The postseason run for LFHS continued in a dramatic finish on Tuesday night as the Scouts pulled off an incredible upset against the number one seed, Saint Viator High School, in the 3A Sectionals Semifinals.
Playing in the IHSA tournament at Deerfield High School, the seventh seeded Scouts defeated the number one seed Lions, 59-55 in overtime, sliding their way into the Sectional Championship.
Lake Forest entered the game as underdogs but played with confidence throughout the night.
Keeping the game tight, the Scouts stayed even with Saint Viator from start to finish. When the game was 50-47 at the end of the fourth quarter, #5 on the Lions scored a three to send it into overtime. Sophomore Taven Woo replied back in OT with a pivotal three, shifting the momentum in the Scouts favor. The Scouts came through with clutch plays to secure the win, 59-55.
“What was going on in my mind (heading into overtime) is we just need to focus on what we can do next. We cannot sit back and feel sorry for ourselves that they hit a crazy shot, and that we had a chance to win but didn’t in the 4th quarter,” Head Coach Joe Pettinger said. “It was just what can we do next to be successful?”
Senior Captain Dominic Mordini led the way for the Scouts with 28 points, helping fuel the upset against the top team in the Sectional.
“I think our guys didn’t break a sweat, we kinda knew we were the better team in that game. And we knew that we could see it together…” Mordini said. “Even though it was a little bit of a gut shot (the shot that sent the Scouts into OT), we threw a punch ourselves.”
The Scouts defense also had some crucial stops totalling 40 defensive rebounds, and holding Saint Viator scoreless for several minutes late in the second half.
With the win, the Scouts advance to the 3A Sectional Final, where they will face the host team, and number two seed Deerfield High School.
“Heading into the game, I think it’s focusing on the other teams actions, knowing what they are going to run, and being prepared for everything they do,” senior Captain John White said. “They run a matchup zone so that is a big thing we need to be prepared for and being able to play against that offensively.”
A matchup zone combines zone formation with man to man responsibilities, making it confusing for the offense to find open shots. On the other end, the Scouts will look to amp up their defensive pressure to limit scoring opportunities and control it to their own pace of the game.
Head Coach Pettinger highlights the team’s chemistry and support for one another “is 100% why we are winning all of these games down the road.” Besides the selfless acts the team shows for one another, he includes the strategies they’ve implemented at practice too on the court.
“We play tremendous team defense where five guys work together, not just I have my guy, you do your guy job. We work really well together trying to force difficult shots, and we’ve done a much better job finishing the possession by rebounding,” Pettinger said.
Fans can expect a competitive local showdown, as two neighboring schools compete to win the Sectional Championship and advance deeper into the State Playoffs.
Tipoff for the Sectional Final is expected to begin at 7 p.m. at Deerfield High School, where the Scouts strive to keep their playoff momentum alive.
