Geneva loses in three OTs

Naperville Central guard Danny Ondik (center) gets fouled as Geneva's Chris Jordan tries for a blocked shot Wednesday.
Kate Szrom/Staff Photographer

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Drew Crawford's face betrayed no emotion when the final buzzer sounded.

Drained, yes. Dehydrated, perhaps. But to be honest the Naperville Central junior guard was just happy this game was finally over.

Geneva had pushed Central to three overtimes in the Naperville North Regional semifinal, and the Redhawks survived with a thrilling 88-84 victory on Wednesday night.

This playoff win followed the pattern of so many close Central victories this season, though the Redhawks had never really stretched it to this extreme.

Crawford scored 16 of his 40 points after the fourth quarter, another clutch performance that helped gloss over the fact that Central was facing a 10-point deficit with less than four minutes left in regulation.

"You just always got to stay composed," he said afterward.

The Redhawks could at least lean on their experience in close games. They turned up their three-quarter-court pressure to force a first overtime with the game tied at 60. The game was deadlocked at 68 after the first overtime, and at 76 after the second.

Forty-four minutes in, the game still remained undecided. With 44.9 seconds remaining, Central's sophomore center Matt Neufeld hit two free throws to put Central ahead 84-82.

Danny Ondik next stole the ball from Geneva, and Crawford then escaped from the pack to hit a layup in transition.

Geneva's Max Cary then hit a shot with 4.5 seconds left, but Crawford calmly drained two final free throws to seal the decision.

"What a game," Central coach Pete Kramer said. "I feel for Geneva."

Indeed, the Redhawks had trouble keeping Cary in front of them all night, and the senior guard poured in 42 points, though he missed nine free throws from the fourth quarter on.

If this regional had unfolded as the seeds projected, Central would now be preparing to try and beat Wheaton North for the third time this season. Glenbard West's John Sherna shredded that story line Tuesday night with 29 points and 22 rebounds in an overtime victory over the Falcons.

The 6-foot-8-inch Northwestern recruit looms as Central's next challenge, one completely different from Geneva and the quick guards and lights-out shooters it posed. Central can exhale, and regroup, though it will be difficult to forget this one. Class 4A Naperville North Regional