Boys Basketball: Hillcrest gets past Morton in OT

Jalen Loving was anything but happy about the way he played against Morton for most of the game.

Then things changed.

Loving scored five of his 10 points in overtime and added two key blocks and several crucial offensive rebounds as Hillcrest outlasted Morton 68-63 in first-round play at the Proviso West Holiday tournament Tuesday in Hillside.

“I didn’t think I was doing very much to help the team for most of the game,” Loving said. “Then, in the overtime, I wanted to be aggressive and not shoot jump shots but attack the basket.”

Hillcrest advances to play Rockford Auburn in Wednesday’s quarterfinals.

With the game tied at 57 at the end of regulation, Loving opened the overtime with a strong baseline move for a lay up that provided a lead the Hawks (8-2) never surrendered. He also made a spectacular recovery block denying a Morton layup that set his team’s strong finish.

Four of Loving’s nine rebounds occurred at the offensive end. “We felt pretty confident once the game went into overtime because we saw that they were just seven-deep and they were tired,” he said.

Loving and Jayon’e Troutman (11 points, 11 rebounds) scored on consecutive putbacks that slammed the door on the Mustangs (6-2), who were playing without 6-8 star Rocco Belcaster. He suffered a hand injury in practice a week ago.

The game was shaped by several huge momentum swings. Morton ran out to a 12-1 start behind the all-around play of Waller Perez (21 points, nine rebounds). Hillcrest responded with its relentless full-court pressure that forced 22 Morton turnovers and the long-range shooting of Brent Buchanan (15 points) and Jovan Mooring (15 points).

“We have a lot of kids who have been in these kind of situations, even several kids who played (on the Class 3A 2010 state championship) team,” Hillcrest coach Don Houston said. “We have a group of battlers and I really liked our energy in the overtime.”

The extra session concluded a delirious finish that saw the Mustangs stage a crucial 8-1 run behind the inspired play of 6-6 freshman Weisner Perez (six points, five blocks). David Chatman (seven points, 18 rebounds) threw down a vicious dunk that forged a 54-all tie.

Hillcrest’s Buchanan and Morton’s Anthony Lewis traded three-pointers in the final minute. Both teams had a chance to win in the closing seconds, but Hillcrest’s Mooring intercepted a pass. His 22-footer at the end of regulation hit off the back rim.

“I knew we had to win at the end of regulation,” Morton coach Tony Martinucci said. “Their three-point shooters got tired and that helped us get back into the game. But we used up our energy to tie the game and they had the energy in the overtime.”

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