Second Place Sports News
Originally Published Jan. 31, 2014
BLOOMINGTON - You could call Lindi Balazi an unlikely hero for his 4 points in the final 30 seconds of the overtime period of the McLean County Tournament championship, but for the Blue Ridge Knights, it’s not unlikely for any player to step up when a big play is needed.
The sophomore found himself on the free throw line in the overtime period of the eventual 57-56 win thanks to a 17-4 Ridgeview run to end regulation. The run was capped by a three-pointer to tie the game with 47 seconds remaining from the Mustangs’ Tyler McCormick.
“We knew Ridgeview is good, and Ridgeview is so well coached that they were going to come back with huge runs,” Blue Ridge head coach Kyle Watson said after the game.
Perhaps the biggest obstacle the Knights faced on the night came in the first minute of overtime. After the Knights missed a shot on their first possession, senior Michael Plunk, who became Blue Ridge’s all-time leading scorer earlier in the game, fouled out on a loose ball rebound.
Quickly, the Mustangs jumped ahead as Ridgeview’s senior guard Trey McCormick scored the first five points of overtime, giving the Mustangs a 54-49 advantage and extending their run to 22-4.
With Plunk on the bench, Watson had a message for his players.
“We’re not a one man team. Other players come in and win. You aren’t going to win four games in one week with just your starters,” Watson said.
With the five point deficit and Plunk--their leading scorer with 16 points-- on the bench, fellow senior Will Duggins stepped up in a big way.
Duggins found space in the lane on a drive with about two minutes left to cut the lead to 54-51 and gave Blue Ridge their first bucket since there was 1:19 left in regulation.
On the ensuing Mustang possession, an attempt to stall was met with a Clint O’Neal foul on senior Christian Fannin.
Fannin went to the line in the double bonus, missing both free throws and giving the Knights the ball back on the rebound. As they drove down court it was Duggins turn again, as he slashed to the lane for a score with 1:30 left in the game.
After the Mustangs went down and hit two free throws with 29 seconds remaining, Balazi took the opportunity to join tournament lore.
The sophomore was fouled, earning a spot at the free throw line. Balazi made the first shot before the second one came in crooked. Much like he did late in Friday’s contest, Balazi slashed through the lane, following his shot and pulling down the offensive board to keep the possession alive.
As he kicked it back out, the ball found him again on the wing, and he buried the triple to put the Knights ahead for the first time in the extra period at 57-56.
A Mustang half-court attempt short, and the Knights joined in for a celebration of their first McLean County Tournament title since 1988.
“It’s unbelievable,” Watson said of the win. “The last time we won this tournament our boys weren’t alive. It’s a great win for our players, it’s a great win for our program.
The four points in the final half-minute were all Balazi put on the scoreboard that evening, but they were big ones, and they earned praise from the coach.
“He’s a tough kid. He’s a kid that played JV football for us and got a major concussion early. We didn’t even know if we were going to have him this year. He fought back and made a huge play for us tonight,” Watson said.
The late game heroics of Balazi led the Knights to hoist the trophy, but it was team basketball that put them in position to win.
The Knights played fast defensively, helping when the weak side looked unguarded, and forcing Ridgeview to put up tough shots, thus keeping their percentage low.
Senior Clint O’Neals presence on the offensive and defensive boards helped limit the Ridgeview looks and gave second chance opportunities to Blue Ridge. With 1:16 remaining, O’Neal converted a key inbound pass to a bucket to give Blue Ridge the 49 points they needed to force OT.
Early on it was Chase Zimmerman, who had seven of the first 11 points for the Knights, and Dylan Trent, who put 11 points on the stat sheet.
The win followed in line with the rest of the tournament for Blue Ridge, as the team’s bench didn’t miss a beat when the starters took a breather.
“Cory Jayne has made some huge plays for us this week. Forrest Boggs has played well for us off the bench, Thomas Hardesty has played well for us, and obviously Lindi tonight,” Watson said. “We have won nine in a row and 10 out of 11. We are playing our best basketball right now.”
The win from Blue Ridge (15-5) was the first loss for the Mustangs on the year, who fell to 18-1.
Plunk sets record
With two minutes remaining in the first quarter, Michael Plunk fired a 15-foot jumper from the elbow to cement him in Knights lore.
The senior recorder his 1277th point, surpassing Brad Wells, who scored 1275 between 2003-2007.
Plunk finished the game with 1291, as he scored 16 on the evening.
Plunk received a standing ovation from the Blue Ridge faithful during the first timeout to follow the go-ahead bucket.