GRANITE CITY – Collinsville lost an eight-point lead and a nine-point lead late, but Jake Wilkinson hit a rebounded shot in the lane with one second left in regulation to force overtime, then the Kahoks went seven-of-nine from the free-throw line in the overtime to escape with a 62-60 win over Belleville East in the IHSA boys basketball Class 4A regional final Friday night at Granite CIty’s Memorial Gym.
The Kahoks led in the fourth 46-37, but the Lancers went on a 12-5 run late to pull within 51-49, then took the lead on four straight free throws by Jordan Pickett to take a 53-51 lead before Wilkinson’s heroics forced the extra period.
It was a see-saw game throughout, starting in the opening quarter, with East scoring first, then a three-point play by Deante Franklin, followed by a three from Nick Horras gave the Kahoks an early 6-5 edge. Free throws from both Franklin and Devin Davis, along with baskets from Wilkinson and Franklin, extended the lead to 13-5, forcing an East time out. The Lancers then went on a 9-0 run, with Pickett and Antwine Wilson leading the way to give East a 14-13 lead after the first quarter.
Wilson’s three at the start of the second quarter extended the run to 12-0 before Wilkinson hit in the lane to make the score 17-15 to end the Lancer run. Franklin then gave Collinsville the lead back with a three on the side to make it 18-17, with the lead switching twice more before Matt Clark hit a pair of free throws and Tray Swygeart scored to make it 24-19 for the Kahoks. Pickett converted on a free throw and a three up top to cut the Collinsville lead to 24-23 at halftime.
The lead changed hands twice more to start the second half before Horras got hot, hitting three shots in a row after a three from Wilkinson to give the Kahoks a 33-25 lead. Pickett and Wilson both hit threes, sandwiched around a Dayton Horras basket, to cut the Collinsville lead to 35-31, Alan Mason hit a big three, later on, to tie the game 36-36, with Franklin answering right back with a three before the third-quarter buzzer to give the Kahoks a 39-36 lead after three quarters.
The Kahoks started the fourth quarter with a 7-1 run, led by Davis and Franklin, to take a 46-37 lead with 5:10 left in regulation. The lead became 48-39 before the Lancers went on a 9-3 run with Pickett leading the charge to cut the lead to 51-49. With 1:46 left, Swygeart was called for his fifth foul and the Collinsville bench was hit with a technical foul after protesting the call. Pickett hit all four free throws to give the Lancers a 53-51 lead. In the final seconds, Wilkinson took a rebounded shot in the lane and scored with one second left to tie the game 53-53, sending the contest into overtime.
Wilkinson scored the first basket of the overtime to give Collinsville a 55-53 lead, after which a Jackson Muse free throw cut the lead to 55-54. Free throws from Nick Horras and Franklin gave the Kahoks a 60-54 lead, and with the score 61-56, Pickett scored on back-to-back baskets to cut the lead to 61-60. Franklin hit one last free throw to make it 62-60 before East had one last chance to tie or win the game, but a Pickett shot up top bounced away at the buzzer to give Collinsville the win.
Franklin led the Kahoks with 21 points, while Nick Horras had 14 points, Wilkinson added 13 points, Davis came up with seven points, Swygeart scored three points and both Clark and Dayton Horras scored two points each.
Pickett was the game’s leading scorer with 27 points for East, with Wilson hitting for 19 points before fouling out.
The Lancers end their season 19-12, while the Kahoks are now 26-5 and move on to the sectional, where they will host Quincy, who won the Alton regional with a 56-49 win over O’Fallon, on Tuesday night, while in the other semifinal, Normal Community meets Moline at Pekin on Tuesday, with both games starting at 7 p.m. The two winners meet at Vergil Fletcher Gym for the championship March 4, also starting at 7 p.m.
