 offensive rebounds on the night but could make only 32.8 percent of its 67 field-goal tries. Waubonsie (8-6, 2-3) converted half of its 44 field-goal attempts.
Providing the most quality for the Warriors was Chuck Robinson, who made 11 of 15 shots on the way to a game-high 26 points, while he also pulled down a contest-best 15 rebounds.
"I was pretty much the biggest man on the court, so coach emphasized getting the ball to me because there was no one out there that could stop me," Robinson said.
Six Mustangs scored to help offset Robinson's 5 points as Metea took a 13-10 lead after one quarter, an advantage that grew to 20-13 at one point on Payton Thorne's hoop two minutes into the second period. Robinson's four baskets from that point sparked a 15-6 half-ending run that gave the Warriors a 28-26 lead at the break.
Brad Hartje's three consecutive baskets in a 40-second span helped the Mustangs open a 38-35 lead before Eric Cannon's free throws followed four straight points from Luke Gregorio to give Waubonsie a 41-40 lead after three quarters. The lead changed hands seven times in the final quarter with Jayden Reed's free throws giving the Mustangs their final lead with 34 seconds to play. After the Warriors turned the ball over, it appeared Metea was in control, but then the untimely turnover turned the game on its head.
"It was a hard-fought game where both teams played really hard and what it came down to was that it was a game neither team deserved to lose, so I'm glad we got the win," said Waubonsie coach Jason Mead.