HINSDALE CENTRAL HOLIDAY CLASSIC

HC SQUARED:  Building a New Tradition of Basketball at Its Best
 

2017 GAME SEVEN RECAP: ST. CHARLES EAST 70, HINSDALE CENTRAL 68 (2OT)

Box Score

HINSDALE, Ill. – Justin Hardy totaled a game-high double-double of 26 points and 17 rebounds to lead St. Charles East past the tournament host Red Devils 70-68 in double overtime at the Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic.

St. Charles East (8-3) led by four with just one minute to play in regulation, but Hinsdale Central (2-6) outscored the Saints 6-2 in the final minute to force overtime.

Hinsdale Central opened up a three-point cushion in the first overtime, but Mark Musial knocked down a three-pointer with less than 30 seconds left to knot the score at 66-66. After a Red Devils’ miss, Hardy’s floater in the lane rimmed off at the buzzer, forcing a second OT.

Trailing by one and with St. Charles running down the clock, Hinsdale Central’s Dannell Nicholson came up with a steal and coast-to-coast layup to put the Red Devils in front with 41.9 seconds left.  The lead was short lived as Hardy’s two-handed slam with 25 seconds left put the Saints up 69-68. The Saints hit just one of four free throws in the final minute, leaving the door open for the Red Devils, but the potential game-tying jumper bounced off, allowing St. Charles East to advance to the quarterfinals with the two-point win.

St. Charles shot 39.3 percent (22-of-56) from the floor, including 32.0 percent (8-of-25) from downtown. Hardy led all scorers with 26 points, shooting 9-of-22 from the floor. He added a game-high 17 rebounds and six assists in the victory. Jude Clodi came off the bench to score 13 while Zach Robinson added 10 points and eight rebounds for the Saints.

Matthew Rush paced Hinsdale Central with a double-double of 25 points and 10 rebounds. Nicholson added 20 points while Trevor Hamilton totaled 13 points and nine rebounds for the Red Devils. Hinsdale Central shot 37.3 percent (22-of-59) from the floor, but just 22.2 percent (4-of-18) from beyond the arc.

Hinsdale Central will face the loser of the Marian Catholic/Lincoln Park game in tomorrow’s consolation round at 2:00 p.m. St. Charles East will await the winner of the Marian Catholic/Lincoln Park contest in tomorrow’s 8:30 p.m. quarterfinal.