LTC Boys Storm Back In 3 rd Quarter To Upset I-8
By Bill Lidinsky
It would be difficult to script a high school basketball all star game any better.
Certainly in this 25 th anniversary edition of the annual Little Ten-Interstate Eight Conference Hoop Shootout, the sponsors from the Leland Lions Club couldn’t have asked for much more of an exciting contest at Somonauk High School Saturday evening.
Down 39-27 at halftime, the LTC outscored the I-8 25-10 in the 3 rd quarter and kept pace down the stretch to prevail 73-70 in what some might consider a pretty good upset.
“I know our guys are very excited about this win against just a great I-8 all star squad,” said LTC and Hinckley-Big Rock head coach Bill Sambrookes. “Most of our guys won’t ever forget this. The I-8 is much bigger and has a couple of state champions this year in sports. We’re just the Little Ten. But our kids played hard and are a very special group of all stars.”
The I-8 jumped out to a 20-16 lead after one quarter behind seven points by Seneca all stater Griffan Callahan.
“I knew right from the start that this would be a tough ballgame,” Callahan said. “We were ready and we thought that the Little Ten would be taking this very seriously as were we. It was a very physical game that I really enjoyed being a part of.”
In the second period the I-8 extended the lead to 12 going into the locker room at the half before the LTC started to mount their comeback.
“We knew we weren’t going to blow the LTC out by any means,” said I-8 and Coal City head coach Chris Spencer. “They came out in that second half and started hitting shots and we couldn’t make lay-ups. We wanted to win just as much, if not more than they did and we had our chances down the stretch but couldn’t convert. What a great ballgame.”
Up 52-49 going into the fourth, the LTC would hold the advantage until the 3:30 mark when the I-8 went back on top 63-62. They’d hold the lead until the final 1:30 where the LTC scored nine of the games last 12 points including six-of-six free throw shooting to win by three.
“Logan Sellers (I.C.) hit two free throws, then James DeBolt (Serena) nailed a couple and then it was up to my guy Tyler Nauman to hit his with five seconds left,” Sambrookes said. “I could tell Tyler was really concentrating on making them. He knew they’d probably be the last two shots he ever would take in high school and he made them both to put us up three and seal the win.”
Callahan led all scorers with 13 points, while Plano’s Obinna Agomo and Sandwich’s Gil Buttels checked in with seven each for the I-8.
Nauman paced the LTC with 10. Next in line, were Leland-Earlville’s Chris Bickel, Serena’s Cooper Westvig, and Serena’s Zach Terry who all tallied eight each.
“First off, it’s just been a special honor to be part of this game and this team,” Terry said. “To come out here and win as the Little Ten is a big thing against a great conference like the Interstate Eight. It’s something I’ll never forget. It’s just a great honor for me and for all of us.”