All night, the officials had been whistling offensive fouls. So Dennis Paloucek figured that with 1 minute 23 seconds left in overtime Friday night and Proviso West`s Rod Parker driving toward Lyons Township`s basket with the Lions ahead 58-56, it was time to test the referee`s whistle one more time.
After the whistle had blown, Parker had been called for his fifth personal foul and Paloucek and the Lions were on their way to a 66-58 victory on the Panthers` home court.
With the victory came sole possession of first place in the West Suburban Conference. Lyons (16-6) moved to 11-1 in the WSC. The Panthers (20-3), No. 5 in The Tribune`s ratings, slipped to 10-2.
”I was thinking the whole game they were calling a lot of charges,”
said Paloucek, who signed a national football letter of intent with the University of Missouri Wednesday to play defensive back. ”I knew it was a make-it-or-break-it situation, so I tried it and slipped in front of him. The first thing I did when I hit the floor was look at the ref.”
Seconds later, Paloucek was at the free-throw line, hitting two of the six free throws he made in overtime. Paloucek finished with 16 points to lead four Lions in double figures.
Lyons hit 12 of 13 free throws in the extra period. The Panthers, who rallied from a seven-point third-quarter deficit to tie the game at 56 at the end of regulation, missed the front end of two one-and-one situations with time running out in the fourth quarter.
”The team that hit the free throws won the ballgame,” said Proviso West coach Lowell Lucas, who saw his team`s hopes of successfully defending its league championship dwindle. ”We had some opportunities but didn`t connect.” ”After practice, for 15 minutes every day, we`re at the free-throw line,” said Paloucek. ”No water, no talking, no nothing. That`s a main emphasis.”
Jim Hornacek had 14 points for the Lions, and Mike Klusendorf and Ken Ingersoll each had 13. Guard John Shay, seeing his first duty after missing three games with an ankle injury, added nine.
Parker, who suffered a bruised back on his final foul, led Proviso West with 19 points, including 10 in the fourth period. Parker`s driving layup with eight seconds to play forced the overtime. Sophomore guard Alonzo Verge added 17.
Although his team now has the league lead all to itself, Lyons coach Ron Nikcevich insists the Lions, who have two games left, have not wrapped up the championship, which will be the final one in the West Suburban Conference as it is presently constituted. The conference merges with the Des Plaines Valley League next school year but will retain the West Suburban Conference name.
”Like always, the next game is the most important,” said Nikcevich.
”Whether it`s the first championship or the last doesn`t matter. What we`re doing right now is most important.”
