Perfect execution on final possession boosts Macomb to regional title on home floor

MACOMB, Ill. — The significance of playing the Class 2A regional championship at The Hangar wasn’t lost on Macomb boys basketball coach Jeremy Anderson or assistant coach Zach Keene.

“Between the two of us, that’s more than 40 years of coaching,” Anderson said. “And we could only come up with four or five times we coached in a regional championship on our own floor.”

So they didn’t want to waste Friday night’s opportunity.

“Our kids took pride in it and they wanted to live in that moment,” Anderson said. “And, boy, they got a chance to at the end of that game.”

Nolan Hoge scored off a Drew Watson assist with two seconds remaining, lifting the Bombers to a 42-41 victory over Rockridge in the title game of the Class 2A Macomb Regional in front a raucous and loud home crowd.

“It was special,” Anderson said.

So was the execution of the final possession.

Macomb (24-5) took a 40-39 lead with 32.3 seconds remaining in regulation when Malachi Conley, who led the Bombers with 14 points, made a pair of free throws. Rockridge got the ball into the front court and used a timeout with 16.4 seconds left to set up an offensive.

Rockets senior forward Landon Bull took the ball at the top of the key, drove hard down the left side oif the lane and was fouled while leaning in to shoot. The field goal attempt caromed off, but Bull earned two free throws with 10.9 seconds left and made both for a 41-40 lead.

“There’s not really a lot you can do about that,” Anderson said. “(Bull) is just so much bigger, so much stronger than anybody we had to try to guard him. I thought our kids gave everything they had, every ounce of effort they could to try to contain him.”

Although Macomb had three timeouts remaining, Anderson had called the offensive set he wanted them to run on the final possession.

“That’s a play we’ve been practicing,” Anderson said. “They always tell you to practice your end-of-the-game plays. It’s a play we’ve practiced the last couple of weeks. When you get towards the end, it’s time to do some special stuff. And they executed it well.”

Senior guard Braden Holthaus brought the ball into the front court, and while being pressured, he handed the ball off to Watson, who finished with 11 points, curling from the right wing to the top of the key. Bull, who was guarding Hoge, left Hoge alone in the corner as he attempted to step up and challenge Watson.

Hoge cut to the basket along the left baseline as Watson delivered an on-the-money bounce pass. Hoge converted the layin while being fouled with two seconds remaining.

“They executed it perfectly,” Anderson said.

Hoge, who finished with eight points, missed the ensuing free throw, but Bull grabbed the rebound in traffic and threw up a three-quarters court heave that missed the mark as the Bombers began celebrating.

“Our kids were really excited that we got to play a regional championship on their own floor,” Anderson said. “Winning it made it a great night.”

Macomb trailed much of the fourth quarter but never by more than four points, which allowed for the late game heroics to be possible.

“I thought our initial shot defense was outstanding the entire game,” Anderson said. “They hurt us on offensive rebounds. They hurt us in transition.”

Those will be two things Anderson and his staff address ahead of Tuesday’s matchup with Peoria Manual in the semifinals of the Class 2A Sherrard Sectional. Last year, the Bombers upset the Rams 41-40 in the sectional semifinals.

Manual beat Tremont 72-36 in the Class 2A Tremont Regional title game.

“Our kids are already excited to play them,” Anderson said.