Jordan rules: Oswego stuns Leo on Mitchell's three

Oswego’s Jordan Mitchell, left, and Andre Ziemnik celebrate after Mitchell’s game-winning shot to beat Leo.
(Scott Powers/For the Sun-Times News Group)

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PEORIA — Oswego coach Kevin Schnable has guts.

He also has a spot in the state championship game.

A nothing-but-net three-pointer from the left side with three seconds to play by “Big Shot Jordan" Mitchell lifted the Panthers to a stunning 56-55 victory over Leo in a Class 3A semifinal Friday at Carver Arena.

Oswego (26-6) will face Champaign Centennial for the state title at 12:45 Saturday.

After Isaac Smith’s steal and dunk with seven seconds remaining had given Leo (27-5) a 55-53 lead, Oswego called a timeout.

“In the huddle, we made a commitment to go for the 'W,' ” Schnable said. “We planned for Andrew Galow to punch it in and pitch it to Jordan. Usually we have Jordan on the right side, but he was on the left."

Said Galow: “I drove in and thought I might have a layup. Jordan started on the right side and had to rotate. Joe Kwiatkowski read the defense before I did and as I drove in, I knew to look for Jordan. He’s my right-hand man.”

Mitchell, who said that he got his nickname from Schnable, was ready for his moment.

“I’ve dreamt about a shot like that, but never thought it would come in a game like this,” Mitchell said. “I just kept thinking, ‘Just hit it. Just hit it, Square up and hit it.’ I’ve never hit a bigger shot. I made one last year that got a game to overtime, but this was the state finals.”

“It was just one of those March Madness moments,” Leo coach Noah Cannon said. “It was a once in a lifetime shot.”

Mitchell led Oswego with 16 points. Galow finished with 11 points and seven assists. Kwiatkowski and Andrew Ziemnik (12 rebounds) both scored nine, and Colin Seibert added eight points.

The Panthers were down 11 in the third quarter and battled back. They cut the deficit to 44-41 when a pass by Leo’s Darwin Johnson was batted in the air by Ziemnik and went in for two points for the Lions.

“We had some momentum and that took it away,” Ziemnik said. “But we came right back and swung the momentum our way with back-to-back three-pointers [by Ziemnik and Jordan to go up 47-46].”

Said Leo's James Pointer: “When [Johnson] tried to pass and the guy from Oswego tipped it in, I thought things were going to go our way."

Johnson led Leo with 19 points. Pointer scored 17. Darwin Rogers had seven points and 11 rebounds.

“We made some adjustments at halftime with our defense and rebounding [18-14 in the second half],” said Schnable, who started the season with a career record of 126-138.

“I think our guys played with a lot of heart and hustle. I told the kids that the fouls in the first half were 13-4 because they were more aggressive at both ends. The mental maturity of these guys and the trust they have in each other made a difference.”

Said Galow: “We came into this and no one picked us. But our school and our community believe and they have backed us all the way.”

Oswego closed the first quarter with an 8-2 spurt capped by a three-pointer at the buzzer by Galow to go up 13-9.

After Siebert started the second quarter with an inside basket to make it 15-9. Leo scored 11 in a row. A three-pointer by Johnson started the run and baskets by Pointer and Johnson ended it.