SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- - Jace Easley scored 25 points, Conor McCaffrey scored 24 and Lucas Schmidt had 18 as Our Savior's Springfield upset Our Savior's Jacksonville on Wednesday night.
In one of the most entertaining games of the LSA CIL season, the teams traded leads for most of the game. Our Savior's finally took command in the final two minutes but wa only up by three points when Jacksonville's Nolan Killion missed a hurried 3 pointer with 11 seconds left.
The Eagles' Jeremiah Perkins was immediatly fouled and missed both free throws but grabbed the rebound. Perkins was fouled again with 2 seconds left and sank both shots to seal the win.
"Great win against a great team," Our Savior's head coach Phillip Heppe said. "That was a heck of a middle school basketball game."
Michael Wilson and Nolan Killion each had 25 points for Our Savior's Jacksonville (12-4, 6-3 CIL). Wilson was called for his third foul early in the second half and spent more than seven minutes on the bench. He was flagged for his fourth with 4 minutes left and the score tied at 59.
"I've never been one to make excuses," Wilson said. "I've got to be better for my team and not put myself in postion to be in foul trouble."
Easley scored 25, McCaffrey 24, Schmidt 18 and Perkins 3 for Our Savior's (11-5, 7-3). McCaffrey and Easley both had 12 rebounds.
Our Savior's led 33-31 at the half, thanks to a long 3-pointer by McCaffrey with 7 seconds left. Neither team led by more than six points in the back and forth half.
Easley had 17 points at the midpoint and Wilson had 14 for Jacksonville.
The Shamrocks were without shooting guard Nolan Turner, who averages 9.1 points and is a leader on the court. Turner has been battling a lower leg injury and is considered day-to-day.
"Obviously, we'd love to have him," Shamrock coach Will Whalen said.
BIG PICTURE
Neither team looked rusty, despite long layoffs. The Shamrocks hadn't played a game since losing to Good Shepard Pekin on Jan 21. Our Savior's Springfield's last game was Jan 19, a home victory over Trinity Springfield. Both teams had a game postponed in the interim due to massive Influenza outbreaks.
NO RUST
Neither team had played in a week or more, yet both looked sharp from the opening tip.
"That first half was fast and up-tempo," Heppe said. "Two very well-rested teams. The second half was just grind it-out, smash-mouth basketball."
NOT HAPPY
Whalen wasn't happy after the game and it showed in his press conference.
When asked why his team hadn't made many free throws down the stretch, he snapped, "I guess I've got to do a much better job of getting Michael Wilson to the free throw line, apparently. I'm just a horrendous coach."
Still, Whalen thought the game was in reach until the bitter end.
"We were in a postion to win the game," he said. "We had a chance."
HE SAID IT
Jace Easley: "It was great to get this win. I'm really proud of the team and how we responded after 10 days off."
UP NEXT
Shamrocks: Host Peoria DePaul on Sunday.
Our Savior's Springfield: Travels to Good Shepard Pekin on Sunday