Conant ensures more wildness in MSL West race
Welcome to the Wild, Wild West.
No, not the formerly unsettled territories west of the Mississippi, nor the popular TV series or movie by that name.
We are referring, rather, to this year's Mid-Suburban West boys basketball race.
Entering Friday's action there was a three-way tie at the top the division, with Barrington, Palatine and Fremd and 4-2 and Conant a game back at 3-3.
With 3 games left, the West got wilder.
Conant's 52-42 win over Fremd in Hoffman Estates, combined with Barrington's win over Palatine, leaves Barrington (5-2) on top with a three-way tie for second between Conant, Fremd and Palatine.
Conant (15-6 overall) battled back from a 12-point second quarter deficit that left it trailing Fremd (12-8) 27-18 at halftime.
"We got after them at halftime," first-year Cougars coach Jim Maley said. "We told them that we needed to be more efficient on the defensive end, and they started to play defense."
It was the other side of the court where Conant started its comeback. Ben Schols drained a 3 just 22 seconds into the second half, and Ryan Davis got a dunk from a Schols feed to pull Conant within 27-23.
After baskets by Isaiah Turner and Bryce Hopkins (team-high 15 points) lifted the visitors' lead to 31-23, Conant turned up the defensive pressure by forcing 6 of the Vikings' 10 second-half turnovers during an 11-0 run. After Joe Arriaga's driving layup, Conant led 34-31.
A 10-3 surge over the next 3:45 gave Conant a 44-34 advantage entering the final four minutes before an 8-2 run led by 5 Hopkins points brought Fremd within 46-42 with 90 seconds to play.
Conant got 6 straight free throws by Davis (2-for-2) and Raj Mittal (4-for-4) in the final minute.
"We talked about how important the little things can be in a game," Mittal said. "It's about being relentless on defense in addition to having the mindset to attack on offense."
In addition to Davis' game-high 25 points, Mittal's 16-point, 7-rebound effort proved to be a key.
"For him to be our leading rebounder is a testament to his hard-work ethic. Especially as he came back from injury earlier in the year," Maley said. "He's starting to develop the mentality of a junkyard dog where he isn't going to back down from anything or anyone. He's going to respond to the challenge in front of him."
Which was evident in what became the play of the game. With 2:09 remaining, a Hopkins block of a Davis attempt was rescued by the 6-5 Mittal when the junior nabbed the ball from two Fremd defenders and managed to fling it back to Davis for an uncontested dunk that put Conant ahead 46-39.
"You have to fight for every loose ball in this division," Mittal said. "In that moment we had to keep the ball and its during those moments when it becomes the hardset when you have to step up and we did."
Fremd and coach Bob Widlowski can be encouraged that a path to the MSL title is still available to the Vikings. Whichever team wins its final three games will emerge from the West pack.
Both Fremd and Conant will be at home next Friday, with the Cougars hosting Barrington and the Vikings playing host to Schaumburg.
Prior to those contests, each squad will play a nonconference game. Fremd makes the trek to Grant on Saturday night in Fox Lake in a rematch of last year's Class 4A Sectional semifinal at Robert Morris University, while a Tuesday night tilt has the Cougars hosting Maley's former school, St. Laurence, on the Perry Gym home floor.
"It'll be a big week here. No doubt," Maley said.