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Cook sinks game-winner for Dundee-Crown

Dundee-Crown sophomore Kennon Cook recently heard his fair share of criticism from the Chargers' coaching staff.

The 6-foot-3 left-hander was urged to improve his effort, as well as his weak-hand skills.

"There were two days in practice when he couldn't finish with his right, couldn't finish with his right," Chargers coach Lance Huber said. "We were all over his case, and he made one when it counted."

Cook drove the lane, drew a foul and flipped in a right-handed shot against Crystal Lake South with 12.6 seconds remaining, then converted the three-point play.

After one more defensive stop, D-C had completed an improbable comeback for a 39-38 Fox Valley Conference boys basketball victory Wednesday night at The Swamp.

South's Cooper LePage missed the front end of a bonus free-throw situation with 21 seconds remaining, and Cook rebounded.

"My team kind of spread it out for me, gave me the opportunity," Cook said. "I heard my coach on the sideline saying, 'Drive! Drive!' so I just drove. I felt him bump me and went up with my right hand. Coach has been getting on me about my right hand."

South guard Brock Jewson got the ball for a 6-foot shot on the Gators' final possession, but was surrounded by three D-C defenders. Chargers forward Terrell Powell rebounded the miss and was fouled with 0.7 seconds remaining.

D-C (7-6 overall, 3-2 FVC) trailed by 16 points with three minutes to go in the third quarter. Ryan Hodor's 3-pointer with 2:24 left in the third started a 9-0 run, and D-C's 1-3-1 zone defense helped keep South from scoring for more than nine minutes.

"We really just went one possession at a time - stop, score, stop, score," said guard Doug Miller, who led D-C with 11 points. "We tried to trap the corners and slow them down, make them panic a little bit and speed up their game."

South (7-8, 1-5) had its best offensive stretch in the third quarter with Tyler Miller hitting two 3s as the Gators built a 34-18 lead. Late in the third, however, South again struggled against D-C's defense.

"They have a lot of length. They cover the passing lanes pretty well," Gators coach Matt LePage said. "We took some shots early in the fourth quarter that were swing shots, and we just didn't make them. Then we couldn't set up our press. We got a little conservative. We stopped playing. We have to figure out how to finish. We've been in a lot of these spots. It's just closing."

South's first fourth-quarter basket came with 2:50 remaining and gave it a 36-27 lead. D-C answered with Kyle Huber's 3, but South pushed the lead to 38-32 with 1:10 to go on Jewson's two free throws.

Huber scored on a layup, then Miller hit two free throws with 26 seconds remaining to cut it to 38-36.

"We've had games when it's gone the other way, against us like that," Lance Huber said. "Our guys just stuck with it tonight and got enough points. We were pretty lucky. We just kind of found a way and got fortunate with Kennon making that shot and that free throw."

Crystal Lake South guard Tyler Miller (23) shoots a three-point shot in the second quarter of the game at Crystal Lake South High School on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020, in Crystal Lake, Ill. Crystal Lake South lost, 39-38. Daryl Quitalig /for Shaw Media
Crystal Lake South guard Tyler Miller passes the ball during the Gators' loss to Dundee-Crown Wednesday night. Daryl Quitalig /for Shaw Media
Dundee-Crown guard Douglas Miller, Jr. (2) shoots a three-point shot in the third quarter of the game at Crystal Lake South High School on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020, in Crystal Lake, Ill. Dundee-Crown won, 39-38. Daryl Quitalig /for Shaw Media
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