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Hadjistamoulou's last-second layup lifts Glenbrook South over Hersey

On a warm November day, Anestis Hadjistamoulou went for a drive and delivered Glenbrook South home safely.

Hadjistamoulou's layup with 4.6 seconds left lifted Glenbrook South to a 41-39 victory over Hersey Wednesday in the second round of the Ed Molitor Thanksgiving Classic at Palatine.

"I took what the defense gave me," said Hadjistamoulou, who finished with six points. "We had a play set up, but they didn't defend it like we expected them to, so I just took it."

Glenbrook South (2-0) was down 36-24 with 6:54 left to play. But the Titans refused to give in. They pressured Hersey (1-1) done the stretch, forcing the Huskies to turn the ball over three times in the final minute of the game.

"We just rotated on traps," Glenbrook South coach Phil Ralston said. "We went to a little 1-2-2 and I think that threw them off a little bit because they had not seen it. We had a couple of bad passes by them which gave us the possessions."

The Titans had cut the lead to 39-35 with just over a minute to play. After one of those bad passes, Josh Wolf found himself on the wing just in front of Glenbrook South bench and buried a 3-pointer to make it 39-38 with 56.7 seconds left to play.

"I think that was the turning point," said Wolf, who had 11 points to lead the Titans.

"It got our energy flowing. I think we knew we could win this game."

Wolf added a free throw with 35 seconds left to tie the game at 39-39.

Hersey had an opportunity to take the lead. But the Huskies were whistled for a charge, setting the stage for Hadjistamoulou's drive.

"It's hard to learn game settings without game settings," Hersey coach Austin Scott said. "We have to better in that area."

Glenbrook South is finding out what life is like without Nick Martinelli and Copper Noard, who led the Titans to a 32-3 mark last season.

"Right now we haven't figured ourselves out yet, Ralston said. "I really believe we have very capable shooters. We need to understand that the target is in our back."

Hersey (1-1) was aiming right at the bull's-eye.

The Huskies, who were 8-22 last year, played a terrific third quarter. They held Glenbrook South scoreless for over seven minutes, forcing the Titans to miss nine consecutive shots and turn the ball over twice.

That enabled Hersey to rally from a 22-20 halftime deficit. Led by Jonathan Ryg, who scored seven of his nine points in the period, and Quinn Mullen who chipped in three points and five rebounds in the period, Hersey pulled ahead 29-20.

After a Titans basket, Hersey had a modest 6-0 run to lead 36-24 with 6:54 left.

"The guys put themselves in a great position to win with how hard they played and how they executed," Scott said. "I have to be able to take them home from there."

Jared Ryg led Hersey with 12 points. Jackson Hupp had nine points while Max Menninga and Carson Grove each had five points.

Rowell Davis, Jr. had 10 points while Nate Kasher had eight points for Glenbrook South.

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