Pryor’s career night spoiled by defeat

Published in the Kane County Chronicle on
February 16th, 2008

Pryor’s career night spoiled by defeat
By KEVIN JENISON - editorial@kcchronicle.com
Comments (No comments posted.)-->ST. CHARLES – Bartlett stole the sweetness from the St. Charles East boys basketball team’s Senior Night, edging the Saints, 85-84, on Friday in a double-overtime game dripping with drama.East senior Collin Pryor led the Saints with a career-high 37 points, 15 rebounds and went a perfect 13-for-13 from the free-throw line.“Collin kept us in the game single-handedly,” East coach Brian Clodi said.But even on a career night, Pryor’s thoughts were on his team.“I feel I could have done more to get my teammates involved, so I was a little disappointed with that,” Pryor said.The Saints’ Zack Scott knocked down six fourth-quarter free throws, none more clutch than the pair that put East ahead, 66-63, with just less than 30 seconds remaining in regulation.“I felt like I had to make [the shots] for my team, especially on Senior Night,” Scott said.But the Hawks answered with a last-second three by Marc Little to send the game into overtime.Just seconds into the first overtime, East surged ahead with a three by Scott to take the lead, 69-66. But Bartlett came back to tie it at 74 to send the players into yet another 4 minutes of battle.In the second overtime, Pryor gave East the lead, 82-81, with just less than a minute to play, and gave the Saints an 84-83 edge with an inside basket with less than 30 seconds to go.East was in prime position when the Hawks let an errant pass hit the bleachers for a turnover, giving East the ball back with the lead.But East (12-12 overall, 4-4 Upstate Eight Conference) turned the ball over when a Saints player stepped out of bounds, setting up a heartbreaking ending for the Saints.An East foul put the Hawks’ Little to the line with 5.9 seconds left. With Bartett down by one, Little sank both of his shots to give Bartlett the final lead.A last drive and heave by East’s Brian Lankton from just inside halfcourt clanked as the buzzer sounded.“We just have to learn how to close out the game,” Clodi said. “We control our destiny.”The game started with a furious offensive attack on both ends, with the Saints leading the Hawks, 21-14, after the first quarter. East hit its first three three-pointers, while Bartlett relied on big man Kamil Janton, the Eastern Michigan-bound senior, for a strong inside presence. Janton finished with 20 points before fouling out in the fourth quarter.A big block by Saints junior center Kevin Senechalle with 3:08 before the first half ended got the home crowd into the game, and the teams entered the locker rooms tied at 35.Up next for the Saints is a matchup against Batavia at 6 p.m. today at St. Charles East.“It was around this time last year that [the team] came together as a family,” Pryor said. “We’re only looking forward.”