03/10/2022
BY JACK BULLOCK
CHAMPAIGN - It's no secret how the Nashville Hornets win basketball games, or at least how they have done in 2021-22.

Head coach Patrick Weathers has good athletes and he has patterned his ball-club's offensive and defensive strategies to fit his personnel.

Some, including Coach Weathers, call it “winning ugly.”

But as the old saying goes “Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder.”

This tough defense, rebounding and the limiting possessions way of life has the Hornets in the 2022 2A state title game.

“We know our personnel very well and we try to put the kids in spots where we can be successful,” said Coach Weathers. “Sometimes it's a bit more deliberate that others. We've had some games where we've scored some points but when you get to this level everyone guards so well.”

On Thursday they outlasted Chicago DePaul Prep, 31-24 in double-overtime to set up a title game on Saturday afternoon against Monticello, a 54-36 winner over Taylor Ridge-Rockridge in the other 2A semifinal.

Trailing for nearly the entire game, the Hornets forced overtime and then took the game from the Rams in the second overtime with defensive stops and converted offensive chances.

It came down to who would blink and make the game changing mistakes.

DePaul and head coach Tom Kleinschmidt made the mistakes, committing the key turnovers late.

Senior leaders Saxton Hoepker, Isaac Turner and Kolten Gajewski came up with big defensive plays and the group made the free throws late in the second overtime to clinch a spot in the state title game, their programs' third since 2014.

“Isaac and Saxton have been my horses but I can't say enough about Kolten Gajewski. He had his back-to-back season highs in the sectional and super-sectional and he did a great job on the Siemer kids (Teutopolis) and he did a great job guarding the Arnett kid tonight,” said Coach Weathers.

The previous two ended up being losses with the lone championship in basketball for the program came in 1978.

The Hornets trailed early in the game as it looked like they would be the team that would end up in the third place game.

Nashville committed four turnovers and missed all four of its field goal attempts as they trailed 8-1 at the end of the first quarter and 10-6 in the grinding first half.

For the half Nashville was just 2-of-10 with six-turnovers but the defense kept them in the contest.

The third quarter started with DePaul's 6-9 senior Dylan Arnett, who led the Rams with eight-points and 6-1 senior guard Trevon Thomas who added five-points in a third quarter move that made it 19-11 with 3:34 .

Thomas converted a three-point play and Arnett added two buckets.

However Hoepker took charge for the Hornets, netting four consecutive baskets to tie the game at 19-19 early in the fourth quarter.

Jaylan McElroy scored on a turnover and Gajewski got a nice assist from Turner to even the score at 21-21.

Working the ball late in regulation, the Hornets created a chance for DePaul.

Turner was whistled for a double-dribble call, giving the ball back to the Rams with :18.6 left.

The Rams got the ball to Thomas who took the ball to near the foul line where Turner rejected a last second shot that would have won the game in regulation for DePaul.

“I think they (DePaul) execute a lot differently than teams from the city and we want to keep the game from getting into the 50's and 60's to give ourselves a chance,” said Coach Weathers. “When it's in the 30's and 40's it's advantage Hornets.”

Each team scored just once in the overtime session, as both Thomas and Gajewski hit 1-of-2 free throws.

The second overtime session was all Nashville as the defense once again turned the tide.

Hoepker grabbed an offensive rebound for a score and the first Hornets' lead of the game.

The two senior leaders; Turner and Hoepker, combined for 5-of-6 from the free throw line and Gajewski clinced the win with dunk on with :15 left.

The Rams missed their last five field goal attempts and added two more turnovers as the Hornets advanced.

Hoepker turned out to be the top scorer with 13-points for Coach Weathers with Gajewski adding seven-points.

Turner only added the four-points but they ended up huge in the win.

Nashville was 11-of-33 from the floor and hit just 1-of-13 in the contest along with an uncharacteristic.

DePaul was only 10-of-38 and were 0-10 from the 3-point arc.

Nashville finished them off with a 9-2 Nashville overtime.

The Hornets won the rebounding war 31-23 although they coughed up 11-turnovers while DePaul had just nine.

The same group of kids for Nashville played in the 2A state football championship game back in November and now get a chance at the hoops' title.

They now face a Monticello team that is now 32-3 on the season.

“I know they have won a bunch of wins. They play really, really well,” said Coach Weathers. “They shoot the ball, they share the ball well. I know they have a couple of kids who score the ball well.”

Nashville (31) - Hoepker 5 0 3-4 13, Gajewski 3 0 1-2 7, Schoenherr 1 0 1-3 3, Heggemeier 0 1 0-0 3, Turner 0 0 1 0 3-4 5. 2FG-10, 3FG-1, FT-8-13, PF-8.
Chicago DePaul Prep (24) – Arnett 3 0 2-2 8, McElroy 2 0 0-0 4, Thomas 2 0 2-3 6, Gutierez 3 0 0-1 6, Kamin 0 0 0-0 0, Green 0 0 0-0 0, Chambers 0 0 0-0 0, Thomas 0 0 0-0 0.
2FG-10, 3FG-0, FT-4-6, PF-17.
Fouled Out – None.
Technical Fouls – None.