Crete, Crockett get by Hawks in OT

Updated: March 23, 2011 9:38AM

Crete-Monee gained some revenge Tuesday night as the Warriors defeated the team that ended its season last year in the Class 3A playoffs, beating Hillcrest 61-55 in overtime in Country Club Hills.

"We don't need to say anything before games like this," Crete-Monee coach Matt Ryndak said. "We want to be like Homewood-Flossmoor. We want to be like Hillcrest.

"We have the leadership on this team, so you don't need reminders."

No. 15 Crete-Monee (16-3) limped into the second half, trailing 23-19. DePaul-bound Jamee Crockett (18 points, nine rebounds) was 2-for-7 in the first half and had early foul trouble, but LaQuon Treadwell (10 points, six rebounds) kept the Warriors in the game with six points, five rebounds and two steals in the half.

"We are starting to come together," Ryndak said. "We've been preaching the 'we' aspect. It's about the entire team."

No. 10 Hillcrest (14-6) had first-half foul trouble of its own, losing starters Jalen Loving and Kadeem Thornton with two fouls each before the four-minute mark of the first quarter.

The Hawks bench scored 16 of the team's 23 first-half points, led by six points from Terez Haskins (14 points). But Hillcrest didn't help its cause, shooting 3-of-12 from the free-throw line and turning the ball over eight times.

Crete-Monee took a 40-38 lead into the fourth quarter, but Hillcrest had a 48-43 lead with just over four minutes remaining in the game. Then the Warriors struck.

Crockett hit a layup, Michael Orris (11 points) hit a free throw, and Greg Mays (six points, eight rebounds, three blocks) hit a jumper to tie the game with 3:24 remaining.

The Hawks took the clock down from 3:24 to under a minute when LaBarron Hull hit a layup with 57.9 seconds left. Mays responded with a dunk to tie the game with 40.4 seconds remaining.

Hillcrest got a couple shots off, but Mays blocked what looked like a game-winner out of bounds with 1.5 seconds left and Thornton missed a jumper off the front of the rim at the buzzer.

"We had our chances, we had the last shot and we just didn't finish it," Hillcrest coach Don Houston said. "We need to make sure we finish these games off in the postseason."

In overtime, Crete-Monee never trailed, holding a 58-55 lead with a minute left. With 30 seconds left,Thornton missed a three-pointer for Hillcrest and Mays hit two free throws and Orris, whom Illinois coach Bruce Weber was there to scout, split a pair to seal it for the Warriors.

"I don't think about who is out there scouting me," Orris said. "I'm out there playing basketball with my teammates and it's all that matters."

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