There wasn’t one particular standout moment or star player in Hersey’s 61-56 win against Palatine on Friday in Arlington Heights, which is unusual for a triple-overtime game.
The Huskies’ five starters—Logan Luxem, Charlie Pomis, Jake Nawrot, Ethan Gries and Kyle Irwin—scored all 61 points and each player stepped up in various clutch moments to help seal the comeback win.
Palatine senior Tony Balanganayi scored nine points in the fourth quarter. The star football player was unstoppable in the post, and his domination gave the Pirates a five-point lead with just a minute and a half to play. It appeared Palatine was on its way to a major road win in the new, supercharged Mid-Suburban League West.
But Hersey wasn’t finished yet. Pomis scored on a drive to the basket and then tied the game on a long three with 37 seconds left in regulation.
From that point on, the Pirates couldn’t get anything to fall their way. Both teams scored just one basket in the first overtime. Luxem hit a three to send the game into a third overtime. Nawrot, one of the area’s star quarterbacks, took it from there, scoring six points in the third overtime to seal the win.
“Playing three overtimes like that, the challenge is more mental than physical,” Pomis said. “We had to stay together, and we did a good job doing that. Even the bench was hyping us up. It was good team energy all around.”
Pomis scored 16 points, Luxem finished with 13 and Nawrot led the way with18 points and six rebounds. Gries added 11 points for the Huskies (6-0, 2-0), who didn’t have a single point scored off the bench.
“We battled well and kept that good energy, and the student section definitely helped,” Luxem said.
Balanganyi, a lineman committed to Illinois, had 25 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks for Palatine (6-1, 1-1).
“What you saw there is just Tony being Tony,” Pirates coach Eric Millstone said. “The footwork and body control and buttery touch.”
Abram Williams scored 10 points for Palatine and Robbie Wilcox and Brady May each added nine points.
“We were a rebound away a couple times,” Millstone said. “But you have to credit them. They have two big-time playmakers who made big-time plays. They have kids that can hurt you off the bounce.”