KIRKWOOD – Breakaway dunks often result in a massive boost of energy, but for the SLUH basketball team, a two-handed slam by junior John Hawkins in the closing seconds Saturday resulted in a massive exhale of relief.
Hawkins scored a career high 25 points, including the final flush that allowed SLUH to survive a furious fourth quarter charge and defeat Mater Dei 61-54 in the first game of the 18th Annual Midwest Showdown Shootout at St. Louis Community College – Meramec Campus.
SLUH (2-2) saw a 17-point, fourth quarter lead evaporate quickly after relentless Mater Dei pressure forced turnovers, produced easy baskets and sliced the deficit to 55-54 with 1:21 remaining.
“It’s the first time we’ve seen that kind of full court pressure,” Hawkins said.
At the top of the Knights’ 2-2-1 full court press, senior Gavin Peppenhorst deflected passes, picked dribblers and scored 11 of his team-high 24 points during a fourth quarter tidal wave that included a head-spinning, 14-0 run.
But SLUH regained its composure in the final minute and made the plays necessary to win. Junior Ben Yust escaped a trap and drained two free throws to stem the tide, sophomore Lucas Mense scored his only hoop of the game on a press break layup, and Hawkins provided the ultimate sigh of relief with a gentle, two-hand stuff as the Jr. Bills escaped with a victory.
“It was desperation,” Mater Dei coach Cory Arentsen said of the Knights’ furious comeback attempt. “We were down 17 and we got it down to one, which was very impressive, but the game was lost in the first quarter and the third quarter.”
Hawkins found his groove immediately after tipoff. The 6-foot-6 junior drained a pair of threes, sank a smooth reverse layup and converted a tough drive in traffic to propel SLUH to a 19-8 lead after one quarter.
“We’ve only played a few games and we’re still figuring out how we want to play, so I wanted to get out in transition and get us started early,” said Hawkins, who scored 11 first quarter points.
Peppenhorst, who is averaging 24.4 points per game, helped Mater Dei climb within striking distance by halftime. His strong drive resulted in a three-point play to open the second quarter, and his skill as a facilitator created open shots for teammates such as Reagan Woomer, who added 18 points.
Peppenhorst’s stat-stuffing performance included seven rebounds, five steals and three assists.
“His game has really progressed. He’s earned that success with all the time he’s put in the gym,” Arentsen said of Peppenhorst, who scored a career-high 41 points against Pinckneyville on Dec. 13.
The SLUH lead was 39-33 midway through the third quarter when Hawkins once again took command. He drained a three, converted four free throws, and his steal and assist to junior Jack Grigaitis gave the Jr. Bills nine consecutive points and a 48-33 advantage heading to the fourth.
“We switched to a zone and started getting stops and rebounds, which got us out in transition and helped us go on a little run,” Hawkins said.
The Knights (5-6) played Gibault the night before, and their attempts to punish the SLUH zone from behind the three-point arc were coming up short. Trailing 55-40 midway through the fourth quarter, Mater Dei needed only a driving layup from Peppenhorst to set up its press and change the momentum.
Well-executed traps resulted in errant passes, and the Knights immediately turned turnovers into points. A Peppenhorst steal and dunk cut the deficit to 55-50. His steal and assist to junior Jack Reynolds made it a one-point game with 1:21 remaining.
But Yust and Mense, both who had not yet cracked the scoresheet, produced big points in the final minute, and Hawkins provided a silent exclamation point to help SLUH escape with a win.
“Once we slowed down, we were able to break the press and get some points down the stretch,” Hawkins said.
Hawkins is the headliner of a young, yet experienced SLUH roster. It includes eight juniors, several whom reached the Class 6 state quarterfinals last season before losing a double overtime heartbreaker to Lafayette.
The win over Mater Dei on Saturday should provide an important learning tool as to how to finish games without holding their breath.
“We just needed to slow down a little bit,” Hawkins said. “We’re going to work on that in practice for sure.”
For photos from this game, click on the link below:
Scores from the 18th Annual Midwest Showdown Shootout:
SLUH 61, Mater Dei 54
CBC 79, Memphis Business Academy 47
St. Mary’s 74, Sacred Heart Griffin 61
De Smet 77, Mt. Carmel 48
East St. Louis 78, 21st Century 52
Kankakee 60, Vashon 53
Cardinal Ritter 64, Nicolet 61