Trailing 78-76 in the second session, senior Dan Doyle (Wheaton, Ill./Glenbard West) canned a three-pointer for an 79-78 lead with 79-78 with 4:09 remaining. A free-throw by Knox's Jeff Zick tied it at 79s before sophomore Adam Krumtinger (Towanda, Ill./Normal Community) gave the Cards an 81-79 lead with a basket inside. On NCCs next possession, Doyle drained another jumper for an 83-79 advantage. After Knox's Zick missed a three-pointer on the other end, North Central ran the shot clock down and sophomore Daniel Walton (Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North) scored on a leaning jumper in the lane before the shot clock went off. The shot gave the Cards an 85-79 lead with 1:28 left and sealed the win.
Krumtinger led four North Central players in double figures with 17 points and nine rebounds. Junior Ray Vicario (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) added 15 points, Walton 14 points and eight rebounds, Doyle 11 points and Mike Wilson (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central) 10 points.
Knox was led by Jason Maclin's 36 points and eight boards. Zick finished with 29 points and 14 rebounds, and Nick Reineck chipped in 13 points.
The teams ended the first overtime tied at 75s. Senior Patrick Flanigan (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) hit a big three-pointer with 1:27 remaining that gave the Cardinals a 75-72 lead. However, a free throw by Maclin and a jumper from Reineck tied it at 75-75 with 44 seconds left. Vicario was called for an offensive foul with seven seconds left and Zick missed a long three-pointer as the clock ran out.
After leading most of the second half, Knox tied the game at 69 with 23 seconds remaining when Maclin drained a three-pointer from the top of the key. North Central's Wilson got a look of his own from the long distance for the win but the shot but didn't fall.
North Central shot 62 percent from the floor to lead 45-31 at halftime. After Knox's Zick hit a free throw, Knox held a slight 30-27 lead with 6:50 to go in the first half. The Cardinals then went on an 18-1 run to end the half. Junior Jeff Larson (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) drained a three-pointer coupled with shots by Wilson, Krumtinger, Vicario, and a three-pointer with four seconds left in the half from Wilson. The Cardinals also hit 6 of 8 from the line during the run. Zick had 13 points at the break to lead Knox, while Wilson's nine led North Central.