Boys Basketball: Lincoln-Way East gets past Lockport in OT
By Randy Whalen For Sun-Times Media January 18, 2013 11:46PM
Updated: February 21, 2013 6:52AM
For 31 minutes, Lincoln-Way East’s Mike Moss didn’t score.
But the senior guard came up huge with all seven of his points in the final minute of regulation and overtime, including what proved to be the game-winning basket, as Lincoln-Way East rallied for a 52-49 victory over Lockport in a SouthWest Suburban Blue game Friday night in Lockport.
Senior guard Eric Spudic added a game-high 19 points for East (8-7, 2-4). The Porters (5-13, 3-3) lost for the 10th time in 12 games.
“I just have to accept my role as a defensive player and pressure the ball,” Moss said. “In the overtime it was just pressure the ball and execute.”
Lockport was clinging to a one-point lead when Moss stole the ball, was fouled and hit two free throws with 59.4 seconds to play in regulation. Those were his first points of the game and gave the Griffins a 41-40 advantage, their first lead since midway through the first quarter.
Moss added a pair of free throws with 11.2 seconds left to put East ahead by three, but Lockport’s Mantas Tamasauskis (team-high 15 points) swished a three-pointer from the right wing just before the buzzer to tie the game at 43.
The Porters scored the first point of the extra period, but that would be their last lead. Moss nailed a three-pointer from the left wing with 1:07 left to give the Griffins the lead for good at 49-46.
“I knew it was going in,” Moss said of his three-pointer. “I was open and it was a good shot to put our team on the right path.”
Lockport hit a free throw at the 12-second mark to close to within 52-49. The Porters had a chance to tie but Ryan Reed’s 25-foot attempt was just long with a second remaining. Reed and John Campbell (9 rebounds) each scored 12 points for the Porters.
