You know it’s a big game when Illinois men’s basketball head coach Brad Underwood pulls up. He’s got a front row for the boys’ basketball sectional semifinal featuring recent U of I commit Mason Martin and two of the state’s best sophomores going to war in Neuqua’s Cole Kelly and Brady Pettigrew from Bolingbrook. Both teams are coming off dominating regional championship wins, with the Wildcats dominating Oswego East 80-51, while the Raiders took down Southwest Prairie Conference rival Plainfield East. These two teams are facing off for a second time this season after the Wildcats pulled off the 75-69 victory back in January. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Both teams go to work as TJ Williams pulls up for a high jumper that drops in to get the Raiders going.
Mason Martin tosses a long chest pass to Luke Balgro, who gets the hoop and the harm to give Neuqua an 11-8 lead.
Raiders get aggressive on their home court
Back comes the Brook and Trey Brost, who’s open in the corner, and his shot is nothing but net. 15-14 Raiders.
Brady Pettigrew starts to pick it up as Williams finds the super sophomore, and he is on target from three. The Raiders lead 22-16 after the first.
The Raiders turn defense into offense to start the second as Williams takes Carter Coviello to school with a euro step and floater.
Wildcats cut into big deficit
The Wildcats trail 32-24 when Danny Mikuta pushes his chips in on the open three, which pays off. They get another point before half to trail 32-28 at the break.
The Wildcats eventually get Cole Kelly involved. He takes the three, and Kelly hits it to keep Neuqua close.
Bolingbrook finds a way to take the momentum back. Elijah Anderson attacks the defense and scores with the foul. 42-33 Bolingbrook midway through the third.
The Wildcats answer with Coviello plus Kelly, which equals a bucket for the blue and gold.
Then Arshil Khami catches the defense napping by scoring off a baseline pass, and it’s a one-point game with Neuqua trailing 43-42.
Neuqua brings the fire heading into the fourth
The Wildcats turn it up on defense with a Khami tip that results in Mikuta flooring it all the way to the rim for the layup. This game is tied at 46 heading into the final quarter.
Neuqua leads 49-48, and it’s quickly gone because Jayden Madden is in the right spot for the tip-in, and the Raiders are back in front.
Wildcats are down 56-49, but the Cats get help from Martin, banking in a triple from downtown to cut the lead to four.
Bolingbrook dominates the fourth to win the sectional semifinal
However, the Raiders are too much to handle because look out below, Brady Pettigrew throws it down with authority to seal the deal. A game-high 25 points in the game for Pettigrew. A 22-7 fourth quarter run helps Bolingbrook to a 68-53 sectional semifinal win over Neuqua Valley. Up next is the sectional final, where the Raiders will face defending state champion Benet Academy. Neuqua Valley ends its historic season with a final record of 32-2.
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