Durkin, Hinsdale South get shot to drop in overtime

Billy Durkin's 3-pointer from the left corner hit the front of the rim and went straight up into the air.

The Hinsdale South bench watched. The Proviso East bench watched. The ball fell straight down into the net as the buzzer sounded to force overtime.

The Hornets rode the momentum of Durkin's heroics into overtime, scoring 9 of the first 11 points of the extra period for a 77-70 West Suburban Gold win.

Durkin finished with a team-high 22 points along with a game-high 12 rebounds. He scored 14 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter and overtime.

"It just felt like slow motion when the ball went up in the air (off the rim)," Durkin said of his game-tying 3-pointer. "I was just hoping it dropped straight down and went in. It did and, wow, I guess that's just our luck right now."

Hinsdale South (15-2, 6-0 West Suburban Gold) trailed by as many as 10 points with just under seven minutes to play in regulation. Though the Hornets cut their deficit to 4 a couple of times through the final quarter, it seemed as if Proviso East (11-7, 3-2) was going to get the win it needed.

The Pirates got strong performances from freshman Jaloni Johnson, who scored a game-high 23 points, and Terrence Thomas, who had 19, but Durkin and his fellow seniors made big plays down the stretch to claw back and find a way to remain unbeaten in the Gold.

"It took a lot of heart to fight back tonight," said Hinsdale South senior point guard Daeshawn Amy, who scored all 13 of his points after halftime. "We're a senior-heavy team and coach tells us all the time that when we're down, it's on us to pick the team up. We know, as seniors, that we have that experience to fight through adversity and I think that showed up big time tonight."

All five starters for Hinsdale Central scored in double figures: Bobby Durkin scored 14 points, James Ruzicka 14 and Aaron Tims added 12.

While Hinsdale South coach Brett Moore may not have drawn up that game plan, he sure will take a road conference win in the atmosphere that Proviso East provided. The defensive pressure the Pirates showed bothered the Hornets for much of the night, but they were able to calm down and make enough plays to escape with a victory.

"I challenged them at halftime," Moore said after his team trailed 28-17 at the break. "We're 14-2 and are playing passive? That's two games in a row here where I don't know how we've won. I'll take every win we can get on the road (in the conference) even if it gives me gray hair by the end of it."

"Hats off to Hinsdale South," Proviso East coach Donnie Boyce said. "They are a very good team and their record speaks for itself. We have some young guys that are still learning how to finish games. We were trying to foul on that last play where (Billy Durkin) makes the (3-pointer), but he makes a tough shot there. Give them credit for coming back and it was a great game."

Michael Osborne added 14 points in the loss for the Pirates.