Botefuhr scored a team-high 18 points in the win. (Jim Cummins)
PALATINE, Ill. – Six Hawks scored in double figures on Saturday as the Harper men's basketball team pulled off the upset of previously unbeaten No. 7 (Div. II) South Suburban College, 83-72. Will Botefuhr (Arlington Heights, Ill./Prospect) led Harper (4-3) with 18 points to help push the Hawks' win streak to four games.
The Hawks took control from the opening tip and led for the entire first half. The Hawks took a 19-10 advantage with 9:50 to play in the half on a Tyler Gaedele (Arlington Heights, Ill./Rolling Meadows ) steal and assist to Kevin Sexton (/Prospect).
Kevin Walsh (/St. Viator) regularly found Botefuhr on the inside for easy baskets over Bulldog defenders. Botefuhr was a perfect 5-of-5 shooting for 10 points in the first half. His basket late in the first half gave the Hawks a 35-28 advantage, but South Suburban's Antonio Levy (game-high 30 points) knocked down a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 35-31 at the break.
The Bulldogs (7-1) opened the second half on a 6-0 run and took their first lead of the game with 17:55 remaining on a pair of free throws from Levy. The Hawks responded with a 16-6 run of their own over the next five minutes to take a 51-43 advantage.
South Suburban took the lead at 60-59 on a Charles Knowles (20 points) basket with 7:55 to play, but Harper answered with a basket from Walsh and 3-pointer from Luke Potnick (Arlington Heights, Ill./Buffalo Grove) to gain a lead they would never relinquish.
The Hawks upped the lead to 10 at 73-63 on a Walsh free throw with 3:15 remaining. With the shot clock winding down on two separate possessions late in the game, Sexton drilled two big jumpers, the final one coming with 35 seconds remaining to make it 79-70 and secure the victory.
Sexton (13 points, 5 assists), Bradley Reibel (/Prospect) (12 points, 5 assists), Walsh (11 points, 6 assists), Michael Rose (Rolling Meadows, Ill./Rolling Meadows) (10 points, 11 rebounds) and Gaedele (10 points) all joined Botefuhr in double figures scoring in the win.
The Hawks shot an impressive 50.9 percent from the field (28-of-55) and 91.5 percent (22-of-24) from the free throw line while the Bulldogs shot 41.7 percent from the field (25-of-60).
Harper returns to action at home on Tuesday night against Elgin Community College, looking to extend their win streak to five games. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 PM in the Wellness and Sports Center in Palatine.
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