Peoria Heights boys optimistic about future despite occasional growing pains
- Michael Savoie
- 11 hours ago
- 4 min read
PEORIA HEIGHTS, ILL. — Roger Bergia Gym had basketball that would make March jealous.
Up 54-48 with 1:34 to go in regulation, Peoria Heights was well on its way to a key win in the Prairieland Conference against North Fulton. Freshman Tamarius Berry’s layup gave the Patriots the six-point advantage and all they needed was to hone in their defense and they would escape with a much-needed win.
North Fulton’s Kolby Cleer had other plans.
The Wildcats senior drilled a three-pointer at the top of the key to make it a three-point game. Then after a Patriots turnover on the ensuing possession and a North Fulton timeout, the forward got the ball with a second to go on the top of the key again and got fouled in the act of shooting by Peoria Heights’s Jorge Castro.
Three free throws from Cleer with time expired would decide the outcome of the game, and he sank all three shots to send the game to overtime. North Fulton ran away from Peoria Heights in overtime, using a 6-0 run midway through the period to shock the Patriots and get a 68-59 win on the road.
“When I came down the court, I was kind of panicking, because I had the ball and the clock was running down,” Cleer said about the last-second situation. “I went to throw up a shot, and then I just got hit. So while shooting my free throws, I just knew I had to focus up and take my time and make my shots.”
The loss extends a season-high losing streak to three games for Peoria Heights (13-7, 3-2 Prairieland). Prior to this losing streak, the Patriots had never had consecutive losses this season. Berry led Peoria Heights with 18 points and freshman Quentyn Mathews tallied 12 points on four three-pointers.
“It’s a growth kind of loss, we just talked about that. We were very inexperienced, and our youth showed in some big moments, and they never quit fighting,” Jordan said. “Their four seniors on the court, they were able to stay together and find a way to keep battling and put pressure on us.
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