Trojans take second at home classic
Nemesis Riley County shocks Hillsboro boys
in OT, 68-64
By RYAN RICHTER
Sports writer
Trojan coach Darrell Knoll couldn't believe it.
With a 58-54 lead Saturday night in the Trojan Classic's title game at Hillsboro over a determined Riley County Falcon team with less than five seconds left, the Trojans made a giant blunder.
Put Jordan Strom at the foul line for three shots with 1.8 left in regulation with a foul.
After clanking the first one, Strom sank the second to cut Hillsboro's lead to 58-55.
With no other choice but to deliberately miss the third, the Trojans' failing to box out allowed Strom to tip the rebound out to Dane Starnes behind the three-point arc.
Starnes drained a cold-blooded three to send the game to overtime where Hillsboro (9-3) would watch the game slip away with a 68-64 loss.
"The entire timeout was about they (Falcons) couldn't stop the clock, don't foul," a shocked Knoll said. "If they score, don't even throw the ball in and for some reason, we fouled.
"We had the game where we needed it to be to win the game and it's just a tough one to lose, that's all I can say. I never dreamed we would foul."
Things were looking bright for the Trojans, up 21-11 after the first quarter until disaster struck with 5:57 left in the first half.
Standout guard Kyle Kroeker struck the back of his head on a chair on the Trojan bench, hustling for a loose ball.
Kroeker gashed the back of his head, causing the game to be delayed briefly and him missing a good portion the game.
Even with the adversity of being without their leader, the Trojans failed to buckle, maintaining their lead with a 33-30 edge at the break.
Macy Fadenrecht and Lucas Hamm, who combined for 30 with 15 points each, helped pick up the slack while Kroeker was out.
Hamm finished with his third double-double in the last four games, hauling in a game-high 10 rebounds.
So did Adam Scheele, who had a career-high 10 points, including two big triples in the third quarter.
After three, Hillsboro appeared to be on a roll with a 50-37 lead and the momentum firmly in its hands while hitting 50 percent from the floor the second half and 49 for the game.
With a bandage wrapped around his head, Kroeker made a dramatic return the fourth quarter, finishing the game with 11 points.
Hamm made it a 52-37 game, Hillsboro's largest lead, with one of just two field goals in the fourth quarter before the tide turned as the Trojans went nearly 4:00 without a basket.
Justin Glenn, who scored a game-high 17, and 16 points each from Sullivan and Strom brought Riley County back, helping put together a 15-4 run to close the gap to 54-52 with just over 2:00 left in regulation.
All the Trojans had to do was hit their free-throws to keep extending the lead and hang on.
Despite Kroeker hitting two-for-four the final 1:07, his last of a pair made it a two-possession game with 7.5 seconds to go.
Then came the huge play which sent the game into an extra session where it all crumbled for Hillsboro, who went nearly the first 3:00 without scoring.
Riley County put the game away at the line, sinking six-for-eight in the last 1:00.
"I thought we played a great game tonight," Knoll said. "Really, all things considered with everything we went up against tonight, losing our leader for a good portion of it, I really thought we played an overall good game.
"We just had that unfortunate mistake at the end which cost us. Hopefully we'll learn from it and take from this game we can play with anybody."
The Trojans advanced to the title game, smashing Belleville the night before in the semifinal round, 60-41.
Wade Weibert used his size and strength to muscle his way to a game-high 15 points on a perfect six-for-six shooting.
Hamm finished a rebound short of his third straight double-double, scoring 13 points.
Kroeker added 11 while picking off a team-high three steals and Peter Fast came off the bench to supply eight points.
After a short break, the Trojans return to action Friday when they host struggling Marion.
