Gators celebrate comeback Valley win

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CRYSTAL LAKE – Cary-Grove had one last chance to win a game it had slowly let slip away. 

Trailing, 50-48, with 4.8 seconds left in front of a hostile Crystal Lake South crowd, the Trojans got the shot they had drawn up during their timeout. 

Senior forward Ryan Arquette lined up a three-pointer from the right wing that was short, a wild tip went begging, and the Trojans slogged off as the Gators celebrated a comeback win in a Fox Valley Conference Valley division showdown Tuesday.

“Our defensive intensity created easy baskets in the second half,” South coach Dan Bruycker said. “We couldn’t get any easy baskets in the first half and had zero transition points. In the second half our adjustments helped us out.”

One of those defensive adjustments was in their screen game in the second half.

“[South] started switching screens, which they didn’t do at all in the first half,” Trojans coach Ralph Schuetzle said. “We didn’t shoot very well in the second and had some bad miscommunications on those switches.”

Cary-Grove (4-16 overall, 1-5 FVC Valley) shot 57 percent from the field as they built a 29-22 halftime lead, but just 33 percent in the second half. 

The Gators (6-1, 4-3) shot 36 percent in the first half and picked it up to shoot 52 percent in the second. 

“We had the flow going I guess in the second half,” said senior Matt Benoit, who led the Gators with 13 points. “We were starting to make better shots and making sure our guys set themselves when they were open.”

Senior Jake Bianchi put up a game high 15 points for C-G, whose last lead of the game, 32-30, came at the 3:28 mark of the third quarter.

“I had some bad turnovers in the fourth quarter including a steal that I dribbled off my leg,” Bianchi said. “We just missed some easy buckets. It happens.”

Trailing, 49-45, C-G center Ben Bradshaw hit a huge three-pointer to cut the lead to one with 1:05 to play in the game. 

After a foul, the Gators’ Nick Geske missed the front end of a 1-and-1 situation, the Trojans’ Eric Graham missed a shot that would have put C-G in the lead, and then Matt Benoit went 1 of 2 at the line to put the Gators up, 50-48, with 14 seconds left.

The Gators drained seven three-pointers in the comeback win.

“I think it was a team win,” Bruycker said. “We had one guy with 13 points, but a bunch of other guys that gave us some baskets. That’s what we need to do, and we need to have that consistent effort on the defensive end.”