Elgin Hangs on in overtime for First Triumph

Daily Herald, SAT Nov 25, 2006

It took a long time for Elgin’s boys basketball team to break Wheaton Academy on Friday night at the Bison Classic Thanksgiving Tournament in Buffalo Grove.

The Maroons had to go to overtime before pulling out a 75-72 victory over the Warriors after a 3-point play by junior Jeremy Granger with 1.6 seconds left in the extra session.

Wheaton Academy (0-4) held the lead for the better part of the game. The Warriors led 31-24 at halftime, 48-42 after three quarters, and 61-56 after 2 free throws by Joel Malmquist with 2:55 left in regulation.

But Elgin (1-2) continued to chip away at the lead late in the fourth quarter as a 3-pointer by Brandon Grissette and a tip in by teammate D’Angelo Stewart (13 points) tied the game at 61-61 with 1:30 remaining.

Wheaton Academy’s John Albaugh gave the Warriors a 63-61 lead with 46 seconds left, but Elgin’s Kenny Williams responded with a drive to tie the game at 63-63 with 25 seconds left.

Wheaton Academy’s Matt Jones missed a 15-footer from the left baseline at the end of regulation to force overtime.

“We played well and I’m very pleased with the effort,” said Wheaton Academy coach Paul Ferguson, whose team trailed 14-12 after one quarter. “Elgin is very quick and athletic, but I would like to have a few of those possessions back.”

Benjamin Euler (13 points) gave the Warriors a 66-63 lead with a 3-pointer nine seconds into overtime, but an inside basket by Granger (21 points), a basket off a turnover by Armani Williams (21 points), and a basket off a steal by Grissette (10 points) put the Maroons ahead 69-66 with 2:23 left in overtime.

Malmquist (12 points) cut the gap to 69-68, but another Granger drive and a free throw by Grissette made the score 72-68 with 36.5 seconds to go.

Jones’ rebound basket cut the gap to 72-70 with 21 seconds left before Kenny Williams (10 points) missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 16 seconds remaining.

Malmquist scored on a drive to tie the game with 8 seconds to play, but Granger came through with his 3-point play heroics on an off-balance drive from the right side with 1.6 seconds left.

“Jeremy is a nice player — he’s really intelligent, and I think that kind of sets the tone on offense and defense,” said Elgin coach Rob Brault. “Getting the win was nice, and I thought our defense at the end of the fourth quarter and overtime had a great effort because they were shooting very well.”

Albaugh scored a game-high 22 points for the Warriors while freshman teammate Tim Rustoven hit double figures with 15 points.