Absolute grit.
That’s how Reed-Custer coach Tyler Schoonover described the Comets’ 59-57 overtime victory Tuesday against Illinois Central Eight Conference leader Streator.
The Comets (15-10, 8-3) overcame a three-point deficit with 1:08 remaining in regulation to force OT, then held off a Bulldogs’ (9-13, 8-2) rally after building a seven-point lead in the extra period.
“I challenged my guys,” Schoonover said. “They had to bring it from the opening tip because Streator is a really good team and we brought it to them. I’m very proud of the effort.”
The win brings the Comets within a game of the conference leading Bulldogs in the standings.
While the Comets led most of the way Tuesday, including 46-41 with a little more than five minutes remaining, they trailed roughly four minutes later, 51-48, after Streator’s Christian Bruton hit his fourth 3-pointer of the night. Comets sophomore guard Kaiden Klein answered immediately with a basket to cut the deficit to one.
The Bulldogs were unable to convert on a pair of free throws on their end, then Jesse Tresouthick answered by making one of his two free throws to send the game into overtime. A half-court heave by the Bulldogs’ Jack Studnicki missed to the left of the basket.
Ignited by a 3-pointer off the glass from Klein, the Comets scored the first seven points in overtime to build a 58-51 lead. Klein finished with 16 points for Reed-Custer.
“It’s amazing,” said Comets sophomore guard Matt Kuban, who finished with a team-high 17 points. “We knew we had to come out in overtime, we knew it was going to be a hard fought game. … We’ve had a few conference games go into overtime, so we’re used to it. We knew what we had to do and we executed that.”
The Bulldogs showed grit of their own, garnering steals on the Comets’ next three possessions, including two in their back court. A pair of Brennen Stillwell baskets on those possessions cut the Comets’ lead to three, followed by a basket from Joe Hoekstra. Stillwell had a game-high 22 points.
With six seconds remaining, Chase Isaac converted one of two free throws for the Comets. Klein grabbed the offensive rebound for the Comets and was fouled with 3.8 seconds, missing both of his free throws. Stillwell heaved up a shot from about half court that bounced off the back of the rim.
“We had a chance to win at the end,” said Streator coach Beau Doty. “It showed a lot of grit and toughness.
“We made some plays in our full-court defense there at the end. But you’ve got to step up and make some free throws down the stretch.”
The Comets were able to convert 8 of 12 free throws, while the Bulldogs managed 1 of 8.
The Comets held leads at the end of each of the first three quarters, getting double-digit production from Isaac, who finished with 11 points and Eddie Bryan who tallied 10. Kuban made three 3-pointers and Klein added a couple from beyond the arc as the Comets scored from inside and out.
“We moved the ball on offense and boxed out, especially against their big guy (Hoekstra),” Kuban said. “He killed us last time.”
The win was the eighth in a row for Reed-Custer, earning a string of compliments from Doty after Tuesday’s contest.
“They’ve got a lot of versatility,” Doty said. “A lot of guys that can make plays and take you 1-on-1, and they have a lot of threats from 3. They’re super dangerous.”
Bruton finished with 14 points for the Bulldogs and Layzeric Moton registered 10, before fouling out in the final seconds.
“Obviously that was a big game in the second half of the conference with us now only having a one-game lead over them,” Doty said. “With four to play, that was a big game for us to try to wrestle control and have a really good grasp on the conference, but we’re still in good position there. You have to credit them, they played really well.”