Big Shot Ben Beats Buzzer, Loyola

He earned the nickname “Big Shot Ben” coming off the bench and hitting critical shots for Evanston’s basketball team last season.

But Ben Ojala never hit a bigger shot in his life than the one he made Tuesday night at Beardsley Gymnasium.

The Evanston sophomore guard swished a 25-footer from the middle of the floor with one second remaining and lifted Evanston to a 63-61 triumph over Loyola Academy on a night where the Wildkits were out-rebounded, out-hustled and had to adjust to the loss of Vito Rocca with a lower body injury suffered last weekend.

That game-winner by Ojala --- the first of his cage career --- and 25 points from Tate Schroeder helped rally the hosts from a five-point deficit with three minutes left on the clock. Evanston earned its 7th straight victory and snatched a key win for consideration when the Illinois High School Association Class 4A sectional tournament seedings are determined next month.

Now 17-3 overall, the Kits survived the start of a three-game grind that includes a trip to Glenbrook North on Friday night --- a game that could determine the Central Suburban League South division championship --- and a home contest at 3 p.m. Saturday versus state-ranked Peoria Richwoods.

Ojala (10 points) and Timi Ogunsanya (14) gave the winners just enough offense in the absence of Rocca, the team’s leading scorer (13.6 points per game) and rebounder (5.5). Evanston shot 59 per cent (23-of-38) from the floor and had to overcome an uncharacteristic 13 turnovers.

Loyola slipped to 17-5 despite 14 points apiece from Luke Alvarez and Broderick Munsey-Johnson, and 13 from Trey Williams.

Ironically, Ojala almost followed his older brother --- a varsity soccer player for the Ramblers all four years --- to Loyola.

“I was going to go there, but I fell in love with Evanston’s basketball program, and winning this one was special,” said the sophomore guard. “It’s pretty surreal. This is the first game-winner I’ve ever made in my life. This is truly special.”

“Absolutely, I wanted the ball in Ben’s hands at the end,” said ETHS head coach Mike Ellis. “He made the first basket for us tonight, and he made the last basket, too.

“Our guys did a really good job of executing over the last four minutes of the game tonight. Loyola beat us the entire second half. We didn’t come out with any intensity in the second half. They were the aggressors and they really took it to us. Our execution in those final minutes turned it in our favor.”

The lead changed hands a remarkable 10 times in the fourth quarter. The Ramblers grabbed the lead for the last time with just six seconds remaining, converting an offensive rebound on a missed shot by Sam Golden into what looked like their own game-winner as Daniel Lee drained a 3-point attempt from the top of the key.

After a timeout, it was Ojala’s turn to be the hero. But first, on the inbound pass teammate Ogunsanya glanced away from the sophomore guard, then gave a slight shrug and gave it to Ojala with the clock ticking down.

“The play was originally designed for me to get the ball on the run and go straight downhill (toward the basket), but it didn’t happen that way,” Ojala noted. “I think Timi tried to see if Dion (Lane) was open deep first.

“It’s one thing to do it in the driveway (practicing game-winning shots like all players dream of) but it’s another thing to do it in front of a crowd like this. This is better, for sure.

“I actually thought it was one of my worst games of the season before I hit that shot. I got those two fouls right away (in the first quarter, forcing Ellis to dig even deeper into his bench with two starters down), and I had some turnovers, too. That foul trouble kept me out of rhythm but luckily I found that rhythm in the third quarter.”

Evanston owned a 24-16 halftime edge after neither team played particularly well in the first two periods. Then the Ramblers climbed back into contention with a 17-7 run and only trailed 43-41 entering the fourth quarter.

A pair of free throws by the Ramblers’ Munsey-Johnson --- an Evanston product who attended Nichols --- provided the biggest lead of the night for Loyola at 53-48. The hosts, however, answered by forcing a pair of turnovers that led to a pair of baskets by Schroeder and a pair of free throws for Ogunsanya.

Schroeder also nailed a clutch 3-pointer from the corner with 53 seconds remaining, before Lane split a pair of free throws that kept the outcome in doubt with 19 seconds left.

With the 6-foot-6 Rocca on the shelf, Loyola outrebounded the winners 19-15, including an 8-2 edge on offensive rebounds. That’s an area of concern for Ellis and the ETHS staff, especially if the Wildkits are forced to match up with any quality opposing bigs before Rocca’s return.

“I have no idea if Vito will come back,” Ellis noted. “And no one person can replace him for us. We definitely got hurt on the boards without him tonight. We told them that those rebounds are all 50-50 balls and it’s a matter of will and desire, and Loyola clearly wanted them more than we did tonight. We’re fortunate that didn’t catch up with us.

“We’re going to miss Vito’s physical skills. The challenge now is for us to spread around that will to win, that enthusiasm, that desire that Vito always brings. Tate really stepped up for us tonight, and everyone else just has to do a little bit more without Vito in there.”

Ojala is confident that the Kits can thrive until --- and if --- the team’s only returning starter from a year ago returns to action.

“It has to be a collective effort for us without Vito,” he acknowledged. “It would be a big reach for any one person to replace him, but others have to collectively step up. We still have the pieces. We still have some weapons.”