Ganas, Fremd eventually pull away from Palatine

After three quarters Tuesday night, Fremd boys basketball point guard Dean Ganas had 3 points and 3 fouls and had sat much of the time because of the latter.

Palatine took advantage of his absence to hang tough, staying within two scores well into the fourth quarter.

Then Ganas came back and went to work.

"I think that first pullup jump shot I hit, I got some confidence," said the senior team leader, who personally took control of the game scoring 13 of his team-high 16 points in the frame and enabling Fremd, a top-four seed in the Class 4A Waukegan sectional, to pull away from stubborn Palatine and score a 47-33 win that puts it in the Barrington regional final on Friday night opposite the host Broncos, who downed Buffalo Grove 63-54 in Tuesday's nightcap.

Ganas was 3-of-3 from the floor and 7-of-7 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter as Fremd (21-4) finally shook pesky, crosstown rival Palatine (12-18), which was hampered by foul trouble and an injury that limited its depth.

And was just 1-of-8 free throw shooting all night.

"We've struggled with that all year," said Pirates head coach Eric Millstone.

The only one who didn't struggle was 6-foot-6 sophomore Julian Campbell, the 305-pounder who seems open even when double-teamed. He poured in 17 points, including two 3-pointers, and blocked a couple of shots, but it wasn't enough.

"He's a big, strong kid," said Fremd head coach Bob Widlowski, looking for yet another regional title. "But I thought we executed defensively," playing tight man-to-man and sagging on Campbell whenever possible, particularly with the 6-4 Hopkins brothers, senior Bryce and sophomore Kayman, who combined for 23 points and 4 blocked shots in addition to attempting to sandwich Campbell.

But while they were doing that, foul-plagued Tommy Swanson and senior forward Ben Storm made Fremd pay, each hitting a huge 3-pointer in the second and third quarters, respectively, to keep Palatine within striking distance.

But Fremd was relentless and Ganas got rolling with a perfect fourth quarter. His driving basket made it 33-24 and his aforementioned pullup jumper made it 37-24, as Jake Schoffstall scored between those hoops on a nice court-length feed from John Smyros. It was all part of Fremd opening the fourth quarter with a decisive 9-2 spurt.

Despite that, and playing without 6-4, 315-pound senior David Balanganayi, "I thought we competed," said Millstone. "Fremd is a good team. You can't (shot 1-of-8 on free throws) and except to beat a good team like them."

Balanganayi, injured in Palatine's win on Monday night, sat with a large bandage on his forehead, just over his left eye, unable to play.

With Palatine's depth subsequently challenged a bit, "I thought we got the game to where we like it," said Widlowski.

"The pace increased," and Fremd needed it to, because, "we were not very efficient in the second quarter," Widlowski noted.

In the end, it came down to senior point guard Ganas' efficiency and he knows he and his teammates will have to be just that again Friday night against regional-host Barrington.

"We've got to run our stuff better," he said.

"We've got to be ready," said Widlowski, whose team beat Barrington by 20 and 25 points during the regular season.

But Widlowski discounts that.

"Every game is a fresh start," he emphasized.

And so is every fourth quarter. For Ganas, at least.